The British Industrial Truck Association has joined forces with the City of Bristol College to open the BITA Academy to offer an industrial truck apprenticeship scheme leading to an Institute of the Motor Industry accredited forklift truck apprenticeship.
The academy was opened by Jack Lopresti, MP for Filton and Bradley Stoke, who said: “The BITA Academy promises to lead to quality training and real career prospects for young people in a sector which actively wants to attract significant numbers of apprentices to replace retiring employees.”
Apprentices pursuing the college’s IMI Awards accredited Diploma in FLT engineering can also graduate with a BITA-branded “IMI Awards Quality Assured” certificate. Recruitment for apprenticeships starting in January 2012, has now begun.
BITA board member, Bill Goodwin who has been the driving force behind the BITA’s partnership with the college, said: “Thanks to its ‘pure FLT’ course content addressing both internal combustion and electric power sources, BITA Academy graduates will be equipped in the best possible way to work with the full range of products on the market.”
Course programme content is tailored for BITA and its members, delivered by a structured training team using dedicated workshops and branded course materials. Candidates will be welcomed from all companies, and you don’t have to be a BITA member to participate.
* Lift truck Apprenticeships are also offered by North Warwickshire and Hinckley College, which has a long standing relationship with the Fork Lift Truck Association.
David Ellison, chief executive of the FLTA, said: “There is just one formal lift truck qualification provided by IMI. This is available for all to see on the IMI web site. We are all using the same qualification and working to the same high standard.”
