For those engineers active on social media, you will have seen how, over recent weeks and months, the plumbing and heating industry has come together with a common goal - to have their voice heard.

Thousands of Gas Safe engineers have joined together to voice their opinion on circumstances within the industry that were seemingly outside of their control, or so some thought.

This ‘movement’ not only developed camaraderie between those involved, but a sense of power as the voice they created began to be heard and listened to, affecting positive change within the industry.

Gas safe engineers need this voice; up, down and across the industry. They need to communicate with each other, with government, with manufacturers and anyone else who has an influence on their livelihood.

In reality, this means being aware of and prepared to respond to a variety of changes from external factors. Government policy, European legislation, Building regulations, Gas safety, the list goes on.

A well-crafted, well-timed tweet may have its impact in the short-term, but to affect long lasting change, we need to work together.

The new installer division of HHIC, Installers First, aims to unite installers and provide links to those who can influence change on a number of levels.

What is Installers First?

Installers First aims to be a community of professional accredited heating engineers acting as the voice of installers, for installers, by installers.

It will provide installers with information and an opportunity to help shape the industry, regulation and policy, making sure common sense and the voice of the industry is applied and listened to.

Installers First was created to provide a platform for installers to have their say and a single point of information on the latest industry developments, including government consultations for proposed legislation, regulation and schemes like ECO and Green Deal.

Installers First has been busy gathering industry feedback over the past few months to identify three key ambitions:

• Training and skills - to review and improve the current entry to the industry and ensure training for existing installers meets the needs of installers.
• Bureaucracy - Make it gas safe and only gas safe and improve consumer awareness.
• Safety and Standards - Increase focus on driving up standards across the industry, ensuring safety is paramount

Why should you join?

• It gives a forum for raising industry concerns, with the right people, at the right time
• It’s free and independently operated
• It will help you to keep up to date with Government plans and industry news via
  • A dedicated web site
  • Social media presence
  • Ebulletins
  • You can have your say by responding to consultations from the Government, OFGEM and other bodies that affect your work
  • It will provide you with a link to the wider professional installer community
  • It gives you access to every boiler manual, all in one place

Installers First is working with the prominent installer group, Installers Unite, with a shared goal of improving the industry for the better.

With your help, we want to make a real change and ensure the voice of the installer will be heard.

Follow us @InstallersFirst and visit www.installersfirst.co.uk to register your email address to stay up to date.