We continue to see an aging workforce when it comes to welders for pre-insulated steel pipes which truly brings the impending skills gap into focus and, unless we address it, we will see the industry fighting over an ever-decreasing skills pool and struggling to deliver district heating projects. This would be a disaster for the UK as we’ve seen the positive impact heat networks can have on city-wide projects such as Torry, Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds to name a few.
Mr Hutchinson continues, “There has been some outstanding work done to create high standards for the industry, such as the Heat Network Code of Practice and the work being done through the Heat Network Technical Assurance Scheme, but this will only have an impact if operatives have the skills necessary to deliver a quality install and we are confident that graduates from our training course will have these skills.”
The first graduates from the project are now working to install major heat networks throughout the UK and we look forward to expanding the training to more Vital Energi employees.
Ashley Walsh is Vital Energi’s Managing Director for Heat Networks and has been instrumental in delivering some of the UK’s largest district heating projects, including the Queens Quay, Liverpool Waters and Leeds PIPES. David Wilkinson, our Design Director sits on the Heat Network Technical Assurance Scheme Steering Group and has decades of overseeing the design of major UK heat networks and energy centres. Both sat down with us to discuss the key considerations for delivering heat networks and if you’d like to see the conversation, click here.