FLTA chairman Martyn Fletcher

The British Industrial Truck Association (BITA) and the Fork Lift Truck Association (FLTA) have reiterated their commitment to developing quality apprenticeships following the airing of BBC Panorama programme, The Great Apprentice Scandal, last week.

The 2 April television programme uncovered shocking evidence of private training providers in some sectors allegedly offering apprenticeships with little or no work experience and inadequate training.

The two associations say the contrast between the apprenticeships featured by Panorama and the courses the forklift industry has been instrumental in developing could not be greater.

FLTA spokesman David McGuire tells Forkliftaction.com News that forklift apprenticeships were not mentioned specifically in the programme. "[It] was an exposé of apprenticeship courses that are divorced from any real job, where there are no realistic employment prospects, and which do not include formal training. The schemes mentioned are generally newly established, where the FLTA has been working on its apprenticeship scheme for many years."

Forklift apprentices are sponsored by leading forklift companies like Linde, Barloworld and Jungheinrich and receive quality vocational training both on placement and in the classroom, equipping them to pursue a career all the way to management level.

BITA president Tim Waples says unlike other business sectors, the forklift industry needs to actively recruit young people and is aiming to take on about 200 apprentices a year. "The development of the BITA Academy last year is clear evidence of our commitment, as an industry, to training and developing young people. We are keen to highlight the exciting and rewarding job opportunities available for young people in our sector."

FLTA chairman Martyn Fletcher says the association was deeply saddened by much of what was shown on Panorama and hopes youth will not be put off all apprenticeships as a result.

"An IMI-accredited (Institute of the Motor Industry) Fork Lift Truck apprenticeship, no matter where in the UK it is delivered, will take a minimum of three years, with scope for a further fourth year of advanced training. We, like BITA, are now even talking about a potential fifth year of training. Apprentices spend the majority of their time on work placements with the sponsoring employer. Underpinning technical knowledge is taught at appropriate colleges," Fletcher adds.

BITA members have invested significantly in the BITA Academy, a dedicated, branded apprenticeship-training facility operated in conjunction with City of Bristol College. The BITA Academy offers both a three-year higher apprenticeship qualification including an exclusive quality assured certificate, and an advanced level apprenticeship qualification, achieved during a fourth year of study, which leads to a Diploma in Forklift Maintenance & Repair (both awards are accredited by IMI Awards). Graduates are also accredited as engineering technicians by the Society of Operations Engineers.

The FLTA continues to work closely with North Warwickshire and Hinckley College and Remit Training, which also offer apprenticeships leading to the same IMI Awards-accredited qualifications offered by the BITA Academy.

March economic data from global financial information company Markit and Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply show continued growth in the manufacturing sector. This indicates that the forklift industry is expected to continue to grow.