Worcester increases training commitment

Worcester has announced its intention to train 14,000 installers in 2006, an increase of over 16% on its 2005 training figures.

Worcester has announced its intention to train 14,000 installers in 2006, an increase of over 16% on its 2005 training figures, further establishing the company as the largest manufacturer training provider.

A GBP500,000 investment in facilities, training centres and trainers will see two new training centres opening in 2006 - one in the South East and one in the Eastern part of the UK, expanding its network of training facilities and ensuring that customers have access to training courses wherever their location.

Worcester will then have five dedicated training centres and 76 affiliated colleges as well as two mobile training vehicles.

Gas Training.

From April 2006 all gas installers will need to have the Energy Efficiency certificate if they wish to self-certificate their installations.

The industry has estimated that 75,000 installers need to be trained and so far 40,000 have achieved certification.

Consequently Worcester foresees a last minute rush for places on these courses.

Gas training courses provided by Worcester include:.

* Energy Efficiency in Domestic Heating.

* Unvented Cylinder Training and Assessment (from March 06).

* Condensing Boiler Installation and Commissioning.

* Greenstar CDi / HE+ / Highflow 440 Condensing Boilers.

* Greenstar i Junior and Si Combi Boilers.

* Greenstar Regular and System Condensing Boiler.

* CDi (Standard Efficiency).

* i Junior / Si (Standard Efficiency).

Oil Training.

Following the introduction of Camray boilers into the Worcester family, a further GBP150,000 has been invested developing its Clay Cross manufacturing facility in Derbyshire as the oil centre of excellence.

It has a large workshop with 20 oil-fired working boilers including Greenstar condensing oil boilers, Camray, Heatslave and Danesmoor ranges; two practical training areas and a large theory room.

Worcester offers the following oil training courses:.

* OFTEC Assessment (105e / 101 / 600a).

* Unvented Cylinder Training and Assessment (from March 06).

* Oil Boiler Installation and Fault Finding Training and Accreditation.

* Oil Appreciation Heatslave and Danesmoor (std EH).

* Greenstar Oil Products.

* Camray Products.

The beginning of 2006 will also see the launch of two Mobile OFTEC Training Vehicles.

These 7.5 tonne lorries will be equipped with Greenstar, Camray, Danesmoor and Heatslave appliances and will facilitate OFTEC training and assessment all over the UK.

They have been developed for installers that aren't within reasonable travelling distance of a training centre.

Installers should register their interest in attending a training course by calling Worcester's training department on 01905 752526.

New Technologies.

With the introduction of the Greenskies Solar Panels, Worcester also offers a one day course covering the components of the solar water heating system, installation of the panels - pitched and flat roofs, siting options, flushing, filling and venting of the system as well as commissioning, servicing and basic fault finding.

To coincide with the launch of Ground Source Heat Pumps in 2006 a comprehensive training course is currently being developed.

GBP2.5m Headquarters investment.

The new GBP2.5m investment at Worcester headquarters will include an Energy Atrium to showcase sustainable and renewable energies of the future, a contact centre for pre and post sales technical support as well as a 160-seater auditorium, which splits into four dedicated training rooms.

Said Phil Bunce, training operations manager at Worcester; "We are endeavouring to offer our customers the very best in training in terms of ensuring the content is meeting their needs and also making it geographically accessible to them.".

Back to top