Heat Pumps Today

22 April | May 2023 T R A I N I N G N E W S Warmflow o er free training in UK & Ireland Warmflow, who manufacture some of the UK & Ireland’s home heat products is o ering free training at all their training schools across the UK & Ireland. Engineers looking to start installing air source heat pumps or simply brush up on oil installation and fault finding can update their knowledge at one of 7 training centres across the UK & Ireland. Warmflow have partnered with a number of centres o ering OFTEC & BPEC heat pump courses in addition to less in-depth product familiarisation courses. The Zeno range has been developed with quality in mind and includes several market leading components including a Panasonic EVI compressor and a Grundfos circulating pump. The range comes with all the features installation engineers have come accustomed to in a Warmflow product such as an easy-to-use touch screen controller and simple wiring centre which will reduce installation time. www.warmflow.co.uk The HPA welcomes the Government’s Heat Training Grant for Heat Pump Installers The Heat Pump Association (HPA) welcomes plans announced by the Government for a £5 million Heat Training Grant aimed at supporting 10,000 low carbon heating installers over the next two years. Heating engineers will be eligible for grants of up to £500 towards training costs, creating new green jobs, and helping to future-proof the heating industry. The scheme announced echoes calls by the HPA for government to provide more help to kickstart the heat pump installer base to bolster the chances of the UK hitting its heat pump installation targets. Grants of up to £500 will cover most of the costs of a level 3 heat pump training course, whilst manufacturing members, including some of HPA’s members, are expected to o er additional discounts to participating trainees – further reducing costs for installers and providing a more a ordable route to becoming a heat pump engineer. These additional benefits could be worth up to a further £500 in product vouchers, additional training, and other support. The HPA set out in its Pathway to Heat Pumps[1] report that the first pillar of transforming Britain’s heating industry would be to create a highly skilled installer workforce. The report recommended more intervention from Government to support adopters of low carbon heating technology through compensation for training and loss of earnings whilst undertaking this. Our 2020 Building the Installer Base for Net Zero[2] report called for the Government to introduce a voucher scheme and we have been working with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on the development of this scheme since. The announcement will go far to kickstarting the UK’s heat pump industry, and ensuring the skills are there to future proof the heating industry and enable the transition to net zero. www.heatpumps.org.uk Building services contractor confirms intake of three trade apprentices in 2023 A Building Services contractor has confirmed an intake of three trade apprentices in 2023. Glasgow-based Arc-Tech (Scotland) work with some of the country’s most well-known construction companies in the delivery of commercial, industrial, education, and healthcare projects as well as providing renewable energy solutions that support low carbon and zero-emissions District Heating systems. The company was formed in 2016 and has since grown to employ over 150 personnel whilst maintaining a key focus on youth employment, skills replenishment and training. A total of 28 apprenticeships and a wide variety of traineeships have been delivered in this seven-year period with 100% of their graduates retained as full-time employees. Arc-Tech’s new recruits, aged 16 and above, will join the business in August when they will begin a 4-year, industry-recognised programme to become qualified heating engineers, plumbers and electricians. Their experience will involve a mix of applied theory undertaken at college as well as working on-site with the latter providing the means to earn while learning. www.arctechscotland.co.uk