Insidethis issue 3 SEPTEMBER 2024 VOLUME 62 ISSUE 7 Editor’s
Viewpoint by Chris Jones
The need for new blood
A growth in house building is a cornerstone of the government’s plans to revitalise the UK economy, but there are widespread concerns that a shortage of skilled labour could see housing development fi gures fall short of ambitions. More trade professionals are needed to both strengthen the construction sector and ensure that the properties and household appliances of the future are properly serviced and maintained, yet the great majority of our youngsters are still encouraged to ignore apprenticeships in favour of studying for a university degree. A new in-depth survey of tradespeople undertaken by Screwfi x
suggests that most professionals believe that more needs to be done within schools to promote trade careers (see page 4). The study found that tradespeople would like a clear plan from government aimed at encouraging more people into the industry. More than 80% of those surveyed believe that there is a shortage of apprentices joining the industry, but for many sole traders and small businesses the fi nancial burden of taking on an apprentice was viewed as a major concern. While more than 60% of the tradespeople surveyed were over the age of 45, 69% said that they had no-one to hand their business over to after retirement. A lack of competition may appear good for business in the short-
term, but many sole traders are fi nding that they are working longer hours than they would like just to keep up demand, and with many projects being reliant on more than one trade, the result is customers waiting longer for work to be completed. The lack of a younger generation coming through can also mean that a small business will fi nd it harder to keep abreast of new technologies and adapt to new working methods. It might be thought that the numerous tales of spiraling student
debt would be enough to convince school-leavers that their talents might be better applied elsewhere, but until careers advisers and the educational establishment recognise the true value of apprenticeships, then there is little prospect of anything changing.
Special Features 21
Renewable Energy
Advice on retrofi tting heat pumps, plus the benefi ts of hybrid systems and accurate energy measurement
Regulars
04 News Review 12 People on the Move 12 Talent Show 13 Merchant News 14 Energy Matters 15 Letters 16 Business Matters 18 Training Update 19 Gadgets & Tools
42 Vans & Racking
38 Products in Action 41 Product Spotlight 42 Vans & Racking 43 Product News
Don’t forget to use our online reader enquiry service to quickly fi nd the web page you need
Getting better organised on the road 31
Radiators & Towel Warmers
How modern radiators can help to save space in the home and work with low temperature heating systems
39 Gas Safety
How to get involved in this year’s Gas Safety Week, plus a guide to the latest regulations on CO alarms
Contributors
Luke Smith Renewable Energy
26
Why accurate measurement of heat loss is vital to enabling installers to provide low carbon solutions
Steve Charles Radiators & Towel Warmers
32
How installers can best respond to the challenge of matching radiators to work with heat pumps
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The Essential Magazine for Plumbing, Heating & Air Movement Professionals
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© Copyright 2024 Plumbing, Heating & Air Movement News All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without written consent from the publisher. Attributed articles represent the views of the Author(s) and are not the necessarily those of the Editor. The publishers accept no responsibility for claims made by manufacturers or advertisers. This magazine includes a number of colour editorial photographs paid for by suppliers.
Managing Editor Chris Jones Assistant Editor Carol Hitchcock Consultant Publisher Chris Evans Southern Advertisement Manager Nathan Wood Production Paul Forster Design Consultant Tim Plummer
Andy Speake Gas Safety
39
An overview of the latest regulations relating to the installation of carbon monoxide alarms
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