Plumb Green

(L-R) ABC Services apprentice David Clark with South Tyneside Homes apprentices Steven Johnson and Carl Drew fitting a solar thermal system as part of their training.

See those guys in the photo? They are Plumbing apprentices at Gateshead College with a twist. They were able to top-up their skills with a further certificate in renewable technologies - They learned how to install and maintain solar thermal heating systems, rainwater harvesting and grey water recycling as well as both air source and ground source heat pumps.

But get this: Gateshead College is the first and only college in the country to introduce the extra element to the current plumbing apprenticeship free of charge and we now have 13 third-year apprentices who have completed the BPEC qualification. Wow! 13. For the whole country.

Blaydon-based ABC Services will now be able to extend the scope of services it offers to customers. Rhoda Hutton said: “We are always looking to improve the services that we can offer our customers and we are keen to offer our clients renewable technology services."

“Now that we have an employee that is competent and qualified to complete this work, we will look to add solar thermal and other green services. It is certain to give us a competitive edge”

Their apprentice, 23-year-old David Clark, said: “Being able to extend my apprenticeship to include renewable training has been an invaluable opportunity.”

“The skills I learnt will certainly benefit me as more plumbing contracts diversify to incorporate green services.”

You never know it could catch on, we do have the Greenest Government ever and being “market” oriented they do seem to appreciate and encourage enterprise and new opportunities – don’t they?

Vocation, Vocation, Vocation.

Full Press Release Here.