PHAM NEWS | OCTOBER 2026 14 Training Update


Logical step for Xtra Skills


South East training provider Logic4Training has announced its expansion into the Midlands following the acquisition of Xtra Skills. Based in Coventry, Xtra Skills delivers a range of domestic and commercial plumbing and heating courses, including Gas ACS, OFTEC oil and boiler fault finding. Established 25 years ago,


Low-carbon skills in Devon


A new specialist heat pump training centre has opened in Barnstaple, giving installers and young people better access to low-carbon heating systems. The Low Carbon Training Centre at North Devon College’s Barnstaple campus is the only Vaillant training centre in the South West beyond Bristol. The facility includes four training bays fitted with air source heat pump


technology, including Vaillant’s aroTHERM plus and Glow-worm’s GeniaAir. It is one of only four colleges in the UK partnered with Vaillant, giving engineers across the region access to training close to home. Through the partnership, the college will also provide apprentices with


direct access to the Vaillant and Glow-worm technologies they will fit throughout their careers. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/1026/16


Competence boost for project managers


The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) is launching a qualification for project managers who need to keep pace with fast-moving regulatory and technical demands in the UK. Managing Projects in the Built


Environment focuses on areas either only partially covered or absent from project management qualifications, including building safety, risk assurance, procurement decision-making, stakeholder engagement, information management and sustainability. The qualification is aimed at


experienced project managers and


Training on oil and heat pumps


Colchester Institute has officially launched its updated Multifuel Oil Training Facility where Grant UK supplied HVO compatible Vortex oil boilers for the provision of OFTEC training and assessment as well as Grant product training. The Grant UK Training Academy will also be delivering heat pump training at Colchester Institute’s Net Zero Training Centre. The facility features three Grant Vortex oil boilers


including a Vortex Combi, along with Outdoor and Eco Utility models, installed alongside infographics to develop an engaging learning environment. The Grant UK Training Academy will deliver Vortex


has been developed with project management specialists Provek and technical input from Mellor Bromley. It comes as businesses face


compliance demands. The UK Construction Compliance Index 2026 found that one in five


construction businesses had lost out or been marked down on tenders because they did not have up-to-date compliance data. Completion gives learners a


qualification mapped to the built environment-specific content of the Competence Framework for


oil boiler, pressure jet burner and Grant Combi boiler product training. The college will also deliver its suite of OFTEC training and assessments for oil technicians using these boilers. On the same campus,


(l-r) Adam Ward , Phil Stanley and Paul Rose


Grant’s trainers will deliver the free one-day Aerona 290 Heat Pump product course using a mobile Aerona 290 training rig. The Colchester Institute


recently held a launch event


for the upgraded training facilities, led by assistant principal Adam Ward. Installers, industry partners and stakeholders attended. Paul Rose, OFTEC CEO, gave a talk on liquid fuel heating and HVO biofuel opportunities, highlighting the role of hydrotreated vegetable oil in reducing carbon emissions in hard-to- heat homes. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/1026/20


Xtra Skills will complement Logic4training’s existing offering in Northolt, Luton, Basildon and Sittingbourne. Company founder Paul Withey


(pictured right with Logic MD Mark Krull) says: “I’ve known and worked alongside the Logic4training team for a long time, and over the years we’ve built a relationship based on trust, respect, and a shared commitment to doing things properly. Completing this deal feels like the right step – not just for me, but for our customers and the people who’ve supported Xtra Skills from day one.


“I’m proud of what we’ve built


in Coventry and the wider area, and I’m genuinely pleased to be working with Logic4training to make sure that reputation continues exactly as it is. Our customers will still see the same faces, the same standards, and the same care they’ve always had.” ◼ phamnews.co.uk/1026/17


Project Managers in the Built Environment in England and aligned with the competence agenda developed by the Building Safety Regulator’s Industry Competence Committee. “The role of project managers is


evolving,” says BESA’s director of competence and compliance Jill Nicholls. “The introduction of the Building Safety Act, increased focus on competence, and growing expectations around governance and accountability mean project managers need a broader understanding of safety, compliance and risk throughout the project lifecycle.” It also complements the APM


Project Management qualification, addressing built environment- specific competence requirements, life-safety risks, procurement, commercial considerations and project governance. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/1026/18


Level 3 HIU qualification


The HIU training course from Bosch Commercial & Industrial now leads to a UK-first Ofqual-regulated LCL Awards Level 3 qualification in Heat Interface Units. Developed around the MEHNA


Heat Network Installer Training Guide, the course focuses on practical installation and commissioning of HIUs with defined test methods for HNTAS. It introduces Acceptance Testing methods and teaches time-saving installation practices. For HIU maintenance, it includes practical fault-finding for HIU and heat network-related faults. Neill Ovenden, operations director at LCL Awards, says: “HIUs will play


Acquisitions expand regional reach


Following rapid expansion, Smart Energy Training has acquired two established providers in Wales and Dorset. The business has acquired Gas Assessment & Training Centre in Treforest, Pontypridd, and Technical Gas Training in Ferndown, Dorset. The two businesses were


previously owned by directors Phil Jenkins and John Forrest, who have more than 80 years combined industry experience. Together, the centres support more than 9,000 learners a year. The acquisitions represent


the sixth and seventh purchases completed by Smart Energy Training this year, following on from Energy Training Centre in Nottingham, Stourbridge’s Elements Training & Assessment, Brookhouse in West Yorkshire, SWAT Gas in Redditch and EAS Mechanical in Northampton. Commenting on these new


additions, Paul Drew, director of Smart Energy Training, says: “These two acquisitions demonstrate our commitment to building a UK-wide training network. Both businesses have strong, experienced teams with an established reputation for delivering high-quality training and assessment. We look forward to welcoming our new colleagues to Smart Energy Training and building on their expertise.” ◼ phamnews.co.uk/1026/19


an increasingly important role as heat networks expand as part of the UK’s transition to net zero. Ensuring those responsible for installation, commissioning and maintenance have the right knowledge and practical competence will be essential to achieving consistently high standards.” ◼ phamnews.co.uk/1026/21


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