Have you ever thought that being a Forklift Truck driver was just for men? That’s exactly what Sally-Ann used to think until a chance meeting with Portland Training at a job fair changed the course of her life forever. We caught up with Sally Ann just a few minutes after she had completed her Forklift Truck course – having passed with flying colours, she was rightly proud and looking forward to what the future holds as a fully qualified FLT driver.
Sally-Ann had worked as a hairdresser and barber for the last 14 years. Although she initially loved her job, in recent years she has found the marketplace becoming more and more saturated, with more competition than ever. She found it increasingly difficult to make a living so decided a change in direction was in order and decided to look for other opportunities.
Sally-Ann first found Portland Training at a Job fair in Markham Vale. She had attended with her Niece to weigh up her options and see what was available in the job market. It’s fair to say that Sally-Ann wasn’t looking to become a forklift truck driver, in fact, she initially walked straight past the Portland Training stand dismissing FLT as ‘just for men’. As Sally-Ann comments;
“We walked right past, it wasn’t until my Niece said why not go and talk to them. I said to her, it’s just for men but then I decided to circle back and talk to Jess [Portland’s Contract Lead]. She told me FLT definitely wasn’t just for men and so I thought why not.”
Fast-forward a few weeks and Sally-Ann has just become a fully qualified Forklift Truck driver. By her own admission, Sally-Ann loved the course, especially the practical elements of driving the FLT. She even enjoyed the theory part, which initially she was hesitant about;
“I was a bit scared of the theory at first, I kept thinking I wasn’t going to remember it all. But after a bit, it all falls into place”
On reflection over the last 5 days, she puts a great deal of her success down to her instructor, Simon;
“Simon was mint! He was really down to earth and made us all feel like we could do it, even if we didn’t think we could. He just made us all feel at ease”.
After completing the training course, it’s fair to say, Sally-Ann is really looking forward to the future and getting a much more stable job where she will be able to earn a stable income. When we asked what the future holds, Sally-Ann was rightly optimistic;
“I just want to get straight into it. I’ve been told Portland will be in touch over the next few days to help me get an interview. I can’t wait to just get started!”
Everyone at Portland Training wishes Sally-Ann the very best of luck for her future career in Forklift Truck driving. We will be keeping in touch with Sally-Ann to see where her new qualification takes her.
Portland Training delivers various training courses designed to get people back in the workplace. From Forklift Truck to Construction and Security. All courses are designed to be engaging and fun, where learners can progress at their own rate. Many of our courses are fully funded for those who are on Universal Credit, with all courses leading to a recognised industry qualification.
For more information on Portland Training, including our jobseekers courses, please get in touch.
