Hello Pest,
If you are who I think you are, I have just discovered your last post on this subject.
I have no influence now that I have retired fully from anything to do with mechanical handling. I stood my ground over the manner in which people with a lot of experience were being treated within one of the accrediting bodies and simply walked away, after I was put under some sort of investigation without any warning, having been spied on by one of my colleagues (I guessed that he was doing so, and accused him to his face in front of our then managing director.) They were obviously too shy to suggest that there might be a discussion to have. I was 68 at the time. They wanted me, and two others out of the way and, unfortunately, they succeeded.
As i have already said, I worked for both ITSSAR and RTITB,including during the days when RTITB was a statutory training board. I had managed a group training association under RTITB and introduced LT operator training into our portfolio, and I knew the author of the original Trainer's Guide, so I have been around for a long time.
under the original RTITB regime, I was appointed a lift truck specialist for the South West and Wales but left to pursue other interests for a time.
Later, as I think you know, I joined ITSSAR in its very young days and helped to develop what was then a friendly, helpful approach to training organisations, on the basis that we were looking for success, not failure (one of your phrases, i think!).
After some time, I was approached by RTITB to rejoin them, and as they were offering a job, rather then being self-employed, I took the offer.
My role at that time was as Development Officer. My first success was to introduce a wider range of trainers' guides for a widr range of truck types. I cannot claim the one for pedestrian controlled trucks, but rough terrain masted and telescopic handlers, pivot-steer, order pickers, VNA trucks, vehicle-mounted lift trucks, demountable containers, multi-purpose vehicles were all my work. in addition, i set up the initial operwtor registration programme and wrote the instructor training manual. these were the core of RTITB's more friendly approach. change of personnel within,including change of personalities who had no practical training experience or experience of being on the road in monitoring activities, but led to degrees of discomfort as far as I was concerned, which was why i left.
I have been approached to develop another accrediting body and di some basic work on guides, policies and procedures, but my wife, bless her, slammed her foot down and said NO - loudly!
so,now, i occasionally read Forklift Action News and the forum letters, and occasionally respond.
I did it Dai's way!!