Buckinghamshire College Group and globally renowned heat pump provider, Daikin, in partnership with Quantum Group, have launched a new training facility for heat pump engineers, in a bid to address the green skills gap that could prevent the government from achieving its net zero ambitions.
Funded by the Local Skills Improvement Fund, in collaboration with Daikin and decarbonization specialist and renewable training provider, Quantum Group; the training center will upskill workforces in the county’s construction and engineering sectors to install low carbon technologies that will, in turn, help push forward the transition to net zero.
Low carbon technologies
Currently, there are about 3,000 qualified installers, but experts calculate the country will need 27,000 by 2028
One of the issues holding heat pumps back from their full potential, is there aren’t enough trained workers to install them. Currently, there are about 3,000 qualified installers, but experts calculate the country will need 27,000 by 2028 to hit current government targets.
This is causing a bottleneck that Daikin is determined to fix with training centers like this, complementing the in-house training it already offers at its nationwide network of Sustainable Home Centers.
The center at Buckinghamshire College Group’s Aylesbury Campus features five Daikin air source heat pump (ASHP) bays; one live working bay, two student installation and maintenance bays, and two fault finding bays. There are also six additional bays covering other low carbon technologies installed by Quantum Group.
Existing gas engineers
The College will use the training bays for air source heat pump (ASHP) courses that form part of longer study programs, alongside three-day commercial courses for existing gas engineers who want to retrain as heat pump specialists. The training is aimed at students from the ages of 16-18 and those aged 19 plus who are already in work.
Iain Bevan, New Business Director - Residential at Daikin, said: "The government has a target to install 600,000 heat pumps by 2028. Demand has already increased in the last few years and there are simply not enough qualified installers to fit heat pumps in people's homes. The training offered at Buckinghamshire College Group is essential for upskilling the workforce, future-proofing careers and decarbonizing homes on the UK’s path to net zero."
Developing a greener curriculum
Matt Cappell, Director of Construction and Technologies at Buckinghamshire College Group, said: "Having this facility built at Buckinghamshire College Group is a fantastic opportunity. It demonstrates our commitment to being at the forefront of developing a greener curriculum and helping local stakeholders improve their businesses to be more environmentally friendly."
Matt Cappell adds, "The facility will enhance current learners' courses with additional training, offer supplementary qualifications to apprentices, and provide existing renewables engineers with opportunities to stay updated with industry advancements. It will also help local plumbing and gas engineers upskill to become renewables engineers. I want to thank Quantum and Daikin for supporting the College with the installation."
Fossil fuel boiler
Switching to a heat pump could reduce the home’s carbon footprint by up to 65 percent
Switching to a heat pump could reduce the home’s carbon footprint by up to 65 percent and they are up to four times more efficient than a fossil fuel boiler.
Users could save up to £545 per year compared with an oil boiler and up to £172 compared with a gas boiler, simply by being more energy efficient. Over a lifetime, your heat pump could save you up to £8,383 compared with an oil boiler and £2,851 compared to a gas boiler.
Government grant offered under Boiler Upgrade Scheme
The government offers a £7,500 grant towards installing a heat pump via its Boiler Upgrade Scheme, with households paying the rest of the cost. The employment opportunities for well-trained, qualified installers is vast. This paints an encouraging picture for veteran Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning workers already trained in fossil-fuel systems, like gas boilers, alongside school leavers looking to secure their first jobs.
With green energy solutions high on the agenda, they can expect to see increasing demand for initiatives like this from Daikin and Buckinghamshire College Group.
