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11.
October
2022.
Registered Lift Truck Instructor Figures Soar in 2022
October 2022
Registered Lift Truck Instructor Figures Soar in 2022
RTITB, the leading accrediting body for workplace transport training, has reported a surge in registrations of new Lift Truck Instructors so far this year.
Between January and August 2022, 508 trained Lift Truck Instructors have already joined the RTITB Register of International Instructors. This is a steep rise from 2021, where 580 Instructors registered across the whole year.
UK Instructor numbers have steadily grown year on year. With the exception of 2020, where COVID-19 restrictions prevented Instructors from completing training. As a result, 50% fewer Lift Truck Instructor examinations took place compared to the previous year.
“A lot of training fell behind in the pandemic. This led to massive bottlenecks for Lift Truck Instructor training,” explains Laura Nelson, Managing Director for RTITB. “Our latest figures indicate that businesses are now prioritising clearing their Instructor training backlogs.”
She continues “COVID-19 delayed operator training too. There is also increased pressure on the supply chain. This means that the industry now urgently needs to train more Lift Truck operators to meet demand.”
There are currently 13,162 ‘Forklift Operator’ roles currently advertised* by organisations across the UK. However, many businesses suggest that filling Instructor roles with existing qualified candidates is challenging.
To fill these Instructor vacancies, some organisations are therefore looking to upskill existing employees. RTITB suggests that lift truck operators, warehouse operatives, or supervisors may all be keen to develop their career as Instructors. This could help close the skills gap.
“Your existing employees come with an understanding of your business and operations. This can prove incredibly helpful when they become an Instructor,” says Laura. “Plus, this upskilling approach demonstrates a clear career progression path within your business.”
“New opportunities can boost morale, ensure your team uses their skills to the fullest, and can help retain valuable talent. Career development can also make you an attractive employer in a competitive recruitment market,” continues Laura.
To train skilled and safety-focused Lift Truck Instructors, businesses can book courses with the nationwide network of RTITB Accredited Instructor Centres.
These providers must all achieve and uphold specific standards to be RTITB Accredited for Instructor training. This gives businesses peace of mind that they are delivering exceptional quality training. As a result, you benefit from highly skilled and safety-focused Lift Truck Instructors to train your team in-house.
To find an RTITB Accredited Instructor Centre for Lift Truck Instructor training, visit www.rtitb.com and view the Course Locator.
*www.indeed.co.uk – 25 August 2022
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NOTES TO EDITORS
RTITB sets industry leading training standards specifically designed to change behaviour and make measurable improvements to efficiency, risk, and safety.
As the preferred regulatory body for workplace transport training, our accreditation, audit, certification, and instructor training services are reliable, robust, and developed by a team dedicated to the common goal of keeping people safe.
We set training standards for goods vehicle driver licence acquisition training, driver assessment, Driver CPC Periodic Training, yardshunter training, banksman training, and all types of materials handling equipment: making us the only company able to provide absolute assurance for a full range of workplace transport training.
Our training standards are used extensively in the UK, Ireland, India, and the Middle East, across a number of sectors: supply chain, freight forwarding, warehousing, road haulage distribution, oil and gas, food and drink manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, construction, cold chain, ports, and airports and public sector organisations such as councils and prisons.
Established in 1965 and with over 50 years' experience, RTITB is the regulatory body of choice for businesses committed to safety and efficiency. Since inception well over 1 million people have attended RTITB courses. Since 2014, more than 268,000 delegates have been trained to RTITB standards.
Visit www.rtitb.com for further information.