Tuesday, August 26, 2025
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Terms & Conditions
Environmental Magazine
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Recycling
  • Air
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Water
No Result
View All Result
Environmental Magazine
  • Home
  • News
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Recycling
  • Air
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Water
No Result
View All Result
Environmental Magazine
No Result
View All Result
Home Air

The Low Carbon Apprenticeship is a miss-step says renewables training expert

May 15, 2024
in Air
A A

Mark Krull criticises the recently launched ‘Low Carbon Apprenticeships’ as a PR exercise that ignores the needs and opportunities in the building services sector. As Director of a leading awarding organisation for renewable qualifications, and “a long-time member of Greenpeace”, he says, “you might be surprised that I’m not a big fan of the new ‘Low Carbon Apprenticeship’”. He explans further, below.

While there is no doubt that we need more installers with the skills to fit heat pumps and other renewable technologies (and more new entrants to the sector in general), the UK is a long way off from becoming fossil fuel free. Most homes are still heated by gas, and this is not going to change anytime soon.

In fact, by offering this route to young people keen to forge a career in our exciting a varied sector, we are doing them a disservice and limiting their options. Making apprentices choose between traditional or low carbon routes is the wrong approach for all concerned.

At the UK’s current stage in its path to Net Zero we need multi-skilled installers, that can install heat pumps and, for a short time at least, new gas boilers. Once no longer installed, there will still be servicing and maintenance requirements for the millions of gas boilers that will be in use for 20 – 30 years to come. These multi-skilled installers will also be kept busy removing and decommissioning gas appliances from properties making the switch the heat pumps and other low carbon technologies. Only knowing about renewables is extremely limiting.

I imagine a Low Carbon Apprenticeship is more appealing to the younger generation, it sounds progressive, eco conscious and on the face of it, better for the world at large than choosing the plumbing and gas route. What we need, however, is a ‘Heating Apprenticeship’ that offers multi-technology pathways, with plumbing and gas at its core alongside heat pumps, biomass and/or solar thermal options.

At the moment, gas apprentices can of course go on to add heat pumps (something we will championing at Logic4training with the launch of our own apprenticeships later this year), what would be better is if the low carbon arm of our industry was explicitly included from the beginning.

Polarising the installer-base does our sector no favours
Its time we stopped polarising our sector and served the building services landscape as it currently stands. Consumers need installers trained to understand their heating requirements now and in the future; they’re looking for guidance on what’s best for their individual circumstance – only someone with a good understanding of the different options available can provide this guidance suitably.

The role of the installer should not be underestimated in the path to Net Zero. We have a real opportunity with our young apprentices to create installers that meet the UK’s current and future needs. The Low Carbon Apprenticeship is far too narrow a view.

www.logic4training.co.uk
www.lclawards.co.uk

ShareTweetSharePinSendShare

Related Articles

Air

Study outlines digital roadmap for net zero steel

August 17, 2025
Air

Glasgow air pollution drops by a third following LEZ enforcement, reports city council

August 15, 2025
Air

Tyres now the biggest source of emissions from vehicles, suggests testing company CEO

August 13, 2025
Air

Research seems to show how PM2.5 damages airways, and how the effects might be reversed

August 5, 2025
Air

Air filter mimics mucus-coated nasal hair

July 30, 2025
Air

Non-road machinery decarbonisation – operators share perspectives

July 23, 2025

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

More Than 900 Widely Used Chemicals May Increase Breast Cancer Risk

January 10, 2024

Circular copper recovery could bridge 3.6 MT supply gap, says McKinsey

June 4, 2025

Don't miss it

Fossil Fuels

New Tool Maps the Health Impacts of Toxic Air Pollutants Released with Methane in Super-Emitter Events

August 26, 2025
Energy

Trump Administration Issues Stop Work Order for Offshore Wind Project, Citing National Security Concerns

August 25, 2025
Activism

The Woman Holding Chinese Mining Giants Accountable

August 24, 2025
Fossil Fuels

Great Lakes Microplastics Research Could Inform National and Global Policy

August 23, 2025
Activism

Citing Environmental Concerns, Judge Orders Alligator Alcatraz to Wind Down Operations

August 22, 2025
Fossil Fuels

There’s a ‘Lake’ of Oil Under LA’s Soon-to-Close Refinery. Who’s Going to Clean It Up?

August 22, 2025
Environmental Magazine

Environmental Magazine, Latest News, Opinions, Analysis Environmental Magazine. Follow us for more news about Enviroment and climate change from all around the world.

Learn more

Sections

  • Activism
  • Air
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Fossil Fuels
  • News
  • Uncategorized
  • Water

Topics

Activism Air Climate Change Energy Fossil Fuels News Uncategorized Water

Recent News

New Tool Maps the Health Impacts of Toxic Air Pollutants Released with Methane in Super-Emitter Events

August 26, 2025

Trump Administration Issues Stop Work Order for Offshore Wind Project, Citing National Security Concerns

August 25, 2025

© 2023 Environmental Magazine. All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Recycling
  • Air
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Water

© 2023 Environmental Magazine. All rights reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.