Hull-based Ideal Heating has announced a new, £1m state-of-the-art training centre focusing on renewable energy at Wykeland Group’s Bridgehead business park.
Located in Hessle, East Yorkshire, the 15,000 sq ft training centre will open in spring 2022, and will welcome thousands of installers from across the UK to the region to learn new skills as the industry transitions from traditional gas boilers to greener alternatives.
The new site will be one of the first training centres in the UK to focus primarily on green technology and will house specially-designed equipment to deliver high-quality and in-depth training, including a fully functioning live heat pump training suite.
Adam Foy, Managing Director of Sales, Marketing and R&D at Ideal Heating, said: “The investment in our new training centre is part of a bigger, future-focused plan to transform the heating industry and push towards renewable energy.
“It will give our installers the hands-on skills they need to build and continue lasting careers as the industry moves towards sustainable heating solutions.”
The announcement follows the launch of the Government’s roadmap to tackle carbon emissions from homes and businesses in its first Heat and Buildings Strategy, which details plans to incentivise people to install low-carbon heating systems.
Strategically located west of Hull, close to the A63/M62 corridor and the Humber Bridge, Bridgehead is ideally sited for installers travelling to the city for training.
Adam continued: “While Ideal operates nationwide, we are proud of our Hull heritage and wanted to base the new training centre where it will maximise the benefits to the local economy.
“Some of the equipment at the training centre will be unique to Ideal and represents a real advancement in the heating industry.
“We’re looking forward to opening the centre and taking the next step in our journey to help the UK move to a low-carbon future.”
The training centre will be digitally optimised for a more engaging, immersive experience, with interactive training boards to allow trainers to give detailed information on the inside of each appliance.
Ideal Heating has leased the building from Wykeland and has become the latest leading company to choose Bridgehead for a significant investment, underlining the business park’s status as a location of choice for prestige brands.
More than 1,000 people are now based at the business park, which is owned and developed by Wykeland, one of Yorkshire’s leading commercial property developers. Bridgehead is home to a host of regional, national and global brands, from Beal Homes to the John Good Group, Centrica Storage and Porsche.
Dominic Gibbons, Managing Director of Hull-based Wykeland, said: “We’re delighted Ideal Heating is joining the growing community of industry-leading brands at Bridgehead.
“Ideal Heating has recognised the many advantages Bridgehead offers, including easy access to the motorway network, while also being close to the headquarters of the business in Hull.
“This exciting new facility also underlines Bridgehead’s status as a hub for renewable technologies, with the Aura Innovation Centre and ergo business centre also on site and playing a leading role in the Humber’s development as a region at the forefront of the UK’s drive to a net zero economy.”
