Green energy training and heat pump installation

It goes without saying that with winter comes quick temperature drops and sky-rocketing energy prices.

But while this is troublesome for businesses and customers, there’s no better time to tap into the demand for new heating technology. Particularly when it comes to heat pumps.

Our own research alone showed that searches across Checkatrade saw a 140% increase for air source heat pump installation.

Not only that, but there was a whopping 231% increase for ground source heat pump installation* last year as well!

Taking advantage of green energy training

It’s clear that there’s room for expansion into the heat pump installation market. But if you’ve never looked into this trade area before, you might not be sure where to start.

Fortunately, there are plenty of green training courses out there you can make use of – many of which you can claim discounts on.

If you’re skilled as a heating engineer looking to upskill, keep reading to learn more about the heat training grant.

What is the Heat Training Grant?

If you’re not aware already, the UK government has pledged a target to install 600,000 heat pumps by 2028. As a result, they’ve created a green energy training scheme to encourage tradespeople to provide customers with this service.

This training initiative, introduced in July 2023, is known as the heat training grant. It’s designed to qualify certain trained tradespeople to install heat pumps themselves for a lower training cost. For example, if you’re a heating engineer, you could receive a discount of up to £500 off heat pump training courses!

However, the grant also offers support and advice when carrying out a heat pump installation for the first time.

Not only that, but training providers participating in the scheme will offer grants for eligible courses. In most cases, this means a discount on the listed price of training.

So, by using the heat training grant, you’ll be able to upskill as a tradesperson to install heat pumps. This means you and your business will be ready and willing to adapt and evolve to meet changing market demands.

Who is eligible for the Heat Training Grant?

To be eligible for green energy training courses under the heat training grant, you need to meet three basic criteria:

• You need to work for a small to medium-sized business, be a sole trader, or be currently unemployed
• You need to be a certified member of a competent person scheme for heating or hot water installation
• You must not have received more than £315,000 in government subsidies in the last 3 years

So, if you’re self-employed or working for a business, it’s likely these three conditions will need to be met. But once you do tick all three boxes, you could get up to £500 off any green energy training courses.

With that being said, it’s important to note that the heat training grant is only available for training in England. This means that, as a Scottish, Welsh, or Northern Irish heating technician, your training must be done in England.

Where can you enrol for green energy training?

There are two main options to think about if you’re considering upskilling for green energy services:

• Finding a local training centre running a green energy training course
• Signing up with a Checkatrade partner for your training

There are several facilities around England that offer green skills training. And many fall under the government grant scheme. But if you want to get the best value for money, you should definitely train with a registered Checkatrade partner.

Checkatrade partners that offer green skills courses include:

• Logic4Training
• The Low Carbon Academy

Logic4Training, on the other hand, has a selection of renewable energy courses available for tradespeople. That includes installation training on different types of heat pumps, including both air source and ground source models.

Finally, the Low Carbon Academy is one of the UK’s leading green energy training providers. Based in Salford, Greater Manchester, they operate as part of the UK Skills Academy for their courses.

Take a look at the map below to locate your nearest training centre:

Why should you consider green energy training?

If it’s not clear already, there are numerous reasons why you should look to train in heat pump installation.

As an already qualified tradesperson, you can offer your new skills to your existing contacts. Or, alternatively, you can apply for different jobs using your new skills.

Alongside this, as a business, it offers yet another potential stream of work to grow your customer base. You could even go it alone and start a heat pump installation business if you don’t already have one.

Best of all, a wider skill set, and accreditations will show customers just how much you know about your field of work.

This will help build trust and make them more inclined to use your services in the future.

Why train with a Checkatrade partner?

By now it should be clear just how beneficial the government’s heat training grant could be for your business. And if you want to take advantage of this grant to its full extent, then you should consider signing up with Checkatrade.

As a Checkatrade member, you’ll get access to all the discounts offered by our partners. Not just on training but on work gear too!

We’ll even help you create an online profile and start building your reputation.

Best of all, everyone who graduates with our Checkatrade partner courses bags themselves a free Checkatrade membership!

Get in touch today to learn more about just what Checkatrade could offer you and your business.

Content disclaimer: This content has been created for general information purposes and should not be taken as formal advice. Read our full disclaimer here.

* Searches completed on Checkatrade.com January 2022 – December 2022