F-TEC head trainer Kevin Michel; Benjamin Feehan; Andrew Gay; Christopher Bell; Ashley King and F-TEC managing director Karl Baum

The best of Britain's young forklift service engineers have been honoured in a graduation ceremony hosted by the British Industrial Truck Association (BITA) in Burton on Trent.

Four graduates attended the ceremony, representing an inaugural class of eight, all of whom achieved the advanced levels of specialist technical knowledge, understanding and practical skills to gain the Level 4 Certificate in Advanced Automotive Studies for Master Technicians - Lift Truck.

The Level 4 course was developed and delivered by F-TEC in collaboration with IMI and with input from manufacturers and dealerships within the UK forklift industry.

Presenting the awards alongside Simon Barkworth of BITA was F-TEC head of training Kevin Michel. "The rewards from completing the course are great for both engineer and employer," he explained, "but it is a challenging qualification as it demands high levels of competence from both student and instructor and a willingness to invest in the necessary study. I am particularly proud that every student who embarked on the course made it successfully through to graduation."

The Level 4 course focuses on advanced diagnostics and is designed to align traditional methods with state-of-the-art technologies. It provides engineers with a far deeper understanding of vehicle systems - enabling them to diagnose problems faster and with greater certainty than using fault codes alone. For the employer, that means higher efficiency and profitability - through a far higher hit-rate for "first-time fixes".

Barkworth told the graduates: "Alongside our partners in the FLTA, our association has long been committed to training increasing numbers of apprentices. The introduction of a Level 4 qualification for forklift truck engineers brings us into line with the automotive industry and offers high-performing young people the opportunity to advance their careers incrementally.

"The young people on stage today represent the future of our industry. They have the talent to progress into more senior roles, such as sales or technical managers. Level 4 is a vital new milestone in that process."