The British Industrial Truck Association (BITA) and City of Bristol College have joined forces to encourage the continued availability of qualified engineers for the forklift truck industry, while also boosting awareness of engineering career opportunities.
A BITA programme training manager has been appointed to create a management link between the academic community and the materials handling sector, which currently does not exist. This is an independent post with a brief to work with schools to attract new apprentices, explore opportunities for securing Government funding, manage the volume of applicants, liaise with employers and maintain quality levels. Karl Baum, City of Bristol College’s business development manager in transport & engineering technology, will head up the operational team.
Secondly, a new training facility, the BITA Academy, will be created. Apprentices pursuing the College’s Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) accredited Diploma in FLT engineering will be able to graduate with a BITA-branded ‘IMI Quality Assured’ 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,” commented Tim Waples, President of BITA.
“That’s why we committed to create an Industry Apprentice Manager at our AGM in May 2011. Thanks to hard work by BITA Board member Bill Goodwin (pictured) who has led this project, we have negotiated a partnership with City of Bristol College that has met, and exceeded, our goals.”
