The success of the Warm Homes Plan will ultimately be decided in households across the country, not in Whitehall. It will depend on homes being able to access trusted advice, having a heating system that’s right for their property and benefiting from a consistently high-quality installation.
The people delivering the heat transition are therefore as important as the technologies themselves. The government’s ambition to grow the market to more than 450,000 heat pump installations a year by 2030 presents a major opportunity to create skilled jobs, support British manufacturing and deliver good growth. But it also underlines the scale of the workforce challenge ahead.
Installers will be central to meeting that challenge. Their expertise will determine whether deployment ambitions are achieved and whether households develop lasting confidence in the heat transition.
The government must build on industry investment by providing the certainty and support needed to upskill experienced engineers, while creating credible pathways into the sector for the next generation.
Why installer skills matter to households
For most people, the commitments in the Warm Homes Plan will be felt through installers who conduct the assessment of their property, provide clear, informed advice and ultimately ensure any new system keeps their home warm and comfortable.
Heating engineers already have trusted relationships with their customers. They understand the buildings they work in and the reassurance people need before changing how they heat their home. Training must therefore cover the
complete customer journey, from property assessment and system design through to commissioning and customer service.
A high-quality installation can build confidence far beyond a single household, while a poor experience can do precisely the opposite. Installers must be treated as central delivery partners, with confidence that investing in new skills will lead to sustained demand and a viable business.
Confidence and certainty are vital
At Vaillant, our experience supplying heating systems to around 350,000 UK homes and businesses each year gives us a close understanding of how engineers are approaching the transition.
Many are open to developing their heat pump skills. But for a self-employed installer or small business, retraining
is a significant commercial decision. Engineers need to know that the time and money they invest will be supported by sustained consumer demand and a viable pipeline of work.
Training capacity must therefore be matched by market confidence. Long-term certainty around consumer grants, a clear regulatory pathway and action to reduce heat pump running costs would give more engineers the confidence to enter the market. It would also enable businesses to plan ahead and continue investing in the necessary skills, jobs and UK production needed to meet government ambitions.
Supporting and upskilling the existing installer base
The government has taken positive steps to recognise this. The Heat Training Grant has helped thousands of engineers access discounted training, while plans to create up to 18,000 training places through the grant and the Warm Homes Skills Programme represent a welcome investment in the workforce.
But course fees are only part of the cost. For self-employed installers and small enterprises, retraining can also mean several days away from paid work while continuing to meet the costs of running a business.
A dedicated installer bursary, or equivalent income-support mechanism, would help cover those lost earnings and make retraining financially viable.
Importantly, industry is investing alongside government. Since October 2022, Vaillant has invested more than £50m in UK manufacturing and training, and our six centres of excellence can train up to 20,000 installers each year. Through our Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) Umbrella onboarding process, installers can access complimentary e-learning and practical product training, equipping them to install and commission heat pumps.We also signpost them to independent training providers that can access the Heat Training Grant, providing a route towards MCS-recognised qualifications.
The next step should be to bring these efforts together through a comprehensive and collaborative upskilling strategy, developed with manufacturers, training providers and installers and supported by clear annual workforce targets. This would help align training provision with future demand and direct investment towards the areas with the greatest need, as well as give experienced engineers across the country a much more coherent route into the market.
Creating stronger pathways for the next generation
Alongside upskilling the existing workforce, Britain needs stronger pathways for new entrants. As the government seeks to tackle youth unemployment and reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training, clean heat can offer a route into both secure and rewarding careers.
The Clean Energy Jobs Plan and the commitment to place technical education on an equal footing with academic routes are very important steps to achieving this. Together, with clean energy pathways from the age of 14, they can connect young people to opportunities across installation, manufacturing, system design, maintenance and the wider supply chain.
Partnerships between manufacturers, colleges and employers can bring these pathways to life by combining teaching with workplace experience. Vaillant’s work with Derby College Group to support the Low Carbon Heating Technician Apprenticeship demonstrates what this can look like. Apprentices develop skills across plumbing, electrical work, building services and customer care while gaining experience alongside qualified engineers.
This approach ultimately creates rounded professionals with the skills needed to deliver a positive consumer experience. Stronger local partnerships would turn vocational reform into routes to skilled employment, while helping regional employers access the workforce they need to grow.
Turning ambition into delivery
Industry is already investing in the workforce needed to deliver the Warm Homes Plan. The government should build on that foundation in three important ways.
Firstly, it should provide the long-term policy certainty needed to sustain demand and give installers and businesses confidence in the future pipeline of work.
Secondly, it should work with industry on a comprehensive upskilling strategy, supported by flexible, accredited training and a dedicated bursary, or equivalent mechanism, to help installers meet the cost of time away from paid work.
Thirdly, it should strengthen partnerships between employers, colleges and local government so technical education reflects employers’ needs and leads to secure employment.
Working in parallel, these measures would prepare and equip the workforce to help turn the ambitions of the Warm Homes Plan into warmer homes, greater consumer confidence and stronger British industry.
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