Click the picture to see what happens!
Click the picture to see what happens!
Green Deal – 219 Homes Completed
The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has said 1,173 households have now committed to the Green Deal. The latest figure showes a rise from September’s figure of 954.
By the end of October 219 households had work carried out under the Green Deal and completed. The DECC figures demonstrate a slower than the originally predicted take-up of 10,000 customers, as stated in March.
Further figures released show that 101,851 assessments had been completed by the end of October, up from 85,177 in September.
Speaking about the figures, energy and climate minister, Greg Barker, said: “Over 100,000 Green Deal assessments have now taken place, and over 80% of households assessed said they intend to install at least one energy saving measure.”
At industry level, reservations are still being felt. Neil Schofield, head of sustainable development at Worcester, Bosch Group, said: “With the Green Deal clearly at a critical stage in its development, it is up to us, as the industry’s supply chain and governing bodies, to help the government to deliver a system that works.
“At present, there are strong concerns that the Green Deal favours the big six energy suppliers, but what we must do is change this approach and force the government to remember the installer is king. By changing the mindsets of the policy-makers, we can turn the Green Deal on its head, in order to position the installer as the ‘one stop shop’ for all energy efficiency enhancements.”
Siemens Healthcare offering two new apprenticeship schemes in the UK
Siemens Healthcare has launched two new apprenticeship schemes in the UK and is now offering apprenticeships in Field Service and Technical Sales.
The company is looking to maximise talent within the organisation by offering a combination of theoretical and vocational study, providing individuals the opportunity to develop in-demand skills and gain a professional qualification. Siemens Healthcare’s Apprenticeship schemes are the brainchild of Sales Director Steve Holmes, pictured here with apprentices Richard Lawton, Richard Dunn and Ashleigh Summer.
Siemens’ corporate aim is to develop its talent pipeline by both bringing new personnel into the organisation and growing talent internally. The Higher Technical Sales Apprenticeship scheme is the brainchild of Steve Holmes, a former apprentice at Siemens in Congleton who joined the company in 1976 and is now Sales Director at Siemens Healthcare. The recruits will be managed by Neil Lincoln, Northern Sales Manager at Siemens Healthcare who also started his career as an apprentice.
“This is an exciting new chapter for Siemens to encourage and grow fresh new talent for the healthcare industry,” states Steve Holmes, Sales Director at Siemens Healthcare. “We’ve developed BPP’s existing Management Consultant apprenticeship scheme and worked in a sales-focused element with a steer towards vocational development. Internal Siemens sales courses as well as rotational placements around the business have been included to enable the honing of the skills needed to become a sales professional operating in today’s changing market.”
Siemens Healthcare has now welcomed a number of new recruits onto the newly-launched Higher Technical Sales Apprenticeship scheme, which sees Apprentices working towards their Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship in Professional Services with a focus on Management Consulting.
The Field Service Apprentice scheme, in partnership with Tyne Metropolitan College, has seen a number of apprentices enrolled at the college, where they will undertake study alongside vocational, on-the-job training. The scheme has been adapted from a successful model previously used in the Siemens energy sector and follows a combined Mechanical/Electrical Engineering pathway. The bespoke course combines mandatory and optional modules with practical and written assessment, and underpins the NVQ Level 3 Technical Certificate in Electrical/Electronic Engineering. The course also includes a Level 2 NVQ in Performing Engineering Operations (PEO) and is combined with practical training to develop an understanding of Siemens’ methods, resources and procedures.
“I’ve always been interested in engineering, so I applied for the apprenticeship to increase my knowledge of hospital technology,” states Jack McNally, who started the four-year Field Service Apprenticeship scheme in the summer. “I will be studying at college and then receiving practical training for the next three years, and I hope to be a fully-qualified Field Service Engineer based in the North East at the end of this.”
Siemens is currently providing professional training to over 8,000 young people in the UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal and Hungary, offering training opportunities in electronics, mechatronics, machining and IT. The company invested €216 million in training worldwide in 2012.
Pump industry lobby success
Pump industry lobbying has forced a U-turn by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) with circulator pumps set to be finally included in the government’s flagship Green Deal programme.
Circulator pumps were initially excluded from the list of approved technologies for the Green Deal, due to the use of inaccurate SAP ratings, which failed to take into account the enormous advances in circulator, pump technology and efficiency made over the last decade.
However, the British Pump Manufacturer’s Association was informed in early November 2013 that circulator pumps were due to be added to the Green Deal options.
Gary Wilde, of Xylem Water Solutions UK, who sits on the British Pump Manufacturer’s Association circulator pump group, has been at the forefront of the lobbying efforts. He believes the decision is a victory for pump manufacturers, installers and homeowners.
“As an industry we have made strenuous efforts to convince the BRE of the merits of including circulator pumps within the Green Deal. For a long time it looked as if our efforts would continue to be blocked, but it is clear that, over time, the weight of our arguments have won the day,” said Gary.
Approximately one million domestic circulator pumps are sold in the UK every year, both stand-alone and those which are integrated within boilers by the OEM sector. Gary believes modern circulator pumps could provide a quick win for homeowners saving on average of between £63 and £89 annual savings.