100 heating installer trainee places going after Peterlee firm wins air-source heat pump funding

With Britain facing the challenge of switching to renewable energy, the Go Green training academy, the North East’s first heat pump training centre, has invited applications to its Skills Bootcamp to boost the number of qualified installers in the region.

The company expects to train more than 100 new installers by the end of the year. The scheme is funded through the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which has donated “a six-figure sum” to persuade businesses of all sizes to take part.

The Go Green Skills Bootcamp is an eight-day course held every fortnight and taking place at the company’s Peterlee premises.

The course costs £2,200, but places are 100% funded for sole traders, 90% for small and medium sized firms and 70% for large businesses.

Entrants must have Level 2 Heating & Plumbing certification or equivalent and provide any plumbing, heating/ventilation, gas or oil certificates they currently hold.

Heat pumps are electrically powered fan heaters. They effectively act like fridges in reverse, taking warm air from outside and pumping it into homes. The Government wants to deploy at least 600,000 heat pumps per year by 2028 to meet its net zero target.

It is estimated that 50,200 fully trained heat pump installers will be needed to meet the million heat pump installs a year targeted for 2030.

Heat pumps will replace old, less energy-efficient boilers. But many thousands of workers will need to learn how to install the new units.

Go Green director Brian Weir said: “We’re delighted to win funding to run the boot camp because this offers a quick fix in terms of getting dozens of fully qualified heat pump installers out there in a matter of months.

“The public are turning more and more to heat pumps as they realise the technology is the future and can cut energy costs and fuel bills as well as helping the environment.

“With this funding, the North East LEP is helping to tackle an existing need and helping to ensure there will be no backlog or waiting lists building up in the near future.”

For more information and to apply, email [email protected] or visit www.gogreentraining.co.uk.