In collaboration with Construction Isle of Man and the Manx Government, GTEC, has launched a project to deliver MCS accredited renewable energy training directly to the Isle of Man.
Previously, the island had no local provisions for such training, which meant engineers were forced to travel to the UK, which involved additional costs and time away from home.
Recognising this barrier, GTEC has developed mobile training rigs that were first used in courses at the Comis Hotel at Mount Murray in late June. The courses cover Solar PV, Electrical Energy Storage Systems (EESS), and Air Source Heat Pump installation, with further sessions planned for the upcoming months.
The Isle of Man Government, committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, aims to decarbonise its electricity supply by 2030 and increase local renewable electricity generation by 30 MW by 2026. In light of these targets, the demand for skilled renewable energy installers is expected to rise.
Debbie Reeve, Chief Officer for Construction IOM, commented, “GTEC has built some great mobile rigs that they have brought to the island to train our heating engineers this summer. The first courses in Solar PV, Electrical Energy Storage Systems (EESS) and Air Source Heat Pump installation were delivered at the Comis Hotel at Mount Murray in late June, with more planned for July and later in the year.
“Historically, many installers have been put off by the prospect of travelling over to the UK in search of renewables training, due to the additional cost of travel, accommodation and for the employee it’s also the amount of time away from home. So the project, which is supported by CIOM and the Manx Government has generated a lot of interest. We’ve already had a great up-take for the pilot courses.
“And with the help of Government support, contractors taking up the training for their workforce can apply for financial assistance to help with the course fees, for more information go to www.gov.im and type in vocational Training assistance scheme for more details”
Griff Thomas, Managing Director for GTEC, added, “The Isle of Man is a terrific place, and we’re excited to be bringing renewables training to installers keen to support the island’s drive towards a greener future. Our rigs will provide learners with excellent hands-on experience to back up the theoretical training we deliver our renewables courses. The location at Mount Murray is perfect to kick things off, but because the rigs are portable, there’s the opportunity to deliver training at other locations in the future.”
