Toshiba Air Conditioning, a division of Toshiba Carrier UK, has launched a major initiative to improve skill levels and raise installation standards.

It includes a new Toshiba-backed training programme and a scheme to equip installers with installation tools and commissioning equipment.

To this end, the company is launching a new programme of practical training modules for installers and contractors. The courses will provide the theoretical and practical skills required for all the main categories of equipment.

The modules are now being rolled out across Toshiba’s expanding network of air conditioning training centres across the UK. There are currently 10 facilities available, located in Bristol, Dublin, Leatherhead, Leeds, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Sunderland, Warrington, Welwyn Garden City and West Bromwich, covering most areas of the country.

In addition, a new training centre is planned for Manchester, with future expansion scheduled for East Kilbride in Scotland.

Alongside the training roll-out, Toshiba is launching a new scheme enabling engineers to acquire the latest tools and commissioning aids free of charge.

Dunn said: “In my forays into the field, I am often surprised at how many engineers have to work with out-of-date or, even, broken tools. I have even seen an engineer – not a Toshiba installer I hasten to add – using standard bathroom scales to weigh refrigerant into a VRF system, instead of using accurate digital refrigerant scales. We believe the time has come to start putting solid, practical investment back into companies, in order to support our futures. This must start with ensuring that engineers receive the best possible training, and making sure they have the right tools do a first class job.”