The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) has launched its eLearning programme for operators of mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) in China.
Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2023, IPAF promotes the safe and effective use of powered access equipment worldwide and offers globally-recognised eLearning for MEWP operators.
The announcement of the extension of online training to the Chinese market came as delegates gathered in Shanghai for the International Rental Conference Asia and the APEX Asia trade show.
Peter Douglas, IPAF CEO and managing director, said, “China is the fastest-growing equipment market in the world, with a huge rental fleet comprising hundreds of thousands of machines, as well as nearly five million MEWP operators.
“A growing sector naturally means more operators, and it is very important to us that industry colleagues are equipped with the knowledge and skills to stay safe and work effectively.
“We hope that extending this training to China will herald a new era of safety in the country’s powered access sector.”
IPAF’s Chinese eLearning programme provides a flexible and enhanced online learning experience for MEWP operators. The training platform will be offered in China via the WeChat app, allowing users to access training anytime and anywhere. The first three modules are offered free of charge at the point of registration.
The MEWP Operator programme is available for all MEWP categories (1a, 1b, 3a, 3b) and takes around three hours to complete. The eLearning is broken down into manageable sections that trainees can complete at their own pace and can save and resume their training at any time.
Remote learning delivers the same high-quality theory training as in the classroom and can be completed on a range of devices, at a pace chosen by the trainee.
The eLearning system uses sophisticated facial recognition to confirm the candidate’s identity and prevent fraudulent qualifications. Courses can only be run on tablets and computers equipped with a camera.
“Offering the training in Chinese will help to ensure that the important safety principles covered by the programme are fully understood and embedded in the workforce,” said Tim Mo, IPAF China regional manager.
“As the Chinese equipment market continues to grow, it is essential that industry takes a lead in ensuring safety and providing access to high-quality training. Members of the global workforce are positive about IPAF’s training, with more than 500 new learners signing up each week. We hope this trend will continue in China thanks to this new training provision.”
MEWP manufacturers Sinoboom and Haulotte Shanghai have already signed up as the first supporters of the eLearning programme in China. IPAF hopes and believes more and more parties will join.
Alongside the new eLearning provision, IPAF currently has 10 approved training centres in China, and hopes the new online provision will encourage more to open in the next five years.
In addition to Chinese, the IPAF MEWP Operator eLearning training course is available in English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
