As part of our series of getting to know the staff behind Forkway, where we will introduce you to members of our valued team, we are delighted to start by speaking with Joe Farrar from Wakefield who has been with us as an Apprentice Forklift Engineer for 2 1/2 Years.

How did you start with Forkway?

When I first got into the workforce, I used to work for a shoe company whilst doing a fabrication course at Wakefield College which I decided wasn’t for me. After that, I felt I needed further education and I wanted a career either with cars, trains or hydraulics. I thought the best way to do this would be to get an apprenticeship. I saw an advert on Gov.uk  which then matched me up with Forkway Group – the rest as they say is history!

How does the training process work?

Spanning a three-year course, it works by being on block release and learning in-house and academically, both here in our workshop in Dewsbury and then attending F-Tec in Swindon. In a year’s time I will hopefully be a fully qualified forklift engineer.

What is working life like on a Day to day basis? 

The day to day work is very varied – one extreme to another and never boring!  We have plenty of tasks, including Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI), diagnostics, maintenance and servicing of hire trucks and modifications (such as addition of lights, beacons, or Fleetsafe, to name a few).

How do you see your career development in the future?

We currently have a specialist team of UK wide field service engineers which I would like to join once fully qualified, in October in 2020.

Do you enjoy it?

Yes – it’s a physical and mental challenge. I do enjoy working here – the apprenticeship has been a great opportunity with a long-term prospects. My manager, Chris, is one of the best managers in our industry. If you need any help, he’s there as a mentor. The combination of skills within our highly experienced team spans over many years of engineering, so there’s always someone on hand for every question imaginable!

What do you do in your spare time?

Watch football! I like to work on cars too.

We’ll let you know how Joe’s career develops!