Free heat pump training places in demand at Energy Transition Skills Hub

February 11, 2026

NESCol will host a free course this month to help meet demand for domestic air source and ground source heat pump training.

The programme will run from 16-19 February at the new £10million Energy Transition Skills Hub, adjacent to the College’s existing Aberdeen Altens Campus.

Fully Funded through the UK Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund as part of the Levelling Up agenda, NESCol is working closely with the ABZ Works team at Aberdeen City Council to provide the opportunity.

It is one of a number of fully-funded courses coming on stream in 2026 and is designed to enable qualified plumbers and heating engineers, who are Aberdeen residents, to build their knowledge and practical understanding of heat pump installation and maintenance.

The BPEC Domestic Air Source and Domestic Ground Source Heat Pump (Level 3) programme is recognised as a demonstration of competence for the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS).

Delivery is being coordinated by NESCol’s Workforce Development team and only a handful of places remain.

Iain Cocker, who leads the team in his role as Business Development Manager, said: “Green skills are a significant area of focus for NESCol and the Energy Transition Skills Hub gives us a fantastic platform to build from. It is not only about new entrants to the sector, our role in supporting experienced professionals in building new skills is equally important.

“Having a purpose-built facility allows us to grow and evolve our offer in all energy transition disciplines. Sustainable domestic technology is an important part of that and we recognise the value of providing employers and individuals working in the industry with the chance to upskill to meet customer demand.”

NESCol is one of the largest providers of vocational education and training in Scotland, delivering to more than 20,000 full-time, part-time and online learning students each year. The College serves an area covering more than 2,500 square miles and directly supports more than 1,200 businesses.

The Energy Transition Sills Hub was launched in 2025 to drive the North East’s net zero ambitions and is located within the Skills Campus of the Energy Transition Zone in Aberdeen.

In addition to its collaboration with the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), NESCol is an active member of the Energy Skills Partnership (ESP) and the National Energy Skills Accelerator (NESA).

For further information on the course email workforce@nescol.ac.uk.