Purchasing clerks buy materials for organizations. Inventory clerks maintain computerized or manual records of materials.

You usually need a high school diploma and may need some specialized training after high school, along with some work experience. To be an inventory clerk, you may need courses in production / inventory management and must be able to operate computerized inventory systems. With experience, you may move up the ranks to become a supervisor. Most recent entrants have a high school diploma, and almost 3 in 10 have a trade / vocational certificate or community college diploma.