GroundTherm Supporting The Oldham College

19 January 2011

Heat pump specialists GroundTherm are working closely with The Oldham College to make training in renewable technologies available to students young and old.

There can be no doubt, that when the UK market in domestic and commercial heat pumps really takes off, there will be huge demand for trained and qualified renewable energy system specifiers and installers. As the industry waits to hear about the government's plans for the Renewable Heat Incentive and the Green Deal initiative, colleges such as The Oldham College are getting their plumbing, electrical and heating departments ready to provide all the necessary training.

Working closely with SummitSkills, the sector skills council for building services, The Oldham College is developing training programmes across the full range of renewable technologies that will apply equally to new apprentices and engineers currently employed in the sector who require up skilling.

National Skills Academy

The Oldham College is included in a bid by the Trafford College in Manchester, to become a regional hub for the National Skills Academy and in anticipation of future funding, have asked GroundTherm to design and install a fully equipped Renewable Technology Centre. Andy Louth, managing director of GroundTherm explained: "The Renewable Technology Centre will become part of the Colleges NVQ 3 training programme, which will cover air source and ground source heat pumps, solar thermal, solar pave and possibly biomass."

At the time of going to press, no decision had been announced regarding the National Skills Academy*, but Oldham College business manager Allan Milne, is aware of the local demand for training in renewable technologies. "Soon every plumber and electrician, from 16 year old apprentices to 56 year old experienced workers will be impacted by the low carbon agenda, " said Allan. Every student coming through this college will benefit from this "green", Renewable Energy Technology Centre."

Ready to take the lead

GroundTherm is based in Denton, Manchester, and provides a national design and installation service for both air source and ground source heat pumps, mostly using Gezeo units from French manufacturer, France Geothermie. Specialising particularly in ground source installations, Andy Louth believes the key to a successful project is close liaison with the end user, the ground works contractor and the equipment manufacturer. "Most clients prefer to work with a single contractor", explained Andy. "We will not even tender for a job, until we've been to site and talked to the customer about their specific requirements. We are then ready to take the prime contractor role."

* It has been confirmed that The Oldham College will be part of the National Skills Academy alongside the Trafford College

Article published in Heat Pumps Today, January 2011.