Renewable Energy Installer December/January 2014 | Page 5

DECC launches RHI installer training
support scheme
A new £500,000 fund aimed at raising the skill set of
domestic heating engineers so they can install and
maintain renewable heating systems has been set up
by energy secretary Ed Davey
GTEC Training has been awarded the contract
to administer the scheme which will be
distributed via two streams.
Stream 1 – Cross-skilling support
£250,000 is available to support installers
already qualified in heating and/or plumbing
obtain qualifications in installing heat pumps,
solar thermal and biomass. Vouchers will
be valued at 75 percent of the total cost of
training up to a maximum of £500 per voucher.
Vouchers will be limited to five per company
and issued to the candidate, enabling them to
redeem their voucher on a qualifying course of
their choosing.
Stream 2 – Apprentice support
£250,000 is available to support apprentices
include renewables in their apprenticeship
programme. Funding will be available to
apprentices who have already selected a
particular renewable technology to complete
their apprenticeship programme but wish to
add additional technologies.
Training providers can drew down the value
of the voucher on completion of the training
course through the scheme administrator.
Based on the results of this initiative, the
Department of Energy and Climate Change
(DECC) says it will look to increase funding
and support for the supply chain.
Energy Secretary Ed Davey said: “This
voucher scheme is aimed at the engineers
who give us their expert advice on the heating
system in our home - often over a cup of tea
in the kitchen. Our research shows us that
these men and women are the people we trust
when looking for advice on how to keep warm
in a reliable and affordable way. But too often,
they are only able to talk about what they are
most familiar with - and that usually means
gas or oil-fired boilers.
“By taking advantage of these training
vouchers, these engineers will be able to
extend their advice to renewable heating
options ahead of the introduction of the
domestic Renewable Heat Initiative in Spring
next year.”
Mark Krull, marketing director at
Logic4training, which played host to the
scheme’s launch event in October, said:
“DECC’s Renewable Heat Incentive training
support voucher scheme offers a great boost
to installers looking to take advantage of
the market opportunities presented by the
domestic RHI. This should encourage more
engineers to train in related technologies,
ensuring end users have access to skilled
trades people to help them realise the cost
and carbon saving potential of renewables.”
Installers can visit www.rhitraining.
co.uk for more information or follow
@rhitraining on twitter.
Events
Ecobuild
04-06 March 2014 ExCel, London
www.ecobuild.co.uk
Energy Efficiency Exhibitions plus Heating
& Plumbing Roadshow
9 September 2014
Westpoint Arena, Exeter
11 September 2014
Ricoh Arena, Coventry
16 September 2014
Highland Centre, Scotland
18 September 2014
Event City, Manchester
23 September 2014
Sandown Park, Surrey
www.energyefficiencyexhibitions.
co.uk/
Support group: L-R Tom Hunisett, TSG Building
Services - the first installer to receive a Training
Support Voucher, Energy secretary Ed Davey and
Griff Thomas, GTEC Training
www.renewableenergyinstaller.co.uk | 5