The fightback has begun

It’s well-known there has been an ever-worsening shortage of engineers in the forklift truck industry going back over the last couple of decades. The problem has been aggravated by the number of engineers leaving the sector — mostly through retirement — far exceeding the number of new entrants.

The good news is that with the support of the industry, we are gradually turning the tide.

As the UK’s only accredited facility dedicated exclusively to the training of technical staff in the forklift sector, our mission is to address the challenge of increasing the numbers entering the industry and developing their skill levels.

Since opening in 2016 with the support of both BITA (British Industrial Truck Association) and the FLTA (Fork Lift Truck Association), we have been working with companies of every size — from major manufacturers to the smallest of dealerships — to do just that through an ever-evolving range of training programmes.

And evidence of our success is compelling.

We have since seen the number of apprentices entering the industry grow by 12 percent year-on-year — and we are proud to have a 94 percent completion rate (compared with a national rate of 66.7 percent). 

But the future of our industry not only relies on offering courses for new apprentices. Upskilling is proving to be a really cost-effective and immediate alternative for employers looking to train individuals from other industries and from within their company’s existing personnel (such as labourers or those who work with parts). In recent months hundreds of engineers have completed development training or upskilling courses.

To ensure we were catering to a wide range of subject areas and experience, we’ve doubled the number of courses available, bringing the total to 28. We now offer apprenticeships, engineer and technician development courses, skills-transfer programmes, advanced qualifications, Thorough Examination training, and courses for non-engineers.

That growth in numbers has put pressure on our facilities, so in order to accommodate the growing number of delegates attending the centre, we have just expanded our premises by 33% to 15,000 sq ft.

For delegates to receive expert training, we also think it’s important that they learn with the right equipment. Our industry partners have been generous in their backing of the centre. As part of their support for our work, manufacturers and distributors have recently invested more than £330,000 in new or refurbished trucks, attachments and test-rigs. That includes an up-to-the-minute 3-tonne LPG counterbalance truck from Crown; and a fork clamp, rotating drum clamp and roll clamp from B&B Attachments.

In addition, our training partner TVH has installed two state-of-the-art hydraulic test rigs that allow our delegates to simulate the set-up of virtually every truck make or model simply by switching a cassette. The rigs are the only two of their kind in the world, giving those on F-TEC courses exclusive opportunities to learn skills based on realistic scenarios. Giving delegates the chance to work with contemporary, relevant equipment significantly enhances their learning experience and ensures that teaching techniques are up to date.

For employers, we understand that training is an investment. In order for employees to become the most efficient and effective they can be, they need the confidence and knowledge to expand their skills and abilities. F-TEC’s focus is to provide insightful and in-depth courses that not only inspire technicians, but also empower them to succeed in their careers.

The issue of a skills shortage is far from solved, but the significant results we are seeing at F-TEC indicate a promising future for the industry. We believe the fight-back has begun, and that we are on the way to addressing a historic imbalance with a new generation of technicians better prepared than any before them to tackle a changing and challenging workplace environment.