Swale Heating's new energy academy joins LCL family


Logic Certification (LCL) has welcomed the brand new Energy Academy to the LCL family. Swale Heating, based in Sittingbourne, Kent, is one of the UK's leading independently-owned heating companies and has invested £100,000 in a new training facility. The state of the art centre offers in-house training for Swale Heating staff as well as a comprehensive range of courses for plumbers, installers, electricians and gas engineers outside the company.

Qualifications on offer include natural gas, LPG, oil, solid fuel, biomass, renewable energy, unvented hot water, under-floor heating, plumbing and electrics. Learners can take an advanced wiring course for heating systems and NICIEC training will also be available.

Mark Krull, director at Logic Certification, said: "We are delighted to bring the Swale Heating Energy Academy on board as an LCL approved centre. It offers state-of-the-art facilities for trainees, allowing our qualifications to be delivered to the highest possible standard."

Swale Heating's fully qualified trainers and assessors will work in partnership with Logic Certification and industry-leading independent assessors and verifiers; autonomous to Swale's Heating business; to offer the very best training and qualifications in a wide range of subjects.

The Academy has been set up to offer qualifications and training for learners of all levels. There will be Managed Learning Programme (MLP) courses for new entrants and transition training designed for existing tradespeople looking to up-skill. As well as this, Swale Heating will be offering a range of non-technical qualifications for industry operatives.

Swale Heating's managing director David Mathieson said: "Our in-house training centre will allow us to improve the way we train and the way we work. Refresher training, career development and ‘top up' assessments for staff will become more convenient, sustainable and affordable. Our customers can be sure that they are receiving excellent service from engineers who are fully up to date with the latest products and industry developments."

Embracing the latest technologies, renewable energy training resources at the centre include solar heating, underfloor heating (in partnership with manufacturer Myson), unvented hot water and air heat source pumps.

The purpose-built Academy is fitted with a range of the latest energy-efficient equipment, allowing trainees to gain practical experience in a range of renewable technologies, including biomass boilers as well as more traditional fossil fuels. This, in addition to a new solar configuration on the roof, provides the industry with high quality training while allowing the Academy to show its commitment to minimising its own environmental impact.

"The company's commitment to creating such a forward-thinking, well-equipped and ‘green' training facility is impressive, providing a great opportunity for installers in the South East," concluded Mark Krull.