Insidethis issue 5 OCTOBER 2024 VOLUME 62 ISSUE 8 Editor’s
Viewpoint by Chris Jones
Green apprenticeships
The fi rst report from Skills England, a new body set up to advise the government on training and skills issues in the most populous part of the UK, highlights some of the changes necessary to enable the country to deliver on the commitment to build 1.5 million new homes and make the most of growth opportunities in the transition to green energy (see this month’s cover story). As Secretary of State Bridget Phillipson says in her introduction to the report, it also provides an analysis of the current fragmented and confusing skills landscape that lets down learners, frustrates businesses and holds back growth. No single report is going to do much to solve these problems, but it does at least throw a spotlight on the need for urgent reform and the challenge of turning round a system that has failed to encourage employer investment in vocational training. The report notes that the green transition will likely aff ect one
in fi ve UK jobs, with half of these workers having skills that could be in greater demand and the other half likely to require reskilling to adapt to the changing job market. However, the scale of the task of encouraging existing workers to embrace new skills has been revealed by the latest Installer Skills survey undertaken on behalf of Baxi (see page 6). While the number of heating engineers that are willing to invest in heat pump training has increased slightly, the number is well below that needed if the heat pump market is to reach the levels that the government aspires to. A perceived lack of consumer demand, coupled with an ageing workforce that believes their existing skill set will be suffi cient to see them through to retirement, means that it could well take some time to close this particular skills gap. Despite high levels of investment in training facilities by manufacturers and other training providers, it is yet to be seen if there is a suffi cient number of enthused heating engineers to justify that fi nancial outlay. All the more reason why the UK needs to start seriously investing in the next generation of apprentices.
Special Features Gas
23 Boilers
What can installers do to help their customers avoid problems when the heating is switched back on?
Regulars
06 News Review 12 People on the Move 12 Horror Show 13 Energy Matters 14 Merchant News 17 Training Update 20 Point of View 32 Products in Action 34 Carhartt competition
34 Competition
43 Product News 45 Competition 46 Information Centre 46 Directory
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5 Carhartt work trousers to be won! 33
Tools & Workwear
How plumbing and heating engineers can address potential issues by using thermal imaging technology
39
Electric Heating
Highlighting how smart electric space heating can help to futureproof your customer’s home
Contributors
Sean Keleher Gas
Boilers 23
What homeowners can do to ensure their boilers don’t cause any trouble at the start of the heating season
Stewart Clements Gas
Boilers 24
Why it’s important to remind customers about the benefi ts of booking a yearly boiler service
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Managing Editor Chris Jones Assistant Editor Carol Hitchcock Consultant Publisher Chris Evans Southern Advertisement Manager Nathan Wood Production Paul Forster Design Consultant Tim Plummer
Shaun Hurworth Electric Heating
39
How modern electric heating technology can provide an energy effi cient whole-home solution
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31,243 ABC Audited circulation Jan-Dec 2023
Look out for next month’s issue Heat
Water Pumps Treatment
Taps & Showers
Gadgets & Tools
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