Energy Minister visits refurbished Daikin Manchester facility to witness green upskilling boom

Daikin UK has welcomed Martin McCluskey, Minister for Energy Consumers, to its new Manchester training facility to see first-hand how the Government’s Heat Training Grant is helping to accelerate workforce development across the low-carbon heating sector. 

The visit provided an opportunity for the Minister to meet installers currently undertaking heat pump training, hear directly from trainers and trainees about the impact of grant-funded support, and explore how industry and Government can continue working together to build the skilled workforce needed to deliver the UK’s clean energy ambitions. 

The visit also highlighted Daikin’s substantial investment in delivering comprehensive, high-quality and subsidised training programmes that enable heating installers to upskill in low-carbon technologies, supporting regional green jobs and the successful deployment of Government clean energy initiatives.

Minister McCluskey toured the state-of-the-art Manchester training facility, which opened in January 2026 and achieved full LCL Award certification in April 2026. Since opening, the centre has rapidly expanded its training capacity, with the Manchester site upskilling 296 installers this year to date across standard heat pump courses, covering advanced installation, commissioning, and service and repair protocols. 

Daikin’s commitment to skills development extends beyond its own training centres through partnerships with further education colleges, providing training support, equipment and industry expertise to help develop the next generation of heat pump engineers.

Minister for Energy Consumers, Martin McCluskey, said:

“Meeting the next generation of heat pump installers at Daikin’s cutting-edge training academy in Manchester has brought home that the clean energy jobs of the future are happening right now.

“The trainees and instructors here, and across the country, are on the frontline of getting Britain off the fossil fuel rollercoaster, with over 11,300 heat pump training courses already delivered to upskill engineers and installers.

“Research today shows the scheme has been massively popular with those taking it on. With the opportunity for £500 off the cost of training, there has never been a better time to become a heat pump installer and learn the new skills powering the UK with clean energy.”

The Heat Training Grant provides financial support to heating professionals looking to gain recognised heat pump qualifications, offering £500 off the cost of training to become a heat pump installer or heat network professional. This scheme is helping to remove barriers to entering the low-carbon heating sector and supporting the growth of a skilled installer workforce.

To remove financial barriers for the workforce, all Daikin heat pump training is delivered at no cost to installers, across its nationwide network – including Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Woking and Glasgow. Daikin has successfully trained 284 installers via fully grant-funded pathways to date, with another 50 scheduled for the current financial year. 

Daikin’s commitment to skills development also extends to its aftersales and service network. Following the acquisition of Robert Heath Heating, Daikin has been supporting the upskilling of the company’s engineers as they transition from traditional fossil fuel heating systems to low-carbon technologies. By combining specialist heat pump training with practical field experience, Daikin is helping to ensure that heating professionals across the wider supply chain are equipped to support the UK’s decarbonisation ambitions.

Nationally, Daikin’s training footprint has achieved staggering growth, preparing thousands of engineers for the low-carbon transition. Across all practices, including in-person centres, eLearning, and local Sustainable Home Centres, Daikin has delivered over 19,000 training instances since 2023. This ensures that installers nationwide are equipped to maximise Government incentives like the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), benefiting both consumers and regional green economies. 

Daniel Jackson, Training Manager at Daikin, commented:

“We are delighted to host Minister McCluskey to demonstrate how Daikin is turning national environmental policy into local economic reality. Our fully modernised Manchester facility represents our unwavering commitment to the heating trade. By offering specialised, free-of-charge training, we give installers the ultimate confidence to future-proof their businesses and drive the UK’s green building revolution.” 

The ministerial visit to the Manchester facility coincided with a live Daikin Heat Boot Camp, offering a unique, interactive dynamic to the day’s itinerary, observing and engaging with installers during the active training programme. This session provides a valuable opportunity to listen first-hand to attendees currently upskilling and to understand from the trainers, the real-world impact of the Heat Training Grant.  This open forum is crucial to discuss what is working well on the ground and identify opportunities to further strengthen support for installer training and workforce development.

For more information about Daikin’s training offering, visit: daikin.co.uk/en_gb/installer/support/training.html