Rob Vetter is technical director and managing partner with the Ives Training Group, in Blaine, WA, USA, a leader in North American mobile equipment training systems since 1981.
There is a growing and very disturbing trend rearing its ugly head out there and I believe it deserves serious attention. It appears that the existence of trainers with all the credentials for greatness at what they do such as elevated communication and people skills and significant, real-world experience with forklifts is being threatened by so-called "educators" who have never done anything but training.
I'm not saying that educators don't have their place. In fact, I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have teaching history to our children or computer skills to the masses, but not providing forklift operator training. Have you ever tried to put together a training program with the help of educators who, admittedly, are great at developing PowerPoint presentations and producing Needs Assessment documents? However, those same documents often resemble a tome that leaves one wondering: where's the beef and when do we get around to the training part?
If you notice one or all of the following items in the person that is training your forklift operators and/or trainers, you may want to reconsider and get a real trainer:
* They spend proportionately more time covering regulations and related matters than any other topic.
* They can produce needs assessments and statistical data out the yin-yang but can't locate a manufacturer's operating manual for the specific equipment addressed.
* If they have any problems with their laptop, the training simply stops.
* If their cell phone rings, the training simply stops.
* They use four syllables when one or two will do.
* They take questions but don't ask any.
* They have stories to relate from engineers and designers but not operators or supervisors.
* They have a PDA and cup warmer in the car but no steel-toes or rain gear.
* The classroom portion of the training is longer than the hands-on.
* They may choose to stay inside during practical training sessions.
* The words "I don't know" simply do not exist in their vocabulary and are often replaced with "it depends on whether the curriculum you employ is predicated on behaviour-based metrics or a criterion-based model and blah, blah, blah". This type of response is often accompanied by the stench of bull excrement.
The typical educator is usually as dedicated to his or her profession as any of us are. However, their lack of experience that can only be gained through working on or around forklifts limits their connection to that "world". This open circuit creates a void that, in a person who is in possession of the requisite experience, is filled with passion.
Of course, an educator can have passion too. I have experienced it first-hand and some of them I recall from high school later changed my life. But when it comes to forklift training, the Needs Assessment I have generated with information collected over the past 25 years operating in that world tells me that what is needed are qualified trainers with the knowledge, training and experience required to train operators and evaluate their competence. Class dismissed.