Unitherm Heating Systems recently marked a major milestone in its continuing development with the introduction of an SEAI-accredited Certificate in Heat Pump Installation, Commissioning, Maintenance and Servicing.
A new Training Academy was also officially opened at the company’s premises in Ballybane, Co Galway by Minister Hildegarde Naughton, in the presence of ATU Head of Department Oliver Mulryan and Engineering School Head Graham Heaslip, SEAI Programme Manager Brian McIntyre and Bita Ireland West Chapter Vice-Chair Sophie Long.
Brian Mcintyre, Programme Manager, SEAI, said, “Congratulations to Unitherm and ATU for bringing together this fantastic course. A lot of work I do is dealing with industry and trying to drive the standards to meet our decarbonisation targets.“
“We have 400,000 heat pumps to retrofit by 2030. More importantly, that starts with having people on the ground who can install such quality installations.”
Shane Kelly, Director, Unitherm Heating Systems, said, “The private sector has a really important role to play in moving the decarbonisation effort forward and this is the reason why this collaborative heat pump training programme is so important, as it will help address the immediate and future skills shortage in the national economy.”
Most comprehensive heat pump course available
Developed in collaboration with Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, the part-time programme allows participants to engage in 13 immersive days of hands-on training, spread over 13 weeks with sessions held weekly.
The installers’ portion of the training is aligned to the National Standard Authority of Ireland (NSAI) National Standard Recommendation for the Design and Installation of Heat Pumps in Homes – S.R. 50-4:2021.
With a focus on heat pump technologies, this programme has four times the amount of material compared to other courses and is a rallying cry to address the urgent need for skilled labour in the field.
Run bi-annually, a large part is aimed at maintenance and servicing, with four hours of theory in ATU’s Galway city campus, followed by four hours of immersive practical training in Unitherm Heating Systems’ new facility.
Here Derek Haynes, Academy Technical Director, instructs students on the installation, commissioning and maintenance of heat pumps and connecting systems.
The first group of 18 graduates began the programme in September 2023, with a graduation ceremony held on the recent opening day.
A second cohort is currently in training and will complete the course by this coming June.
Geographically, it is the only such offering in the west and northwest region, and graduates of the programme are recognised as having met SEAI’s entry criteria for registration as a renewable heat pump energy installer.
To find out more, contact the Unitherm team at training@unithermhs.ie
Dublin office
Peamount Business Centre,Newcastle,
Co Dublin D22 W1Y6
T: +353 (0)1 610 9153
Cork office
Unit 8, Cherrywood Bus Park, Little Island, Co Cork T45 Y668
T: +353 (0)21 441 4010
Galway office
Unit 30, Glenrock Bus. Park, Ballybane,
Co Galway H91 KX23
T: +353 (0)91 380 038
