Panasonic partners with Scottish Colleges to prepare next generation of heating & plumbing installers
Panasonic has announced a new partnership with three of Scotland’s leading colleges to upskill the next generation of heating and plumbing installers with relevant heat pump training. This initiative aims to help decarbonise heating and future-proof homes across Scotland.
An official launch event took place at the Skills Centre at Glasgow Clyde College on 29th May. Key representatives from the Energy Skills Partnership (ESP), Dumfries and Galloway College, UHI Inverness, Glasgow Clyde College and Panasonic were present.
Dumfries and Galloway College, UHI Inverness, and Glasgow Clyde College offer BPEC accredited heat pump courses. In addition to these courses, Panasonic will provide additional product-specific air-to- water training for the trainers, apprentices and installers working with these three colleges. The product training will use the
latest Panasonic Aquarea L Series outdoor unit, all-in-one indoor unit, and Wiser controls, providing students hands-on experience with some of the industry’s latest sustainable heating solutions.
Working with Panasonic and the colleges to get this project off the ground, the college sector agency, ESP, has helped create this partnership in a collective effort to meet net zero requirements and target the current skills shortage crisis in Scotland aligned with emerging technologies.
As Scotland develops its decarbonisation plan, Panasonic sees the importance of upskilling installers through air-to-water heat pump training. Jose Alves, UK Country Manager for Panasonic Heating & Cooling Solutions, commented: “Interest in heat pumps has never been higher – and there has to be an expansion of the skilled installer base for the Net Zero and decarbonisation of home heating to be met. We are pleased to work with these three colleges, thanks to ESP. There has never been a better time to get trained, with the availability of government training grants plus this additional reward from Panasonic. The sooner installers, fitters and gas boiler engineers get trained, the quicker they can take advantage of these market opportunities.”
