On January 11th, we had the pleasure of hosting members of the Burgess Hill Town Council for a guided visit to Steve Willis Training Centres in Burgess Hill. It commenced with an informative introduction by Steve Willis himself, who shared the remarkable journey and growth of the training centres.
Furthermore, Adam Dodson, Technical Director of Gas, provided the councillors with an in-depth explanation of renewable energy sources, specifically focusing on heat pumps. The councillors actively engaged by asking question and engaging in discussions regarding heat pumps and our commitment to proactively address the increasingly important issue of the UK achieving net-zero emissions. Adam emphasised our dedication to adapting our training centres and the courses we offer to meet upcoming demands driven by new housing developments. He highlighted that new builds are increasingly incorporating heat pumps, in line with the government’s proposal that all housing built from 2025 should include heat pumps. The councillors displayed a keen interest and posed numerous questions.
Throughout the site tour, Steve explained the organic growth of the business and the challenges encountered. One notable stop was the EPA (End Point Assessment) centre, which had a substantial investment of 80K to ensure and exceptional learning experience for our apprenticeship students. In July 2022, City & Guilds reached out to us to recognise the outstanding quality of our apprenticeship programme awarded us with a Recognition of Excellence. As we gear up for our nest End Point Assessment cycle, we are proud to share that approximately 350 apprentices will have completed their assessment here. Our EPA centre is available for rental by other colleges, making us one of the few centres in the country offering this service.
Following a tea and coffee break, Jake Gibbons, our Apprenticeship Manager and Strategic Lead, took over and guided the council members through our classroom and training rooms primarily used for electrical training. The council members had the opportunity to observe an engaging theory class where the apprentices were diligently working. They had the opportunity to explore the practical electrical workshops where they could witness firsthand the training provided. Jake provided a presentation about the range of apprenticeship programmes available at Steve Willis Training Centres. These programmes include Level 3 Gas Operative, spanning over a period of two and a half years, and Level 3 Installation and Maintenance Electrician, which extends for a duration of three years. Jake explained that we have incorporated an optional renewables course (Air Source Heat Pumps) at the end of the Gas Apprenticeship, which individuals can take free of charge starting from 2024.
In addition to our apprenticeship programmes, we also offer courses to engineers who need to renew their gas safe cards or enhance their skills in gas, oil, electrical, plumbing, and renewables. Courses are also available for new entrants and service leavers. It is worth mentioning that Steve Willis is constantly evolving, and we are currently planning to expand our renewable energy training to include battery storage and solar panel technologies.
Steve highlighted the extensive range of opportunities we offer here, which impressed the councillors. Our training programmes play a significant role in the local community, supporting both young individuals pursuing apprenticeships and businesses that require their engineers to stay registered and safe or enhance their skill sets.
Main photo left to right: Anna McCabe – Sales & Marketing Manager SWT, Anne Eves, Stuart Condie, Adam White, Peter Williams, Diane Black, Tofujjul Hussain, Brenda Williams, Adam Dodson – Technical Director of Gas SWT, Steve Willis, Jake Gibbons – Apprenticeship Manager & Strategic Lead SWT.
