Bridging the Skills Gap: Brandon Clark’s Journey in F-Gas Training

   01 February 2024         Blogs

Brandon Clark, a seasoned refrigeration and air conditioning engineer at Develop Training, the UK’s leading accredited provider of compliance, technical and safety training, sheds light on the pivotal role that F-Gas qualifications play in meeting the heating and plumbing industry’s growing demands.

In the ever-evolving landscape of the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) sectors, the role of F-Gas maintenance has become increasingly instrumental to meeting the growing requirements of the industry and to align with new net-zero targets set by the UK government.

As the UK strives to reduce CO2 equivalents by 21% by 2030*, the demand for qualified professionals in the HVACR industry is reaching unprecedented levels and therefore widening the existing skills gap.

What does Net Zero mean for F-Gas Regulations?

To form part of the UK government’s net zero ambitions, new installation targets for heat pumps have been set, which has increased the need for F-Gas qualified engineers. The heating and plumbing industry is moving away from the use of traditional boilers, and replacing them with heat pumps, which have been found to be three times more efficient than fossil fuel boilers.**

Due to their high efficiency, heat pumps are now being installed in a lot of new build sites instead of boilers. The use of natural gas contributes to approximately 20% of greenhouse gas emissions from the UK***, so the shift to lower carbon heating methods, such as heat pumps, is well founded for this reason.

Indeed, to meet the UK government’s net zero commitments, it is estimated that over 20,000 homes every week will need to switch from traditional heating methods to low-carbon heating methods between 2025 and 2050, to ensure those targets are met***. This surge in demand necessitates a skilled workforce capable of installing and maintaining these eco-friendly systems.

Gas Engineers need to upskill and become F-Gas qualified

Becoming F-Gas qualified is not merely a checkbox activity, but is crucial for future-proofing the HVACR workforce, ensuring it remains adept at handling cutting-edge technologies to align with the government’s goals of improving the energy efficiency of buildings.

For current gas engineers, upskilling has become imperative to stay on-top of these industry shifts. Becoming F-Gas qualified is key to mastering new technologies and techniques that define the future of the HVACR industry.

The evolving renewable energy sector and the roll-out of energy efficient products such as the increased heat pump deployment further highlights the need for a skilled workforce, comprised of new and existing professionals, equipped with the knowledge to navigate and maintain these emerging green technologies.

Available F-Gas training

At Develop, our Cat 1 F-Gas training course is one of our most popular and we have recently relaunched the course, certified under the City & Guilds 2079-11 scheme, to tie in with the growth of the F-Gas industry. The course spans over five days and is delivered from our York, Derby and Linlithgow centres. However, the course equipment is mobile, so we are also able to deliver the training at any of our centres or, alternatively, travel directly on-site to customers too.

As the trainer of the relaunched course, it’s important for me to provide delegates with a wide range of essential theoretical, practical and green skills that they are able to take away and apply to F-Gas containing equipment in-line with EU Guidelines and regulations. I have previously been in the delegates’ position and therefore I always make sure I am providing the knowledge and understanding that I once required to those that I am now training.”

As the HVACR industry grapples with the challenges of climate change, these certifications are not just credentials—they are the building blocks of a workforce capable of steering the sector towards a sustainable and environmentally-conscious future, while contributing towards the wider net zero targets from the UK government.

To find out more about Develop’s F-Gas course or to sign up for training, please visit: https://www.developtraining.co.uk/courses/electrical-and-mechanical/f-gas

To learn more about F-Gases and how the regulations affect your business, take a look at the latest blog posts on the subject here: www.developtraining.co.uk/blogs

* https://netregs.org.uk/

** https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1148252/powering-up-britain-energy-security-plan.pdf

*** https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energy-explained/what-is-a-heat-pump