TAKE THE STRAIN OUT OF TRAINING WITH GAH
GAH Heating have announced a joint initiative with Nationwide Training Services to run approved IDHE (Institute of Domestic Heating Engineers) courses at GAH in Suffolk. The new venture will kick off in February with OFTEC 101, 105 and 600 oil courses. Unvented systems training will also be on offer, with plans by GAH to invest later this year in a dedicated training centre where Nationwide Training will run IDHE approved electrical, refrigeration and gas courses.

The decision to set up the new training centre has been driven by the need to make training available and affordable for installers and engineers. GAH Sales Director Graham Gooch comments ‘Installers are nowadays being asked to install such a diverse range of products that we need to strike the right balance of time and cost for installers wanting or needing training in different areas.’

Ian Deane from Nationwide Training Services who will be running the courses has been a member of the IDHE for many years, and has developed many of the training papers himself. With the government looking to raise the current level of NVQs in the workforce from 16% to 27% in five years time, investment in training is essential.

Linked to government targets and NVQs is the issue of maintaining industry standards and keeping up with legislation. For example, under the new Building Regulations Part L, anyone installing boilers, cylinders and controls, whether they be on gas, oil or solid fuel systems, now needs proof of competence to self certify that their own work meets the regulations. The legal alternative is to call in the building inspector to approve every job. Those deemed competent by government to sign off the Commissioning Certificate (mainly the Benchmark? Log Book) are OFTEC registered Technicians for Oil, CORGI registered installers for Gas and HETAS registered installers for Solid Fuel. This is why the industry needs good, accessible training courses such as the IDHE scheme.

GAH Heating celebrates 10 years in business this year with the Thermecon range of oil-fired boilers. As well as becoming one of the UK’s leading suppliers of oil-fired boilers, GAH have also diversified into water control systems with the Dualstream range. Dualstream effectively boosts hot and cold water flow rates, even in properties with more than one bathroom, or where incoming mains pressure is low. Finally, to complement the Thermecon and Dualstream ranges, GAH also offer the Softstream range of fully automatic water softeners.

The Executive Chairman of the IDHE Bill Bucknell said ‘we are delighted to add the GAH Oil courses to our manufacturer based training initiative. The initiative ‘Points to Professionalism’ is to provide busy installers, who regularly attend courses, with a route to membership of the domestic heating industry’s professional body. In these days of the ‘Rogue Trader’ it has never been more important for a heating engineer to be able to publicise his professionalism and know he has the back-up of his institute.’

ENDS/

For press information please contact:
Rachel at Network PR, Bure Cottage, Acle, Norfolk, NR13 3AZ.

For reader enquiries please contact:
Mr. Graham Gooch, GAH (HEATING PRODUCTS) LIMITED, Building 846, Bentwaters Parks, Rendlesham, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 2TW