POST LAST UPDATED: 13 August 2026
We have seen an increase in enquiries from companies looking to bring their training in-house and be more ‘self-sufficient’. But which is the right fit for your company – using a Training Provider or delivering RTITB Accredited training in-house?
The answer is: it depends!
For some, having an in-house training team really works and brings great benefits. While for others, outsourcing operator training to an expert, such as an RTITB Accredited Training Provider, can be a fantastic option that gives companies the training they need within their budget, to the right standard.
Training with an RTITB Accredited Training Provider
Using an RTITB Accredited Training Provider for lift truck training is a great choice where a company has no – or limited – in-house training resource. It provides access to the expert training needed to pass on the necessary skills and knowledge for safe operation and can add enormous value, bringing outside perspectives and vast experience to a company.
Using an external provider also gives you an opportunity to ‘shop around’ and use different providers for different training needs and compare costs to find the right match for your budget.
Another benefit of using an RTITB Accredited Training Provider is that they are nationwide. So even if you need to carry out training across multiple sites, there is a trainer who can help. What’s more, this ensures a consistent standard of lift truck operation and safety across different sites, along with the peace of mind that there won’t be any gaps in learning, helping to support both operational efficiency and compliance.
Every RTITB Accredited Training Provider must meet our high standards with RTITB Accredited Training Providers committed to ensuring that they deliver good quality, standardised training. Find a local RTITB Training Provider near you.
However, there are many companies that will find that delivering forklift operator training in-house is a better option for their particular needs.
How do you choose whether to use an in-house Instructor or a training provider for forklifts?
In reality, for many companies it’s not an either/or decision. HSE guidance (L117) describes operator training as a three-stage process: Basic Training, Specific Job Training and Familiarisation Training.
External Accredited Training Providers continue to play a key role even where a company has its own Instructors. Many organisations use an external provider for Basic Training, Refresher Training, or additional operator training, while their in-house Instructor delivers the Specific Job and Familiarisation elements that only the employer can realistically provide because they relate to that company’s equipment, environment, loads and working practices. In-house Instructors are a route that may suit some organisations depending on their size, structure, locations or operational requirements.
In-house Instructors also have an important ongoing role in monitoring operator standards, carrying out observations, providing coaching and identifying when refresher or remedial training is needed. Those activities complement the work of external providers rather than replacing it.
RTITB can support companies where developing capability in-house is the right fit for their circumstances, and for the many companies for whom using an RTITB Accredited Training Providers is the best option. Above all, maintaining high standards, safety and quality across the industry should be the priority.
Why deliver lift truck training in-house?
When a company delivers their own in-house lift truck training, they get full control. This means that training needs can be catered for even when there are peaks in demand. Sometimes availability of a chosen Training Provider may not match your desired timings, and this can cause delays.
Another key benefit of training in-house is self-sufficiency. Becoming RTITB Accredited for your workplace transport operations, including delivery of operator training in-house, can provide long-lasting benefits.
All-year round benefits of in-house forklift training
- Complete flexibility – By choosing to carry out forklift training in-house, companies benefit from a whole new level of flexibility, allowing training to take place when it’s most convenient for both the trainee, the Instructor and the company too.
- Reduced costs – By choosing to become RTITB Accredited, we often find that companies can reduce their overall training costs, as well as the associated costs of travelling to a training centre or staying off site. There is also the option to train around shift patterns and combine Basic and Specific training , reducing associated downtime.
- Access to a complete suite of training materials – As an RTITB Accredited Partner, companies can access the RTITB eLibrary, a comprehensive online resource of ready-to-go training materials for forklift, plant and LGV, including presentations, videos, handouts, and more, developed by RTITB experts. It’s a great way for in-house training teams and RTITB Accredited Partners to save time and keep compliant, plus you’ll be notified when any courses have been updated, helping save you time and ensuring you don’t miss a thing.
- Improved standards – Having your own in-house Instructors can help to raise day-to-day operating standards in the workplace as operators can be monitored and assessed on-site. When training is delivered by a known and trusted colleague, operators’ benefit by viewing their Instructor as a mentor, helping them through their early career and to develop.
- Peace of mind – As an RTITB Accredited in-house training provider, you can rest easy with peace of mind in knowledge that your company has the independent assurance of legal compliance.
- Paperless certificates – There’s no longer a need to create physical certificates! With RTITB’s paperless solution, certificates can be issues within 4 hours on average. What’s more, RTITB Accredited Partners have the choice of whether MHE operator certificates are restricted for use exclusively within your business or can be transferable. There is no longer any need to issue ‘in-house’ certificates – all of your operator certificates can benefit from the backing and protection of RTITB Accreditation.
- Innovative training tools – With RTITB Accreditation, companies training lift truck operators in-house have access to a range of innovative solutions designed to transform the way you record training, conduct assessments and the associated administration. This results in significant savings in terms of time, and money. For instance, the innovative RTITB TrainingFriend app helps to cut administration time to a minimum by going completely paperless, and with the help of eTruck UK, produced in partnership with MA-system, time spent completing training can be reduced by up to 2 days.
- Complete visibility of operator training compliance – With the RTITB TrainingFriend app and a digital training records management system like Syndesi, Instructors can complete training records accurately, enabling companies to instantly access operator training histories, monitor renewal dates and maintain accurate records across multiple sites, helping reduce administrative effort and support compliance.
RTITB Accreditation – other ways that it can help your company right now
With a range of features and services, RTITB Accreditation will help companies to keep their entire lift truck operation safe and efficient. RTITB compliance experts will assess your entire forklift operation, not just your Basic forklift operator training, supporting operation-wide compliance.
An annual compliance HealthCheck is included for in-house Accredited Partners for complete peace of mind around legal and regulatory compliance in the event of an incident. Then, an impartial report is delivered revealing potential risks, areas for improvement, good practice highlights, and recommendations on how to take action to remove risk from your lift truck operations.
To learn more about RTITB Accreditation for companies delivering in-house lift truck training call 01952 520200 or complete the enquiry form.