Forklift Instructor Course

Course Overview:

RTITB Instructors are essential for the implementation and delivery of a recognised and proven standard of safe efficient working practices for your lift truck operators.

Scope:

To enable instructors to take charge of operator training & carry out testing of the trainees operating ability & certify only those who reach the recognised standard.   

Ratio

6 course members: 1 course Instructor

Course Objectives

At the conclusion of training, course members should be capable of:

1. Operating a Lift Truck to the standard required by RTITB of Lift Truck Instructors.
2. Structuring training material into a logical sequence for teaching knowledge and skills. 
3. Adopting an effective style for teaching skills appropriate to the type of truck involved. 
4. Adopting an objective and critical approach towards the effectiveness if the instruction they present using appropriate methods of assessment of trainee’s progress. 
5. Set up, conduct and objectively mark the Lift Truck Basic Operating Skills Test, endorsed by RTITB. 

Trainee Specification:

Prior to training, candidates should have a minimum of 6 months industrial experience of operating relevant types of Lift Truck and meet the eligibility criteria described in Part One, Section Six of the RTITB Lift Truck Instructors Registration Examination, Requirements and Standards.

Refresher Instructor candidates must have an Advanced Operational Competence Test complete prior to course start date .

Notes:

• Prior to the course start date novice candidates must complete an online RTITB accredited etruck course. Refresher instructors must complete an etruck refresher course. See information on page 3.
• Novice instructor candidates must hold a current ABA accredited counterbalance or reach truck forklift operators licence EG. an RTITB accredited cert 
• All course members who successfully complete the 

1. The advanced Operational Competence test. 
2. Written and practical RTITB Instructor examination will be eligible, upon application, to be registered for 5 years, at the end of which a further re-registration course and examination is required. 

• The type of Lift Truck (ie Counterbalance or Reach) to be specified to the Accredited Training Centre on course application. 

Methodology

The programme of structured classroom lectures and discussion sessions, employing the

use of slides, films, supervised driving practice & online training culminating in a theoretical, online & practical test of competence in operating lift-trucks and materials handling equipment to certification standard

Training Location

RTITB Instructor course certified training centre at Jungheinrich Cork & Maynooth 

Instruction & Certification

All instruction and certification in conducted by accredited instructors who are qualified as such in their respective disciplines. 

Assessment Method

Candidates are assessed by an external RTITB assessor. 

Documentation Retention

All records to be filed in the training record file. 

BLOCK SYLLABUS:

Administration: (3 Hours)

The course administration will be dealt with in four parts:

• Opening and Administration
• Forward Planning
• Recapitulation
• Critique and course closure

Theory: (20 Hours 15 mins)

• Accident prevention
• Accident analysis
• Role of the Instructor
• Principles of instruction
• Simple task analysis
• The demonstration
• Question and answer techniques
• Design and show training aids
• Principles of lifting
• The practical period
• Safety – The instructors responsibilities
• Operator Basic Skills Testing
• Operator certification
• Classroom presentation
• The relevance and requirements of appropriate legislation, Codes of Practice, training         specifications and other reference material. 
• The three stages of Operator Training

Practical:  (35 hours 15 mins)

• Lift Truck familiarisation
• Correct truck operating skills and corrective tuition
• Battery care and maintenance
• Daily take-over inspections and maintenance
• Practical demonstration skills
• Directing trainee practice
• Setting up, conducting and marking the Basic Operating Skills Test
• Accident analysis exercise

Examinations: (9 hours)

• Test of Basic Operating Skills – Associated Knowledge and Practical Test to Instructor       standard (conducted by Accredited Training Centre)
• RTITB examination of Practical Instructional Ability (conducted by RTITB Examiner)
• RTITB examination of Instructor Associated Knowledge (conducted by RTITB Examiner)

Information on eTruck Online Training

This is a RTITB accredited eTruck online theory course for forklift training.

With eTruck online training for courses, candidates learn by following a story that tackles real issues relating to safety using proven, interactive training techniques to create an engaging and memorable learning experience. With eTruck online forklift training you can better prepare your forklift operators for the workplace. eTruck online forklift training is available only from RTITB with their accredited partners such as Jungheinrich Lift Truck Ltd 

The eTruck benefits are:

• Flexibility – candidates can do their theory training anywhere, anytime, at their own pace before practical training.
• Create real behavioural change – look at the reasons behind operator behaviour as well as the relevant theory.
• Engaging and memorable – learners are 20x more likely to remember information learnt through storytelling and are better prepared for the workplace.

Forklift Instructor Course Dates 2025

Maynooth - Novice
Jan 20^th to 31^st
March 3^rd to 14^th
May 19^th to 30^th
July 7^th to 18^th
September 15^th to 26^th
November 10^th to 21^st

 Maynooth - Refresher
Jan 27^th to 31^st
March 10^th to 14^th
May 26^th to 30^th
July 14^th to 18^th
September 22^nd to 26^th
November 17^th to 21^st

Cork - Novice
Feb 10^th – 21^st
March 24^th – Apr 4^th
June 9^th – 20^th
Sept 8th – 19^th
November 17^th – 28th

Cork - Refresher
Feb 17^th – 21^st
March 31^st – Apr 4^th
June 16^th – 20^th
Sept 15th – 19^th
November 24^th – 28th