3t Energy Group, the global training powerhouse that provides the highest-impact learning solutions for safety-critical industries, has secured a contract with gas distribution firm, Wales & West Utilities. The seven-figure contract will run for three years and provide a complete workforce management solution for Wales & West’s 1,900 colleagues. It
The gap between leaving university and starting out in industry can seem a daunting one for many graduates. But for 23-year-old Josh Steadman, from Faversham in Kent, the process from a construction management degree to graduate trainee with Bellway was plain sailing. Josh, who is currently working on site at
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has agreed a new skills partnership with The Retrofit Academy with the aim of fast-tracking the careers of 230 local retrofitters as the region looks to ramp up the number of homes is it making more energy efficient. The new partnership follows the WMCA’s
CITB is piloting changes across a series of plant training standards and grants, implemented from 31 July to help standardise plant training and testing requirements across the construction industry. The first set of new standards have been developed in collaboration with industry working groups, made up of employers, providers, and
Engineering students at UTC Heathrow got the rare opportunity to tour an operational CyrusOne data centre, seeing for themselves the racks of servers used to store computer data (email, website, online transactions, etc) for some of the biggest companies in the world, along with the electrical and mechanical equipment needed
As the construction industry is responsible for 25% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, national practice GSSArchitecture is continually striving to help reduce these statistics and as part of a wider sustainability strategy, have appointed an in-house SKA Assessor. Eleanor Lee has been appointed as the SKA assessor for the
Two companies have created a unique partnership to acquire long-established training company Expedient Training, to develop the UK’s green skills ahead of 2050. The owners of UK National and Simply Certification have come together to create a partnership which sees UK National acquire 100% of the land and buildings at
NIBE Energy Systems is delighted to have contributed to the opening of a new mobile heat pump facility as part of a collaborative effort to unlock essential training opportunities in Scotland, with a particular focus on addressing training gaps in remote and rural areas where there isn’t college training provision.
One of the UK’s leading construction skills training companies The Skills Centre, which is currently running specialist cladding skills bootcamps in London, welcomes the announcement that the UK government will be providing more funding for cladding removal. Jon Howlin, CEO The Skills Centre, says: “This is great step for building
The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has called for a major injection of funding and planning into addressing the skills shortage which is preventing the refurbishment and retrofitting of buildings in line with the government’s carbon reduction targets. A study by the recruitment firm Reed Environment estimated that current rates
3t Energy Group, the global training powerhouse that provides the highest-impact learning solutions for safety-critical industries, has secured a contract with gas distribution firm, Wales & West Utilities. The seven-figure contract will run for three years and provide a complete workforce management solution for Wales & West’s 1,900 colleagues. It will leverage 3t’s capabilities across its industry-leading businesses including the UK’s number one energy training provider, AIS Survivex, leading utility training specialist, Utilities Construction Training (UCT) and software and technology firm, 3t Transform. Wales & West Utilities operates the gas distribution network for 2.5m homes and businesses and more than 7.5m people across Wales and South West England. It also provides the gas emergency service whilst investing £2 million a week to ensure communities receive a safe and reliable gas supply in those areas. Practical training in safety-critical areas will be delivered through AIS Survivex and UCT, and key contract partners. The training contract will also include 3t Transform’s cloud-based training management platform and digital learning technologies such as eLearning, with a view to incorporating more blended learning such as virtual reality and gamified learning in the future. These solutions will help digitise and streamline the management of training for Wales & West Utilities. Charlie Guthrie from 3t Energy Group said: “Winning this contract is fantastic news and represents a significant strategic step forward as our first truly integrated contract combining the expertise of AIS Survivex, UCT and 3t Transform. “AIS Survivex has more than a decade of experience delivering training for high-risk, compliance-led industries such as oil and gas and renewables and UCT is one of only a handful of providers to offer training across the entire utility sector and is unique in delivering apprenticeships to new utility industry entrants. 3t Transform is also market-leading having won a number of awards for its innovative workforce management software and digital learning solutions. Together we will focus carefully on providing a complete workforce development package with technology-driven solutions to ensure we maximise efficiencies for the team at Wales & West Utilities.” Rhiannon Williams from Wales & West Utilities said: “Following an extensive tender process, we are delighted to award our provision of training services contract to AIS Survivex. The Group demonstrated an in-depth understanding of our needs and offered flexible and innovative solutions which will help our workforce operate at the very highest levels of safety, competency, and efficiency.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The gap between leaving university and starting out in industry can seem a daunting one for many graduates. But for 23-year-old Josh Steadman, from Faversham in Kent, the process from a construction management degree to graduate trainee with Bellway was plain sailing. Josh, who is currently working on site at the Bellway at Rosewood development in Maidstone, joined the housebuilder’s Graduate Programme nine months ago straight after graduating from Leeds Beckett University. He had discovered the opportunity online while in his final year of study. He said: “It was a fairly simple transition from leaving university to being a Bellway graduate. I knew Bellway was a major employer in the industry, and after a friend of mine completed summer work experience and had a good experience, it made me want to choose Bellway.” During his degree, Josh learnt about the various aspects of what a career in construction management entails, from managing contracts to recognising the regulatory and economic environment the industry operates in.But it was only after getting his job at Bellway that he could apply his academic knowledge in the real world. He said: “In these nine months I have already learnt so much. My role requires me to manage projects and sub-contractors, order materials and enforce health and safety regulations on site. I really enjoy taking on this responsibility.” Josh has weekly catch-ups with his graduate mentor, Contracts Manager Mark Baldwin, who supports him with guidance about his job and his career progression. Although Josh has so far been based at solely at Rosewood, the scheme will give him the opportunity to rotate departments, gaining experience in commercial, technical, buying and more to get a better understanding on how the business as a whole functions. He said: “I feel like the scheme is well-rounded and I feel supported in my role. The team at Rosewood really appreciate my contribution, which is something that I feel particularly proud of.“One day I aspire to run a site on my own. I feel that the scheme makes this goal attainable and I feel grateful to Bellway for giving me this opportunity. “I would most definitely recommend the graduate scheme to friends and family and will always be thankful for Bellway for helping me start my career in the construction industry.” Bellway is part of the 5% club, a nationwide movement of employers committed to having five per cent of their workforce in ‘earn and learn’ positions, including apprentices and graduates on formal training programmes. Applications for Bellway’s 2023 graduate cohort has now closed, but for more information on other career opportunities with Bellway, visit https://www.bellwaycareers.co.uk/. Bellway is building a range of two, three, four and five-bedroom homes at Bellway at Rosewood, with more information available at https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/thames-gateway/bellway-at-rosewood. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has agreed a new skills partnership with The Retrofit Academy with the aim of fast-tracking the careers of 230 local retrofitters as the region looks to ramp up the number of homes is it making more energy efficient. The new partnership follows the WMCA’s successful bid for new Government funding, which will see a total of £34 million allocated from the Homes Upgrade Grant (HUG) and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF). The funding, which will be matched by a further £35 million from registered social housing providers across the region, will see around 3,000 homes retrofitted with better insulation, new doors and windows, and greener heating systems. The WMCA’s Skills for Life Bootcamp offers funded flexible courses taking up to 16 weeks, to provide prospective retrofitters with sector-specific training on how to sustainably upgrade buildings in the form of level 3, 4 and 5 qualifications in domestic retrofit. Funding is available for those that live or work in the West Midlands to complete the following: The courses aim to address the retrofit skills gap posed by a rise in demand for energy efficiency measures following the allocation of the SHDF and HUG funding. They are available for a range of individuals, including locals currently employed by social housing providers or contractors, self-employed professionals, people currently out of work and those looking for a career change. The Skills for Life Bootcamps are designed to upskill people from both an industry and non-industry background to increase the number of professionals qualified to conduct retrofitting in the West Midlands. For self-employed professionals or those currently out of work, the partnership with the West Midlands Combined Authority provides fully funded training and a resulting career change opportunity through The Skills for Life Bootcamps. David Pierpoint, Chief Executive at The Retrofit Academy commented: “It is great to be establishing a partnership with a forward-thinking region for training that directly supports with the decarbonisation of homes in the West Midlands. Working together with regions across the UK to train up a large workforce of qualified retrofitters is going to be key to fulfilling SHDF and HUG programmes and achieving the net zero goals. “In partnership with the WMCA, we can offer interested individuals across different regions in the UK with the opportunity to gain qualifications in retrofit, helping us reach those targets. This means the social housing providers, local authorities and contractors can have the best talent to support them delivering programmes across the region. For people in the West Midlands, it will also be providing people with skills to take up the new green job opportunities and equip them to improve homes for hundreds of residents in the region.” The news of the skills partnership comes following the announcement that The Retrofit Academy has enrolled its 5,000th learner to its training courses from across the country. Alongside this, those who complete the course will have access to the organisation’s new Careers Hub, designed to bring new talent and employers together. With its goal of training 200,000 retrofitters by the end of the decade well underway, the new additions to the workforce will lead the sustainable upgrade of UK homes. David continued: “The Skills for Life Bootcamps provide those taking part with the opportunity to gain vital industry knowledge from our trained professionals that they can apply to future retrofit projects throughout the West Midlands. As we continue to drive large-scale, high-quality retrofit, those who qualify will play a key role in leading the charge in the West Midlands.” For more information on the Skills Bootcamps, please click here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
CITB is piloting changes across a series of plant training standards and grants, implemented from 31 July to help standardise plant training and testing requirements across the construction industry. The first set of new standards have been developed in collaboration with industry working groups, made up of employers, providers, and federations. These new standards represent a real change in the way that plant training and testing is delivered, streamlining the system, and making grants more accessible. With plant operators in high demand, these changes will have a wide-reaching impact. They will ensure employers see a return on their investment by producing competent, work-ready plant operators, who have received training from experts, including learning on new technologies and the eco operation of plant. The first phase of the changes will see new standards introduced for the following: Alongside the new standards, the grant rates for plant training and tests will also be changed and improved. Currently, three smaller grants are available for practical test, theory test and short course training, which employers can apply in different ways. Under the new changes a single grant will be available for all CITB registered employers. A transition period is in place for two months, allowing employers to still receive grant for either the old or new standards while the process is embedded. After September, grants will only be available against the new requirements for the training and testing of the eight categories under review. To ensure grant eligibility, they will have to: Going forward, employers will need to provide their CITB registration number to an ATO, who will apply for the grant on their behalf. Any other plant training that is separate from the new standards will remain eligible for grant and employers can apply for this in the same way they currently do. A separate, higher “novice” grant rate will be available for employers who are putting staff through plant training, who have never had experience in the type of machinery they are being trained in. This is to help respond specifically to the industry’s need for more people to become highly skilled and competent plant operators. Peter Brown, PSRO Secretariat, said: “The Plant Sector Representative Organisation (PSRO) – consisting of seven major construction plant-user federations – was set up by employers and their representative bodies to drive consistency for operational standards and certification through card schemes. Through its competency framework, the PSRO recognises the importance of the introduction of these CITB training standards and their role in ensuring high-quality and consistency of learning, coupled with robust quality assurance processes, that is required for the skills and knowledge for the safe operation of plant. “The PSRO is pleased to have been given the opportunity to provide CITB with overarching delivery advice and guidance through its Technical Review Group and supports the use of the standards within the construction sector.” Tim Brownbridge, Academy Manager at BAM Nuttall Ltd., said: “Since early in 2022 I have been involved in a voluntary industry group developing the CITB Plant Training Standards. The various plant and activity categories have been reviewed and developed by specialists with both experience and expertise relevant to the training required. The groups have been representative of all stakeholders in the use of plant from employers to trainers, owners, and operators, and I believe the end result will be of great value to industry providing a current, balanced and robust standard for training. “I am confident our ongoing investment by industry stakeholders will be well received and the standards will define the required training and assessment requirements for many years to come.” Christopher Simpson, Head of Quality and Standards at CITB, said: “I’m delighted we have introduced these new standards, which will improve plant operations throughout England, Scotland, and Wales. These changes will help standardise and improve the quality and consistency of plant training; increase the amount of plant training that takes place before testing; and increase the number of people trained in plant operations, particularly new entrants to construction. “I’d like to thank everyone involved in the changes made, who are helping to make a real difference in this area. By responding to the changing needs of the sector, we continue to focus on our priority of supporting the construction industry to have a skilled, competent, and inclusive workforce now and in the future.”For further information, visit CITB’s Grants and Funding page. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Engineering students at UTC Heathrow got the rare opportunity to tour an operational CyrusOne data centre, seeing for themselves the racks of servers used to store computer data (email, website, online transactions, etc) for some of the biggest companies in the world, along with the electrical and mechanical equipment needed to support such important infrastructure. Shortly before school broke for the holidays, seven engineering students visited CyrusOne’s LON1 site based in Slough, where they met Jacob Dowsett, Regional Operations Director, and Steve Hayward, Vice President European Operations. Jacob was especially inspirational, telling the students about his unconventional path into his role: “What we are hoping to do is shed light on this industry and make the route for your generation more straight forward,” he said. The purpose of the tour was to support the learning these students have been doing on the data services industry as part of their Engineering BTEC course through the Digital Futures Programme. This programme, unique to UTC Heathrow, is designed to open opportunities for students to explore an array of careers within the data services industry, as well as equipping them for other technical careers. Although the programme has been running since 2021, this is the first time any of the students have visited a fully operational data centre. Having made sure that their clients were happy with the students being shown around, CyrusOne were delighted to offer the inaugural tour. CyrusOne’s Jacob Dowsett explained how vital it is for students to be able to see the workings of the data centre in person. “It’s so important for the students to be able to visualise these data centres and see for themselves. Obviously, it’s data sensitive, really high security, but without these experiences – showing the students what’s actually inside the data centre and what engineering roles there are, they’re not going to want to join the industry. They need to see things up and running and see themselves doing it.” On the day, students were shown a short presentation on what happened at the data centre (which the students were already pretty clued up on), before starting the ‘electrical tour’. Much to the students’ delight, this involved the big switch on of a power generator. It was big and loud – the boys loved it naturally! They were shown how it worked by an engineer – but it wasn’t a passive watch. Like all good school trips, the students were armed with a clipboard containing questions they were required to answer. This meant they were actively engaged, listening to the engineers and most importantly learning. The second part of the tour looked at the mechanical side – the cooling system. Data centre servers generate a lot of heat, so all require some kind of cooling mechanism, in this case an Adiabatic* cooling system. Kitted out with boots, hi-vis and lanyards, the students got to really visualise how a data centre works. They spoke to some of the engineers, asking intelligent questions about how the equipment works and what engineers at CyrusOne do – and what the earning potential is. Something that really gave the students food for thought was the company’s vision of a sustainable future and what they could do to be a part of that. CyrusOne’s Hanna Chegrouche, Marketing Coordinator said: “I think the younger generation need to feel valued in industry and feel like they’re part of a bigger impact. So while we were talking about the now of being an engineer, we were also talking about the headwinds that we face and how engineers have a big part to play. We looked at our new facility, LON6, through a VR headset experience and I think they were surprised – it looks so different to what you perceive a data centre to look like, with the biodiverse surrounding areas and timber framed interior, you won’t even think that was a data centre city at all.” For many of the students who were already considering a career in the sector after school, this tour made them even more determined! ALET Project Coordinator Candace Rose Kumi, who is based at UTC Heathrow said: “The advice given to students was fantastic, they left feeling inspired and wanting to know more about the industry. They gained a better understanding of electrical and mechanical equipment within a data centre as well as the future works.” One of the students, Lucas, went on: “This was a great opportunity and has helped me to decide that I would love to start a career in the data centre industry. Everyone was very enthusiastic and informative, and I am very grateful to the CyrusOne team for this experience.” Summing up, another of the visiting students, Yaseen, said: “I found the trip to be fascinating because of the orderliness of such a complex operation. Everything was so under control to the point where any issue they have is predictable and resolvable in seconds, if not minutes, and I found this to be an inspiration for how I should maximise efficiency in my day-to-day life. I was surprised to see how relaxed everyone was given that if the servers were to go down it would cost them thousands of pounds, but I think they are so organised that they never need to worry. They were very welcoming and willing to explain any questions we had and went out of their way to make it a great day for us.” . Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
As the construction industry is responsible for 25% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, national practice GSSArchitecture is continually striving to help reduce these statistics and as part of a wider sustainability strategy, have appointed an in-house SKA Assessor. Eleanor Lee has been appointed as the SKA assessor for the Practice, having successfully completed her SKA training and assessment modules earlier this month. SKA assessments are a sustainable initiative focused on the refurbishment and remodelling of existing buildings, which is a crucial part of the sustainability strategy that GSS promote with their clients. The assessments themselves help building owners, landlords and tenants assess remodelling and refurbishment projects against a series of sustainability best practice criteria. As an organisation, GSS is committed to promoting the efficiencies and sustainable outcomes that can be achieved by reusing or repurposing existing built assets. The practice would like to see an increase the current 11% of UK construction spending on fitouts and refurbishments, rather than building new. GSS are involved in numerous fit-out and refurbishment projects across the country, and, because of the appointment of an in-house SKA Assessor, they can enhance their client offer by supporting sustainable assessments whilst also delivering effective designs. The SKA assessment has a strong focus on realistic steps to improve environmental impact, as well as health and wellbeing measures, and is a Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors initiative. Eleanor has already led the client and design team at Durham University through two schemes, successfully achieving a bronze and silver certification respectively. Jonathan Hunter, Partner at GSS, said, “We are proud to have Eleanor as part of our team and our clients are already benefitting from the skills she has gained from the SKA Assessment training. At GSS, we are proud to encourage and empower the next generation of designers to lead a more sustainable future and we are looking forward to seeing where else we can drive improvements in the sustainability of the construction industry.” Eleanor Lee said,“When 80% of buildings which will be occupied in 2050 already exist, it’s becoming increasingly important that we review and improve existing buildings. Having interacted with the SKA Assessment from the designer’s perspective, it’s inspiring to see an assessment methodology encourage realistic steps towards sustainability, in a way that works with designers, clients, and contractors alike. I’m really pleased to have had this opportunity and I’m excited to take this forward in future projects.” To find out more about GSSArchitecture, and their research and stance on sustainability and net zero, or to view their extensive range of projects in a variety of projects across the UK, please visit www.gssarchitecture.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Two companies have created a unique partnership to acquire long-established training company Expedient Training, to develop the UK’s green skills ahead of 2050. The owners of UK National and Simply Certification have come together to create a partnership which sees UK National acquire 100% of the land and buildings at Quay Corner Training Centre and a 70% share of the business, with the owners of Simply Certification acquiring 30% of the business. Facilities Management company UK National and certification body Simply Certification have joined forces to create the unique partnership to acquire Expedient Training, which specialises in built environment training and qualifications. The deal, which completed on 28th July will allow the two companies to bring their areas of expertise to the senior management team, following retirement of the current Managing Director Malcolm Atkinson who set the business up in 2002. Expedient Training based in Jarrow, has developed a reputation for excellence within the built environment sector and offers over 200 training courses alongside NVQ qualifications. Under the new business structure, Alex Gates will take on a dual Managing Director (MD) role leading Expedient whilst also continuing to be MD for Simply Certification. Sonny Parker, MD at UK National will lead the Facilities and Operations side of the Expedient business. The deal will allow the new team to further expand the existing training service offering, and in addition support companies to reach the government’s net zero targets through the delivery of services under funding schemes and commercial contracts. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
NIBE Energy Systems is delighted to have contributed to the opening of a new mobile heat pump facility as part of a collaborative effort to unlock essential training opportunities in Scotland, with a particular focus on addressing training gaps in remote and rural areas where there isn’t college training provision. The initiative is the result of a collaboration between Energy Saving Trust, Energy Skills Partnership (ESP), South Lanarkshire College and NIBE Energy Systems, and has been fully funded by the Scottish Government. The facility was officially launched by Mr Graeme Dey, Minister for Higher Education, Further Education and Minister for Veterans at South Lanarkshire College on 2nd August. Hosted by South Lanarkshire College, the BPEC approved training and assessment centre will be a shared resource available to all Scottish colleges. Installers can visit the centre to undergo training and certification on heat pumps, as well as obtain their Water Byelaws/Regulations and Domestic Vented and Unvented Hot Water Storage qualifications. It is designed to provide flexible training opportunities across the country and encourage the industry to gain the skills needed to decarbonise homes and buildings in line with Scotland’s plans to become Net Zero by 2045. The Scottish Government has stated that the availability of an inclusive, diverse and capable supply chain will be key to delivering on their ambition for the decarbonisation of heat in buildings. They estimate that an additional 16,400 jobs will be supported across the economy in 2030 as a result of investment in the deployment of zero emissions heat in new and existing buildings. This initiative will play a key part in achieving these objectives. NIBE Energy Systems is proud to have assisted with the design of the centre and to have provided the facility with some of its latest air source and ground source heat pumps so that installers can gain hands-on-experience with innovative, low carbon heating technologies. Phil Hurley, Managing Director of NIBE Energy Systems said: “We’re so pleased to have been a part of this project. We have made it our mission at NIBE to do as much as we can to empower installers through removing barriers to training and unlocking opportunities. Heat pumps will play a key role in decarbonising homes and buildings in Scotland, and we can’t roll them out without installers. “The Climate Change Committee has outlined that net zero has the potential to create between 135,000 and 725,000 jobs by 2030, but that the availability of workers in the sector must increase to meet the demand for low carbon technology. Flexible training facilities like this will be fundamental in making sure they can access the skills and qualifications they need, and we’re honoured to have provided the facility with NIBE heat pumps so that they can get to grips with the technology as they learn.”
One of the UK’s leading construction skills training companies The Skills Centre, which is currently running specialist cladding skills bootcamps in London, welcomes the announcement that the UK government will be providing more funding for cladding removal. Jon Howlin, CEO The Skills Centre, says: “This is great step for building safety in the UK and will hopefully bring some comfort to those whose properties are affected by removing burden of funding remedial works.. “However, there is still a huge shortfall in trained personnel to complete the works safely. Continued investment in building the workforce is required to ensure remedial works are completed by individuals with the correct training and experience. For those interested in entering construction, this is a great opportunity to specialise from the start, and with funding in place, and 30 years of buildings to retrofit, there are great career opportunities in cladding. “To open the doors to these opportunities, The Skills Centre has led a collaboration with The Greater London Authority, CITB and leading employers to design a bespoke, 7-week bootcamp. Delivered from our specialist facility near Stratford, the newly launched programme provides learners with the specialist skills, knowledge and, crucially, site experience they need to start making the UK’s buildings safer for everyone. “Employers or learners interested in taking part can learn more online or get in touch with the team: https://theskillscentre.co.uk/courses-services/rainscreen-cladding-bootcamp” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has called for a major injection of funding and planning into addressing the skills shortage which is preventing the refurbishment and retrofitting of buildings in line with the government’s carbon reduction targets. A study by the recruitment firm Reed Environment estimated that current rates of recruitment for professions carrying out building retrofit work would have to triple if the country was to meet its 2050 Net Zero target. It concluded that the UK is currently on track to miss the required number of building energy efficiency upgrades by 55 years – only reaching it in 2105 – due to “a serious shortage of retrofit training and recruitment pathways”. BESA said building retrofits should be “a main policy and business pillar of Net Zero”, but that the country was falling behind its targets due to the lack of a comprehensive plan for how the 2050 target could be delivered. “Retrofitting homes and commercial buildings needs to be a main building block of Net Zero,” said the Association’s director of training and skills Helen Yeulet. “This requires a serious acceleration in recruitment of the necessary skills, which will also underpin business growth and job creation in the sector.” LaggingThe UK is also lagging comparable European countries when it comes to retrofit work, according to research from the MCS Charitable Foundation, which revealed it was installing less than a tenth of the number of heat pumps as France despite having a similar heating market. Only 55,000 heat pumps were sold in the UK last year, compared with 621,000 in France. 20 other European countries also had higher installation rates than the UK, which is being held back by the lack of a comprehensive and consistent plan for ‘green skills’, according to BESA. The MCS report said that there was currently “little chance” of the UK meeting the government’s target of 600,000 heat pump installations a year by 2028. However, with a proper skills strategy it should be possible to create 50,000 new jobs in this market, up from just 2,000 today. BESA welcomed the launch of the government’s £5m Heat Training Grant which offers £500 towards heat pump training for self-employed installers, the unemployed and those working for a business with 250 employees or less. It is expected to help upskill around 6,000 heating engineers, but the Association said it was important that the government made long-term policy commitments and abandoned its ‘stop-start’ approach to funding. “Employers need to have the confidence to invest in their workforces and diversify their businesses,” said Yeulet. “We need to take a leaf out of France’s book.” She also called for the government to give a clear commitment to the Future Homes and Building Standard, which is due to come into force in 2025 and would set energy efficiency benchmarks that could drive retrofit work. France has benefited from energy efficiency and electrification of heat being political priorities for more than a decade underpinned by generous financial incentives. The installation market grew from 100,000 a year in 2010 to over 600,000 last year and France now has more than 30,000 people employed full time in heat pumps. “There is no mystery about why other countries are doing better than us,” said Yeulet. “They have clear policy commitments and long-term, properly funded training programmes in place that give employers the confidence to invest and grow their businesses. “We have been talking about this for years, but this is not just about government. We all need to step up and do what we promise by investing in our workforces. Not just because it is the right thing to do for the planet, but also because the potential for business growth is huge.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
