OFTEC Starts Heating Industry Recruitment Drive

OFTEC, the oil fired and renewable heating engineers’ organisation, began its recruitment drive to get more young people into the industry this month.

The trade body is worried that the lack of skilled heating engineers is going to jeopardise the sector’s growth opportunities as the economy recovers. The construction industry alone needs 20% more workers to keep pace with demand over the next four years.

OFTEC highlighted that, according to government data , over 2013 and 2014, 70,000 fewer people started apprenticeships than are needed in the England alone.

In response, OFTEC started its competent person scheme that includes training, qualifications and registration of technicians skilled enough to work in the oil heating industry. More recently, it widened the scope of its scheme to options including electrical Part P, Green Deal, solar thermal and air source heat pumps.

OFTEC registrations director, Adrian Lightwood stated:

“With the dramatic drop in oil prices over recent months and expert opinion suggesting these low prices are set to continue, the future of the oil heating industry looks strong.

“There are job opportunities out there and through the professional support and training OFTEC offers, we can help registered technicians to maximise their business and capitalise on every aspect of the market as the off-gas home energy sector gradually becomes more diverse.”

Find out more about the OFTEC scheme here: registration@oftec.org or call 0845 65 85 080

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