BITA (the British Industrial Truck Association) and City of Bristol College are now working together, with the stated aim of ensuring the availability of qualified engineers for the forklift truck industry.
BITA president Tim Waples also expects the partnership to boost awareness of engineering career opportunities for young people.
The initiative involves the appointment of a BITA programme training manager to create a management link between the academic community and the materials handling sector.
Karl Baum, City of Bristol College's business development manager in transport and engineering technology, will be heading up the operational team, supported by materials, including a promotional film highlighting career opportunities.
Meanwhile, a new training facility, the BITA Academy, will be created at the college's transport technology for fork lift truck facility on the Parkway campus, north of Bristol. Starting in December 2011, apprentices pursuing the College's Diploma in FLT engineering can now graduate with a BITA-branded certificate.
"We need to see significant numbers of apprentices joining the forklift engineering sector to replace retiring employees, if we want to reverse our current ageing profile," comments Waples.
"That's why we committed to create an industry apprentice manager at our AGM in May. Thanks to a great deal of hard work by BITA board member Bill Goodwin [pictured], who has led this project, we have negotiated a partnership … that has met—and exceeded—our goals."
