The Training and Technology Centre is located near the M1, north of London, making it easily accessible for thousands of heating engineers across the South and much of the Midlands. The new facility is at Insignia Park in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, just a few minutes from Luton.
This latest centre is dedicated to low-carbon technologies and is part of Ideal Heating’s expansion of its UK footprint. Ideal Heating’s Expert Academy training arm will use the centre to equip installers with the skills to fit, maintain, and service domestic and commercial heat pumps.
The facility opened with a special launch event attended by representatives from across the heating industry.
“Our training facilities are best in class and this new centre features the latest testing and simulation equipment which provides installers with hands-on, practical experience.
Upskilling the existing workforce for the green heating revolution
“With our Expert Academy, we’re leading the industry to upskill the existing workforce and equip installers for the green heating revolution.”
Ideal Heating’s new Training and Technology Centre features four spacious training areas, all kitted out with the latest equipment and technology.
The centre also houses a large conference facility and comfortable café area. There are also display areas showcasing Ideal Heating’s industry-leading range of domestic and commercial heating products.
Spread over 16,000 sq ft, the facilities and equipment include a live heat pump training suite and thermodynamic fault-finding simulators, giving installers hands-on experience with some of the common situations they’ll deal with when working out in the field.
The new hub follows the opening last year of Ideal Heating’s first National Training and Technology Centre in Hessle, East Yorkshire.
Purpose-built and focused on green tech
The purpose-built facility was the first dedicated centre of its kind in the UK and is also focused primarily on green technologies.
With the opening of the sister southern facility, Ideal Heating now has flagship training bases in both the North and South of England. The company’s Expert Academy has more than 20 UK training facilities, stretching from Fife in Scotland to Dorset in the south of England – serving the heating industry and the nation’s 120,000 installers.
Ideal Heating training director Andrew Johnson said: “Our training operations are focused on three key components.
“Firstly, creating best-in-class facilities for installers to learn in. The opening of this new centre offers exactly that and is a showcase for our unique offering to the heating industry.
“The second component is our team. Our Expert Academy trainers have 300 combined years of industry experience. Their level of knowledge and capabilities is phenomenal and is the key to our success in re-training heating engineers.
“Finally, we’re committed to delivering our training to installers either for free or at low cost. We’re working closely with the Department for Education to provide Skills Bootcamp courses to installers, and we’re investing in our Expert Academy digital platform to deliver training flexibly and easily.”
Image credit: Ideal Heating