Greenworks offer installer training on renewables

Greenworks, the umbrella sustainable products brand of builders merchants Jewson and plumbers merchant Graham, have launched a series of 20 specialist training courses for installers on renewable energy.

The Greenworks Training Academies are in partnership with PPL Training, the leading provider of microgeneration renewable energy training. Approved by both Bpec and NICEIC Certification, the Academies only offer nationally recognised renewable energy qualifications. This means that installers passing the courses will then be eligible to join the various appropriate approved grants scheme.

“This is the first time that a merchant has offered this sort of independent training,” Peter Hindle MBE, chief executive of Jewson parent Saint Gobain Building Distribution told buildersmerchantsjournal.net.

“There is a huge need for proper, independent installer training. The renewable energy market has great potential but it will only really take off if there are sufficient suitably trained individuals able to take on the work.

“We know that there is pent up demand for this type of training because of the response we have had to the courses. It’s a way of tying them into the merchant sector as well. If they come into the branch, we can talk to them about the new technology products and then say ‘and we have a training course you can go on if you want to get qualified.’

“They need the training and if we don’t provide it, someone else will. We have to make sure that we do everything we can to maintain the merchant’s place in the supply chain with these emerging product sectors.”