Options Skills has announced the successful training of over 500 students in gas and electrician courses in the past year.
Options Skills said it has trained 183 new entrant gas engineers and 275 new entrant electricians. Furthermore, the company stated it has made remarkable progress in renewable energy training in addition, with 743 students trained on the Air & Ground Source Heat Pump courses since January 31, 2023, under the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero via Midlands Net Zero Hub.
Mick Fitzgerald, director at Options Skills, said: “We are thrilled to have reached this point. Training over 500 students in such demanding fields is not just a testament to our commitment but also to the dedication of our students. Our aim has always been to not just educate but to empower, and seeing so many of our graduates moving into new roles is incredibly fulfilling.”
Last year marked the introduction of part-time and flexible training options for new entrant gas engineers, broadening access to these vital skills. In the electrical sector, 86.5% of students have found employment, with 169 placed by the Options Skills recruitment team and an additional 69 securing positions independently.
A statement said that the company has also been instrumental in enhancing the skills of experienced gas engineers in renewable energy technologies. Since the launch of the Heat Training Grant, Options Skills has trained over 700 experienced gas engineers in air-source and ground-source heat pumps, it noted, playing a pivotal role in advancing the industry’s readiness for a net-zero future.
This aligns with the government’s goal to train 6,000 qualified heat pump installers in England, supported by a £5m grant to facilitate training.