Green energy training needs joined up delivery

The UK does not have a shortage of green ambition – but a lack of joined-up delivery is hampering the number of people learning much-needed skills in heating and plumbing.

The country continues to edge towards green heating solutions. For example, heat pump sales rose 27 per cent in 2025 to a record 125,000 units. Meanwhile, the government recently announced that from 2028 no new homes will be on the gas network, making either heat networks or heat pumps a necessity. The new homes must also have solar panels on their roofs, along with the EV chargers already required.

At the same time, the industry suffers from an ageing workforce. Government figures estimate that two-thirds of the installer workforce are aged 45 or older – and just over a third are aged 55 or older.

We see it within our own customer base at Smart Energy Training, where 20 per cent of our clients tell us they plan to retire in the next 12 months.

It’s understandable that these older members of the workforce have little or no interest in learning new green skills. They are more than happy to stick to what they know and has served them well for many years.

So, there is a huge opportunity for new people to enter the sector, secure the necessary qualifications and ultimately build a great career.

But, though at Smart Energy Training we are seeing growth and have plans to increase our number of training centres considerably, the uptake in green heating training programmes across the board has been lower than expected.

In my opinion, businesses are being asked to invest in skills before the market, the funding system and the grid have all caught up.

The level 3 low carbon heating engineer apprenticeship is a 24-month course. For employers of all sizes – but particularly smaller operators – that is a considerable commitment over a long period of time.

The UK will still need gas-qualified engineers for many years to safely maintain existing stock, decommission old systems and support households through the switch, so some businesses will consider there is enough ‘traditional’ work without turning to new technologies.

At Smart Energy Training, we are constantly working with employers and manufacturers in the sector to provide the very best low carbon apprenticeship programmes that exceed requirements. But the apprenticeship does take time as air source heat pump installation is not simply a product course. It requires system design, commissioning, servicing, fault finding, customer handover and an understanding of MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) standards.

Funding uncertainty also makes things harder. Grants and incentives can stimulate demand, but when they are reduced, narrowed, extended late or made difficult to navigate, employers hesitate.  There is some limited funding available for the heat pump short courses for experienced engineers, but industry newcomers either need to do an apprenticeship or a managed learning programme (MLP) with heat pump lessons weaved in.

The MLP is currently £6,500 so it is not a small investment for an individual. We are talking to combined authorities to see if some courses can be funded through skills bootcamps, which would make a huge difference.

The grid is another missing part of the skills debate. In areas such as Stockton and Tees Valley, there have been planning and retrofit constraints where new housing developments and large retrofit schemes have been limited or delayed because the local electricity grid doesn’t have enough spare capacity. Around 15 per cent of cables and almost half of substations may need replacing to meet the UK’s net zero goal.

In those problem areas, it might not be feasible for a housebuilder to install some green technologies as the grid capacity just isn’t there.

Ultimately, the speed at which the country switches to heat pumps, solar panels and electric vehicles will be determined by the general public. It took 20 years or so to dissuade people from having gas fires in their homes – but it did eventually happen.

To accelerate the process, we need more joined up action. That means consistent, reliable funding, new construction and grid improvements.

As green energy becomes the norm, more businesses will be willing to release their people for training. But those employers that invest early will steal a march and be best placed to reap the benefits or a changing landscape.