New advanced training facility opens to upskill HVAC industry
A new education facility has opened its doors and is set to advance skills and knowledge across the UK’s HVAC industry.
The new Zehnder Academy, created by Zehnder Group UK, aims to usher in a new chapter of industry-wide training excellence and to address the increasing skills gap in the HVAC sector – tackling the large number of poor installations currently being seen across the country.
The facility, at Zehnder Group UK’s headquarters in Camberley, Surrey, has been meticulously designed to offer a flagship training experience at every level. The new Academy contains a simulated indoor environment in the form of a working apartment, with fully operational heating, cooling and ventilation units for testing and experimentation.
Stuart Smith, Zehnder Group UK Commercial Director, said: “We know that in the UK there are still untrained tradespeople installing and commissioning ventilation systems with little or no knowledge. Once installed, many of these MVHR systems are left unmaintained and/or not serviced, leading to further issues down the line. That’s not a criticism. It’s a sign of a bigger problem – a systemic skills gap that’s holding our industry back. This investment by Zehnder is an effort to upskill our workforce and tackle the issue.”
