PHAM OCT21:Layout 1 01/10/2021 09:09 Page 6
PHAM NEWS | OCTOBER 2021
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News Review
Recognising excellence in education and training BPEC, the industry provider of qualifications, assessments, training courses and learning materials, has partnered with the APHC and SNIPEF to announce a new awards initiative for the education sector. After what has been a difficult year for the education and training sector, these plumbing and heating awards will reward students, apprentices and tutors who have excelled over the past ˚ˡ months. BPEC is therefore seeking nominations for plumbing and heating trainers and trainees who have excelled in their area of expertise, overcome personal
Most consumers still favour boilers, says survey
difficulties to succeed, or helped their community during the pandemic. Nominations will close on ˜˚st October, after which an independent panel of judges will assess all the entries before putting together a shortlist, from which the winners will be announced at a special virtual ceremony set to be Ğāķù ŋł ˡŶĞ 'āóāĿðāũ̍ Entries are invited for the following four award categories: • Making a difference in the community • Best plumbing apprentice/ trainee • Best use of technology in the
Chester apprentice wins award JTL, the national training provider for electrical, plumbing and heating apprenticeships, has named Chester-based Harrie Nixon-Jones as the national winner of its Mechanical Engineering Services (MES) award at this year’s National Apprentice of the Year awards, which took place at The Victory Services Club in London. Harrie says: “I am completely overwhelmed and delighted to receive such a prestigious award. I have worked hard throughout the whole of my apprenticeship and have really committed myself to becoming the best engineer that I can be, so to have my work recognised like this feels wonderful.” The purpose of awards is to recognise its highest achieving apprentices in the building services engineering sector and to celebrate their success. Candidates – who are all recently qualified – are nominated based on their
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outstanding performances throughout the four years of their training. Nathan Price from Blackpool, who recently completed a successful apprenticeship at local ƩũĿ `1¦ 1ķāóŶũĢóÖķ̇ ƒÖŭ łÖĿāù ŶĞā overall winner of the JTL National Apprentice of the Year Award for ˛˙˛˚, while Southampton’s Oliver Parry was named the national winner for Electrical Engineering Maintenance.
delivery of plumbing training • Best plumbing trainer in the workplace “Our objective in launching these new and exciting annual awards is to celebrate the achievements and innovations of tutors and trainees over the past ˚˛ months,” states Neil Collishaw, Chief Executive zƧóāũ̇ 1!̍ ̦ ĕŶāũ ŭŽóĞ Ö ŶŋŽėĞ year, we are keen to showcase the dedication, expertise and sheer hard work of those working in the sector and actually in education.” It has also been announced that Monument Tools will be the main Awards sponsor.
A week to remember The APHC is inviting installers and manufacturers to get involved with this year’s Quality Plumber Week on ˚˚-˚ˠ October. Organised by the Association, the week aims to raise awareness of the skills within the plumbing and heating industry while also shining a spotlight on the many plumbing businesses that play a vital part in the community, from unblocking sinks to making sure drinking water is safe. ̵¦ĞĢŭ ƘāÖũ̇ ŶĞā ƒāāĴ Öķŭŋ ÖĢĿŭ to champion those who have ťũŋƑĢùāù óũŽóĢÖķ Ğāķť ĕŋũ̵ŶĞā b population throughout the pandemic. You can join the conversation on social media at #QPW˛˚ and learn how to get involved by using our online reader link service below: ͻ phamnews.co.uk/˚˙˛˚̓˙˜
A new customer survey undertaken by BoilerGuide has revealed that gas boilers remain the heating option of choice for the majority of UK consumers. The online boiler quotation service asked ˚˟̇˞˙˙ customers who had enquired for a new gas boiler if they had considered any renewable heating options before opting for a new gas boiler. Over ˞˞% of respondents replied negatively, with one customer saying: “They (heat pumps) are all a big expensive con job.” Another revealed that they had considered going green, “But a heat pump needs to go in a new build or better insulated house”. Other reasons for customers avoiding renewable alternatives included “government grant limitations”, and ˛˞% of customers said that they had considered more eco-friendly heating options but had ðāāł ťŽŶ ŋƦ ðƘ ŶĞā ŭŶāāť ťũĢóā̍ Founder of Boiler Guide David Holmes says: “The data show that more must be done by the government to encourage customers to consider installing renewable heating systems. The delay in the Heat and Buildings strategy is certainly not helping, and homeowners and the heating industry have been left in limbo. We’re still in the dark about incentives and any potential funding
that might be available to support greener alternatives. Meanwhile, demand for gas boilers continues to grow.” The government has committed to banning gas boilers in new-build homes from ˛˙˛˞ and is also expected to phase out gas boilers completely in a bid to achieve net-zero carbon emissions targets by ˛˙˞˙. Boiler Guide also asked customers if the recent news coverage on the so-called boiler ban had influenced their decision. ˞˛% said that they were not aware of any news stories while ˛ˠ% said they had seen the coverage but were still happy to install a new boiler. ˚˞% ŭÖĢù ŶĞÖŶ ŶĞāƘ ĞÖù ðāāł ťŽŶ ŋƦ ðŽƘĢłė a new boiler because of the news. David Holmes adds: “It’s surprising that despite a lot of media coverage, plans to ban boilers are clearly not seeping through to the public. Even when they are, it seems the majority of customers want to stick with what they know. If we want to achieve carbon emission targets and change customer behaviour, a rethink on strategy is a must and this needs to include a viable alternative that is both ÖƦŋũùÖðķā Öłù ũāÖķĢŭŶĢó̍ “It is clear that the government has a lot to do to convince and incentivise the public to change their thinking on heating their homes.”
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