We know from installers that the first few installs are often the hardest and that while training provides useful insights it does not cover every bit of theoretical and practical knowledge they need. We see installer peer mentoring networks as a valuable complement to existing training, and believe access to experienced installers can help new entrants approach their first few heat pump jobs with greater confidence.
We know from our heat pump installer survey that peer-to-peer networks are hugely valuable to installers and many would like even greater contact with their peers, as shown in Figure 1. We also know that new installers are specifically seeking peer-to-peer connections with their industry colleagues and are benefiting from them.
This project is looking to test if installer peer mentoring networks, in which one person has more experience than the other in heat pump installation and can provide support as well as knowledge and skills transfer, can be created. If so, it will explore what shape these networks should take to benefit both the experienced installer and the new entrants simultaneously.
The goal of this project is to help newly trained heat pump installers gain the skills and confidence needed to install heat pumps. By connecting them with experienced heat pump installers they can learn from real-world projects, improving their expertise through hands-on collaboration. This support system will accelerate their transition into active delivery of installations, increasing the number of skilled heat pump installers. Ultimately, this will help grow the industry, improve the quality of installations, and support the wider adoption of heat pump technology in the UK.
Though heat pump training take up is high, this doesn’t seem to be translating into growth in active heat pump installer numbers. While many heating engineers are interested and motivated to move into working with heat pumps, the gap between their level of experience with heat pumps after training and what they need in practice is too great. As a result, the sector is losing potential talent by not offering effective pathways to help motivated heating professionals successfully incorporate heat pumps into their work portfolio.
If the UK is to meet its current net-zero goals, the low-carbon heating industry must expand. To achieve this growth, we need about 27,000 new heat pump installers by 2028. Helping plumbers and heating professionals move swiftly into active delivery of heat pump installations is the quickest way to ensure the sector has the skilled engineers needed to transition the UK’s heating system away from gas.
Through this project, we aim to connect installers with peer mentors in the industry, helping them transition to heat pump installations with greater confidence.
In addressing the challenges faced by heating engineers new to heat pumps, this project occupies a similar space to our Start at home project, in which newly trained installers are offered an air-source heat pump to install in their own home after they complete their training.
We are reviewing existing research on peer mentoring support and gathering insights from stakeholders about past and current initiatives in the heating sector. This will help us identify and refine the most effective peer mentoring network models. We will then speed test these promising versions with heat pump installers to assess their feasibility and ensure we develop a solution that truly works for the industry.
Stay tuned to learn about the progress of this project or get in touch if you want to contribute to the project.