BRIDGING THE GAP
Mastering Skills for the Future at Carrier’s New Training Academy
In July 2024, Carrier opened a brand-new training academy at its service and rentals depot in Bracknell. The new state-of-the- art facility reinforces training and inspiring of engineers and technicians while helping to address the skills gap in the HVAC sector
T
he training academy will provide trainee engineers and technicians with hands-on experience with Carrier’s commercial product portfolio, including heat pumps, chillers, and air handling units.
To enhance their learning and understanding of total life cycle asset management, trainees can also gain skills in service repairs and upgrades, such as VFD (Variable Frequency Drives), refrigerant, compressor overhauls and controls, as well as modernisation and preventative and predictive maintenance. Opening the academy is an important step towards Carrier’s Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) goal to support its customers’ shift towards sustainable solutions and avoid more than 1 gigaton of greenhouse gas emissions from their carbon footprint by 2030.
Building a Skilled Workforce
“It’s an exciting time for us. Opening our new training academy marks a significant milestone for Carrier and is a testament to our commitment to building a skilled workforce capable of leading the way in intelligent climate and energy solutions,” said Andrew Paddock, Managing Director Carrier Commercial HVAC UK and Nordics. “The aim of our academy is to look at the skills needed for now and for the future. Without new talent and continual skill enhancement, it will be difficult to fully embrace the electrification of heating systems and meet net zero targets.” Carrier has designed the facility to provide hands-on learning with new technologies, with one area of focus being the integration of heat pumps to work alongside and eventually replace traditional boilers. Trainees can also acquire skills regarding heat pumps and their integration with district heat networks – particularly as the electrification of heating becomes more prominent for businesses as they strive to decarbonise their buildings. “Having expertly trained technicians will give our customers a high degree of confidence in our abilities to install, maintain, and manage the life cycle of their equipment to the highest level,” added Andrew.
During the grand opening, guests toured the new facilities and saw learning come to life with equipment demonstrations. Phil Treacher, Carrier’s Technical Manager, gave a detailed insight into the equipment available in the training academy.
“Currently in the training academy, we have a centrifugal compressor which technicians can take apart and rebuild safely and accurately. We have VFDs and air-handing units which we can use to fault find, maintain, and service. There are also several simulators we can plug in and train technicians and engineers on how chillers work and simulate breakdowns. “The beauty of the academy is that we can constantly bring in new equipment and continuously upskill our staff in a safe environment where they can practise with no pressure. Then when they’re out in the field, they can confidently provide our customers with the best possible service.”
Carrier has also highlighted the need to equip engineers with problem-solving skills. “Our technicians don’t just service and maintain Carrier equipment, they often work with equipment from other manufacturers as well,” continued Phil. “The ability to arrive on-site, accurately diagnose the customer’s problem, and effectively address it is a very valuable quality.”
Attendees also celebrated the achievements of Carrier’s graduating apprentices who have progressed through the company’s apprenticeship programme. Shortly after, guests then heard more about how Carrier is actively growing its apprenticeship programme with the recent appointment of a dedicated apprenticeship programme leader, Adele Watson, along with plans to recruit 20 new apprentices in the coming months. “With the skills gap growing and the industry at risk of losing a wealth of knowledge when our experienced technicians retire, it is crucial that we invest in training new talent,” said Adele Watson, Apprenticeship Programme Lead UK. “Our apprenticeship programme is designed to help young people master skills for the future so we can achieve sustainability and decarbonisation goals. Our new training academy and the wealth of HVAC experts we already have in the business, many of whom started their Carrier careers as apprentices, will be able to enrich our apprentices’ learning with their years of experience and fill in all the HVAC-specific areas the learners do not cover at college.”
The Vision for the Future
Over the coming months, Carrier will develop a training programme focused on
24 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER OCTOBER 2024
educating its engineers about the adoption of new refrigerants, including R290, and invite customers and contract partners to experience exclusive training days at the new facility, further enhancing their awareness and understanding of Carrier’s HVAC solutions.
Sean Anderson, Service Operations Director UK and Nordics, provided more insight into what the future looks like for the training academy. “Our new training facility is going to be completely scalable and we’re already looking at ways to evolve it over the months and years ahead. Part of our growth plan is to attract talent from different industries. We believe that individuals with a technical mindset and transferable skills can successfully transition into HVAC and thrive in new careers at Carrier. As well as training Carrier personnel, the academy can be utilised for Carrier’s CIBSE- approved CPD training courses to support consultants, installers and end-users who wish to update their knowledge on key technical and legislative topics. To find out more about Carrier’s new training academy facility, please contact
www.carrier. com/commercial/en/uk/contact-us/
Read the latest at:
www.bsee.co.uk
Inside the new training academy
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