PHAM NEWS | DECEMBER/JANUARY 2025 34 Training& Education
Heat pump future relies on upskilling
The government’s Warm Homes Plan aims to boost home energy effi ciency, but the skills gap in the workforce presents challenges for the shift to low-carbon heating, making it essential to invest in training to prepare installers for a greener future, says Andrew Johnson from Ideal Heating.
S
oaring energy bills and the cost-of-living crisis have brought the urgent need to improve energy effi ciency in British homes into sharp focus. With wholesale gas prices surging and much of the UK’s housing stock
remaining ineffi cient, the number of UK households in fuel poverty soared to 5.6 million as of July 2024. In response, the Labour government announced in
its June manifesto that it will invest an additional £6.6 billion to upgrade fi ve million homes, reduce household energy bills and tackle fuel poverty head-on. This initiative, dubbed the Warm Homes Plan, will off er grants and low-interest loans to support homeowners in investing in critical improvements like insulation, solar panels, battery storage, and low carbon heating systems such as heat pumps. These upgrades are essential not just for reducing energy bills, but for making homes more sustainable in the long term.
Andrew Johnson Training director at Ideal Heating
PHAM DECJAN21 EG TRAINING:Layout 1 23/11/2021 13:40 Page 1
Heat pumps here to stay Improving effi ciency and reducing carbon emissions from home heating is vital, but the real challenge lies in upskilling the workforce that will drive this transformation. Heat pumps will play a key role because they off er a highly effi cient, low carbon alternative to traditional gas boilers. But there are also questions to be answered around price, effi ciency, availability and education in an industry so comfortable working with boilers. While the technology behind heat
pumps is mature, there is a lack of skilled labour to install and maintain these systems. The heating industry suff ers from a signifi cant skills gap, with the Heat Pump Association reporting in March 2024 that the current number of accredited heat pump engineers is estimated to be about 14,000, with at least 27,000 by 2028 required to meet the government’s target. The UK boasts a large and experienced
workforce of gas engineers who are highly profi cient in boiler installation. However, as the Warm Homes Plan accelerates the move away from gas boilers, these engineers need to be retrained. The UK needs to train tens of thousands of installers to meet the targets set out in both the Warm Homes Plan and the broader Net Zero Strategy, which aims for decarbonisation across all sectors by 2050. Upskilling the current workforce to install, service, and maintain heat pumps is a critical part of achieving these targets.
Expert Academy We recognise the urgency of addressing this skills shortage. That’s why we’ve invested heavily in the Expert Academy, centred around our multi- million-pound National Training and Technology Centre in Hessle, East Yorkshire. With the capacity to train up to 5,000 installers per year, we are committed to providing the knowledge and skills necessary to support the low carbon heating transition. Our courses cover a wide range
of topics, from the basics of heat pumps and the thermodynamic cycle to product-specifi c training, including our fl agship Logic Air heat pump. By off ering both in-depth theoretical knowledge and practical, hands-on experience which is both fun and interesting, we ensure that installers are fully equipped to meet the growing demand for renewable heating solutions.
On-demand training Recognising the need for fl exibility, we’ve also launched a new digital, on-demand course – Introduction to Air Source Heat Pumps – which provides installers with a convenient way to learn at their own pace. This course is accessible to both experienced heating engineers and apprentices at the very start of their career, and is completely free. This fl exibility is crucial for closing
the skills gap and ensuring installers can play their part in delivering on the Government’s ambitious heating goals. Addressing the skills gap isn’t
something that any one company can achieve alone. It requires a collaborative eff ort across the industry. Manufacturers, training providers and government bodies must work together to ensure that the workforce is adequately prepared.
Building the future As the UK moves towards a low carbon future, providing access to high- quality training is crucial for building the workforce needed to achieve the government’s goals. By investing in training today, we are not only preparing installers for the challenges of today, but also creating a more sustainable future for homeowners. With the right skills in place, the
heating industry can deliver more energy effi cient homes, reduce household bills and accelerate the UK’s journey to net zero. ◼
phamnews.co.uk/125/34
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