AITT Annual Review - 2023
As one of the UK’s leading accreditation bodies in the materials handling sector, AITT has continued to take a prominent role in establishing new and consistent standards across the materials handling industry as well as offering even greater guidance and support for our training providers.
During 2023 we once again achieved double-digit growth in membership thanks to our responsiveness and highly competitive fees. These charges have not increased for more than 3 years … and will not do so in 2024.
One of the reasons for such a remarkable record is that AITT is exceptional in being a not-for-profit organisation answerable to our members rather than shareholders. As a result, we are driven by providing the best possible service rather than seeking ever higher profits. Any surplus income goes directly towards improving standards.
A good example of that is the recently launched ACORNS on-line verifier tool that facilitates an instant check of the training records of more than 500,000 candidates who have received AITT accredited training. This can be particularly useful for prospective employers and recruitment agencies
Another recent innovation is the introduction of the AITT-Approved scheme for MHE theory training courses that fall outside the scope of accredited operator training - for example safety or manager supervision training. It supports AITT-accredited training providers by giving the course authority whilst offering employers the assurance that the course has been independently assessed and will be continuously monitored for quality and consistency.
A further industry-first is a re-registration process designed to save AITT Category 4 tutors time and money thanks to a new Digital CPD passport scheme.
And the good news is that throughout 2024 you’ll see even more developments from AITT designed to help training providers work more efficiently and more profitably, whist ensuring the highest standards to owners and operators of materials handling equipment. With that in mind, watch out for details of a highly-flexible new course that will allow operators to upskill and train to become instructors on A1 and A2 courses.
But for now, having seen some recent and rather depressing statistics on the extent of workers breaking safety rules – often as the result of falling into bad habits – it’s more important than ever to ensure every operator of materials handling equipment is fully trained... and that training is up-to-date.