Summary
Established 20-year Melbourne forklift and marine training business with long-serving trainers, repeat clients, strong assets, profits and cost-savings. Attractive add-on for an existing RTO.
Potential
Growth can come from forklift refresher and onsite courses, increased LO delivery, specialised reach-forklift training, scissor-lift courses, extra weekend dates and larger classes where resources allow. The vendor sees demand for an additional trainer focused on onsite work. An existing RTO is the strongest strategic buyer: about $80,000 was paid to the partner RTO in the past year, creating scope to retain more margin within the buyer's own compliant delivery model. Adding administration could free the owner role for business development.
Reason for Sale
After 20 years, the owner is approaching retirement and wants to explore a final career chapter in compliance, risk assessment and workplace safety. This is a planned change, not a response to a known disruption in the business. The owner can provide a brief, practical handover, introduce the trainers, explain course delivery, equipment and customer relationships and help the purchaser achieve a smooth transition. He would like the business and its reputation to continue under the new owner.
About the Business
This is a long-established Melbourne training business specialising in forklift and order picker licensing, refresher training, Verification of Competency assessments, marine licences and personal watercraft endorsements. Nationally recognised LF and LO training and assessment are delivered under a long-running agreement with a third-party RTO, which enrols learners and issues Statements of Attainment.
Highlights
• Established Melbourne training organisation with a 20-year operating history
• FY2026 turnover of $339,311, following FY2025 turnover of $348,612
• September-quarter FY2027 income of $97,427, with the accountant forecasting approximately $339,000 turnover for the full year
• Experienced trainers have each been with the business for eight years and are entering their ninth year
• The owner estimates that core administration requires approximately 10 to 12 hours per week, excluding telephone availability and optional onsite delivery
• Growth opportunities include additional onsite courses, refresher training, LO delivery, specialised reach-forklift training, scissor-lift courses, weekend classes and larger class sizes
• A further trainer could be appointed to service the existing demand for onsite workplace training
• Established website, course materials, customer relationships, training equipment and operating processes are already in place
The business operates from a purpose-configured northern Melbourne facility with a classroom, warehouse practical area and parking. Courses are marketed across three Melbourne locations. Equipment includes two Toyota forklifts and a TCM backup forklift, with a 2020 Toyota showing 2,303 hours. Course materials cover licence delivery, refreshers, VOCs and marine licensing.
Revenue comes from repeat employers, preferred-supplier relationships, individual licence students and onsite refresher work. The owner describes repeat employer work as the majority of revenue. Learners receive pre-course guidance, blended theory and practical delivery, help with WorkSafe applications and access to a complimentary practical refresher when needed before starting work. The website records thousands of past learners.
An existing RTO may retain the approximate $80,000 in annual RTO fees currently paid externally through compliant integration into its own delivery model. The vendor is available to provide a practical handover and introduce the trainers, operating procedures and customer relationships.
History
Established in 2006, the business began with the owner delivering training part time before moving to full-time operations in 2012. Two trainers joined in 2018 and remain with the business, allowing the owner to step back from most scheduled course delivery. The current purpose-configured training facility opened in 2020. The business is now in its 20th year. It has worked with its partner RTO since 2013 and the website reports thousands of learners trained across forklift, order picker, marine licence and personal watercraft programs.
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