Recommendation 19

DESNZ said that training new installers was a “growing industry”. It stated that it was investing £29 million from 2021–22 to 2024–25 to train installers in the heat sector. Part of this spend includes a £5 million Heat Training Grant to support up to 10,000 heat pump and heat network training opportunities from 2023–24 to 2024–25. DESNZ reported that it was on track towards meeting its target to reach 12,000 trained heat pump installers by 2025, and that it had trained 7,000 installers so far, including 3,000 as part of the Heat Training Grant. DESNZ recognised that it will need to continue to invest in heat pump training and expand training opportunities to reach the number of installers needed in later years. It told us that decisions for future training grants would form part of the next spending review.33 The MCS Foundation, which supports education in the heat sector, told us that it was key that the government continue to support the development of the heat pump supply chain, which included training installers by providing long-term clarity and certainty.34