Grant UK Training Academy announces partnership with Colchester Institute

At the beginning of July, Colchester Institute officially launched its updated Multifuel Oil Training Facility where Grant UK has supplied HVO compatible Vortex oil boilers for the provision of OFTEC training and assessment as well as Grant product training. Alongside the delivery of oil-fired product training, the Grant UK Training Academy will also be delivering heat pump training at Colchester Institute’s Net Zero Training Centre.  

Following a significant redevelopment project, Colchester Institute has officially opened its upgraded Multifuel Training Facility with the installation of new products. Sponsored by Grant UK, the Multifuel Training Facility features three Grant Vortex oil boilers including a Vortex Combi, along with Outdoor and Eco Utility models, which are each installed alongside infographics and displays to develop an engaging learning environment for heating engineers and installers. 

The boilers supplied by Grant UK will be used by Colchester Institute for the delivery of its suite of OFTEC training and assessments for oil technicians. The Grant UK Training Academy will also be using these facilities to deliver Vortex oil boiler, pressure jet burner and Grant Combi boiler product training, making oil-fired boiler and HVO biofuel training more accessible to engineers and installers in the East of England. 

To unveil the new training equipment and upgraded facilities, the Colchester Institute held a launch event on 9 July 2026 where members of staff led by Adam Ward, Assistant Principle for Adult and Community Projects, were joined by installers, industry partners and other key stakeholders involved in the oil-fired heating sector. Alongside formally opening the new facilities, the event also placed the spotlight on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and the role this biofuel can play in helping hard to heat homes to significantly reduce carbon emissions. This included a talk by Paul Rose, CEO of OFTEC, about liquid fuel heating and the opportunities that HVO can present. 

Alongside the redevelopment of its Multifuel Training Facility, the Colchester Institute has also recently been awarded Clean Energy Technical Excellence College (CETEC) status and is just one of five training centres to achieve this. As a CETEC, it is committed to providing industry professionals with access to the training they need to develop their skills working in a wide range of clean energy fields including offshore wind, nuclear, grid infrastructure and domestic renewables. Grant UK is therefore proud to partner with this CETEC centre not only through its Multifuel Training Facility but also its Net Zero heat pump training centre. Located on the same campus, this heat pump training facility will be a venue for Grant UK’s trainers to deliver the free one-day Aerona 290 Heat Pump product course using a mobile Aerona 290 training rig which is located on site. 

Phil Stanley, Training Manager at Grant UK, said:

“Both Steve Farrow, Grant UK’s Area Sales Manager for East Anglia, and I were pleased to attend the official opening of the Colchester Institute’s Multifuel Training Facility and also celebrate its CETEC status.

“We have worked with the team at Colchester Institute on the redevelopment of its Multifuel facilities and we were pleased to support this project through the supply of appliances for training and assessment. The launch event was very well attended, demonstrating the level of interest from engineers and installers in the local area who were keen to learn more about the training facilities. We are very much looking forward to using both the Multifuel and Net Zero facilities to deliver our product training at this venue for our installers.”

Tomas Kasiulis, Head of Training and Project Management Office at Colchester Institute, said:

“It is a genuine honour to partner with Grant UK, and not simply because it is one of the industry’s leading manufacturers, but because we share the same belief that exceptional training begins with exceptional industry collaboration. Grant UK’s support has enabled us to create more than a training facility. Together, we have built an environment where professionals can work directly with state-of-the-art technology, strengthen their expertise and develop the confidence needed to meet the changing demands of the heating industry.

“This partnership demonstrates what becomes possible when education and industry move forward together. We are not only investing in equipment; we are investing in people, professional standards and the future of the sector. That is the real impact of this facility, and it is a partnership of which we are immensely proud. The launch of Colchester Institute Professional Training’s new Multi-Fuel Training Facility was a great success, that brought together leaders from across the heating and energy sector.”

For further information about Grant UK’s Training Academy, please visit grantuk.com/professional/training