UK DIY News

Wolseley Renewables Centre Celebrates 500 Installers Trained in First Year

Wolseley Renewables Centre sign (corporate)

The training centre marks a milestone twelve months after opening, with more installers signing up for renewables courses than ever. Among the latest to qualify is Surrey heating engineer Dean Walsh, who has 25 years in the trade and is back fitting heat pumps.

Wolseley Renewables Centre has trained its 500th installer, just over a year after opening in April 2025. Demand for its courses has grown steadily over the year, with more installers now signing up for renewables training.

Since opening, the Centre has expanded from heat pump training into a broader range of courses covering solar PV, EV charging and F-Gas, giving installers more ways to diversify and build a steadier, year-round income. Homeowner interest has been helped along by the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which offers eligible households £7,500 towards an air source heat pump, rising to £9,000 from 21st July 2026 for eligible off-gas-grid homes replacing oil or LPG.

Andrew Busst, Training Service Manager at the Renewables Centre, said: “Reaching 500 trained installers in our first year is something we’re really proud of. Every one of them is an engineer who can now walk into a home and fit a heat pump with confidence. What I love most is the mix in the room. You’ll have someone with 25 years behind them in the industry, sat next to a plumber fitting their first heat pump, and they learn from each other. Dean is a great example of the experienced engineers choosing to add renewables to what they offer.”

Dean’s story
Dean Walsh is a plumber and Gas Safe heating engineer based in Surbiton, Surrey, with 25 years in the trade. He first fitted heat pumps back in 2012, installing six units on a development in Henley-on-Thames, but when early grant funding tapered off the work quietened and he refocused on gas. Renewed customer interest over the past year drew him back, and he recently completed his heat pump training at the Renewables Centre to bring his qualification up to date.

Dean is a firm advocate for installers taking the plunge: “You’ve got to do it, because times are changing. I’d rather offer everything than be limited on what I offer. If a customer wants a heat pump, you can say yes and get on with it, rather than turning the work away.”

He is also a big believer in keeping his skills sharp:
“I love learning, I really do, and I’ve still got plenty more courses I want to do. Being self-employed, you get your busy spells and your quiet spells, so my advice to anyone worried about the time is to book your training in when things are quieter. You’re investing in yourself rather than losing out on work, and if you don’t invest in yourself, you’re not going to grow.”

On the course itself:
“I’ve got more than 20 years as a Gas Safe engineer, so it took me right back to where I needed to pick up from. My tutor was brilliant, he just put all that knowledge back in my head. I’d recommend it to anyone starting out too, because you want the ticket to do the job properly.”

The milestone comes as the country works towards an ambitious goal for low-carbon heating. The Climate Change Committee says the UK needs to install around 1.5 million heat pumps a year by 2035, which will mean training many more heat pump engineers in the years ahead. Renewables Centre’s first year is an encouraging step towards this target.

Busst added:
“This is a really encouraging start. The country is going to need a lot more trained, confident installers to reach its heat pump targets, and reaching 500 in our first year shows the appetite is there. We can’t wait to keep building on it.”

Installers who want to train in renewables can find out more and book onto the Domestic Air Source Heat Pump course at the Renewables Centre here.