The funding will enable heating technicians to undertake training on air source heat pumps and design heat pump heating systems at a greatly reduced cost through OFTEC’s network of approved training centres.
OFTEC is one of several organisations awarded funding to deliver training programmes to boost the number of heat pump installers. Funding is also being made available through the competition for training skilled retrofit and energy efficiency installers.
Boosting numbers of energy-efficient installers
The funding available through the competition, worth £9.2m in total, is specifically targeted at small to medium-sized businesses because these comprise the backbone of the heating and building trades. The competition is designed to boost the number of installers able to install technologies needed to enable homes to be net zero-ready.
Welcoming the news, David Knipe training manager at OFTEC, said: “We are extremely pleased to have been successful in this competition. For small businesses moving into renewables, the cost of training can be a significant barrier, so initiatives such as this are extremely welcome.”
David continued: “Building the number of skilled installers will be essential if we are to achieve our decarbonisation objectives. We hope this funding will enable many more to undertake training through our network of centres, which will make them eligible to join the microgeneration certification scheme (MCS) and support the deployment of heat pumps, a key low carbon heating technology.”
Subsidised training available from the new year
The funding will only be available for training centres and technicians based in England. The details of the scheme are still being finalised; however, it is expected the subsidised training will be available from the beginning of 2023.
OFTEC has recently rolled out new training and assessments in air source heat pumps and the design of heat pump heating systems. These are run in compliance with the requirements of ISO 17024, like the existing OFTEC courses, and are supported by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS).
Anyone interested in the subsidised training should look out for further announcements or contact their local training centre.