Direct Training
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
Direct Training firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Direct Training
- Legal name
- Direct Training
- Website
- https://directtraining.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Direct Training industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Vocational Training Services
- NAICS
- Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Incumbent Worker Training & Upskilling (EDAAAOAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Construction & Trades Licensure (Contractor, Electrician, Plumber, HVAC CE) (EDAAALAH)
Keywords
Where Direct Training is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Direct Training business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Training Courses: Direct Training generates revenue primarily through charging individuals for accredited forklift and plant operator training courses. Courses are priced per candidate with tiered duration options based on experience level (novice, experienced, refresher, conversion). Pricing is quote-based; the company offers a free instant estimate tool but does not publish standard rates publicly.
- Business / On-site Group Training: Direct Training provides on-site training for business clients, training entire teams at their premises. This B2B stream follows the same per-candidate pricing model as individual courses but is tailored to the client's specific equipment and site requirements, with flexible scheduling for multiple candidates.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Novice courses — 3-5 days depending on number of candidates |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Experienced courses — 2-3 days depending on number of candidates |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Refresher courses — 1 day |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Conversion courses — 1-2 days depending on number of candidates |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Direct Training product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Direct Training delivers accredited vocational training courses for forklift, warehouse equipment, and construction plant operators in the UK. Courses are delivered either at its own national network of 68+ training centres or on-site at client premises, and culminate in industry-recognised certifications (CPCS, IPAF, ACOP). The company also provides a job placement service that distributes trainees' CVs to third-party employers recruiting forklift operators.
Product overview
Direct Training offers a comprehensive portfolio of vocational training courses focused on material handling and plant operation equipment. The core offering consists of accredited forklift and warehouse equipment training courses (Counterbalance, Reach Truck, PPT/Stacker/LLOP) alongside CPCS construction plant certification courses (Telescopic Handler A17, Forward Tipping Dumper, Hoist A20). Additional specialist courses include Pivot Steer, Sideloader, Combilift, Moffett, and IPAF working-at-height training. Courses are delivered at over 68 training centres nationwide or on-site at client premises, with options for novice, experienced, conversion, and refresher training paths.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Counterbalance Training 1–5 day counterbalance forklift course tailored to experience level (novice, experienced, refresher, conversion), covering basic operation to advanced load handling techniques for the most commonly used forklift in UK warehouses.
- Reach Truck Training 1–3 day reach truck course for warehouses with high racking, essential for narrow aisle operations.
- Telescopic Handler Training (CPCS A17) CPCS A17C accredited telescopic handler training for construction site telehandler operation, awarding the CPCS Red Trained Operator Card.
- Forward Tipping Dumper Training CPCS accredited forward tipping dumper training for construction site earthmoving operations.
- Hoist Training (CPCS A20) CPCS A20 accredited hoist training for construction site material and passenger hoist operation.
- Pivot Steer (Bendy) Training Specialist VNA articulated forklift training for very narrow aisle warehouse operations.
- Sideloader Training Specialist sideloader forklift training for handling long loads in narrow spaces.
- Combilift Training Training for Combilift counterbalanced multi-directional forklifts used in specialist warehouse environments.
- Moffett (VMLT) Training Training for Moffett truck-mounted forklifts (Vehicle Mounted Lift Truck) used in delivery and distribution operations.
- PPT, Stacker and LLOP Training Powered Pallet Truck (PPT), stacker, and Low Level Order Picker (LLOP) training for pedestrian-operated warehouse equipment, providing an entry-level warehouse qualification from 1 day.
- IPAF Training International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) training for Mobile Elevated Work Platforms (MEWPs) including cherry pickers, scissor lifts, and boom lifts, awarding the IPAF PAL Card certification valid for 5 years.
Quantifiable outcome
- 98% pass rate on forklift and IPAF training courses; 99% pass rate on PPT/stacker courses
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Direct Training
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Direct Training technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Direct Training partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Direct Training competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Babcock International (Training Division): Babcock delivers large-scale UK vocational, defence, and technical training, including equipment and infrastructure-related programmes. It is comparable as a much larger, publicly-listed incumbent competing for government training contracts that overlap with the corporate and apprenticeship segments Direct Training serves.
- RTITB: RTITB is one of the UK's largest accrediting and training organisations for workplace transport, including forklifts. It is comparable because it sets the standards and accredits many of the same training centres (including competitors of Direct Training) and offers its own instructor-led courses, making it both a regulatory gatekeeper and an indirect competitor.
- Lifetime Training: Lifetime Training is a large UK vocational and apprenticeship training provider covering health, fitness, childcare, and trade-adjacent programmes. It is comparable as a scaled UK training business targeting similar individual upskilling demand, though it operates in adjacent rather than overlapping course categories.
- CITB (Construction Industry Training Board): CITB is the statutory training body for the UK construction industry and owns the CPCS scheme under which Direct Training's A17, dumper, and A20 courses are accredited. It is comparable as the regulator/administrator that defines demand for CPCS-certified training, indirectly shaping Direct Training's addressable market and accreditation economics.
- NPORS (National Plant Operators Registration Scheme): NPORS is an alternative UK plant operator accreditation body that competes with CPCS for the same trainees and training centres. It is comparable because it offers a competing certification pathway that Direct Training could lose share to if customers or sites prefer NPORS cards over CPCS Red Cards.
- IPAF (International Powered Access Federation): IPAF is the international body that accredits MEWP training centres like Direct Training to issue PAL Cards. It is comparable as both a partner (Direct Training is an IPAF-approved centre) and an indirect competitor, since IPAF itself runs training programmes and sets the standards that govern this category.
- JTL Training: JTL is one of the UK's largest apprenticeship training providers, focused on building services engineering trades. It is comparable as a peer in the UK technical training sector competing for apprenticeship levy funding, employer partnerships, and individual trainees seeking vocational qualifications.
Emerging players
- Remit Training: Remit Training is a UK-based apprenticeship and vocational training provider with multi-site coverage. It is comparable as a peer in the UK regulated training market using apprenticeship levy and employer-funded pathways that increasingly intersect with equipment operator certification.
Regional players
- Total People: Total People is a UK apprenticeship and vocational training provider focused on the North West and Midlands. It is comparable as a regional training business using similar apprenticeship and employer-funded mechanisms, though it does not specialise in equipment-handling certification.
Direct peers
- HSS Training: HSS Training is a long-established UK training provider offering accredited forklift, CPCS plant, IPAF, and safety courses at multiple UK locations. It is a direct competitor to Direct Training because both operate multi-site accredited equipment-handling training, serve the same B2B and B2C customers, and hold CPCS/IPAF accreditations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks1 record
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Direct Training compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Direct Training financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Direct Training leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Direct Training funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Direct Training M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Direct Training
What does Direct Training do?
Direct Training delivers accredited vocational training courses for forklift, warehouse equipment, and construction plant operators in the UK. Courses are delivered either at its own national network of 68+ training centres or on-site at client premises, and culminate in industry-recognised certifications (CPCS, IPAF, ACOP). The company also provides a job placement service that distributes trainees' CVs to third-party employers recruiting forklift operators.
Is Direct Training a public or private company?
Direct Training is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Direct Training founded?
Direct Training was founded in 2010. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Direct Training based?
Direct Training is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Direct Training make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Individual Training Courses are the primary driver. The others are business / On-site Group Training.
Who are Direct Training's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Babcock International (Training Division), RTITB, Lifetime Training, CITB (Construction Industry Training Board), NPORS (National Plant Operators Registration Scheme), IPAF (International Powered Access Federation) and JTL Training. Remit Training is listed as an emerging player. Total People is listed as a regional player. HSS Training is listed as a direct peer.
Does Direct Training have an API?
No public API is recorded for Direct Training.
What industry is Direct Training in?
Direct Training's product category is Vocational Training Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAOAE, Incumbent Worker Training & Upskilling, with a secondary code of EDAAALAH, Construction & Trades Licensure (Contractor, Electrician, Plumber, HVAC CE). Its NAICS code is 6115 and its SIC code is 8200.