Worcester, Bosch Group has reopened its flagship Training Academy after a £3.5 million investment programme.

The redeveloped facility was officially unveiled on 29 September, 2017 by Richard Harrington MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary for BEIS, and Robin Walker MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary (DExEU) and MP for Worcester

The new facility is now four times the size of its predecessor, with over 2,000sq m of practical training areas and classrooms.

The building features over 200 working boilers and heating appliances across nine practical rooms, which Worcester expects to be able to use to train up to 10,000 heating engineers at its headquarters each year.

With facilities to cater for appliances using gas, oil, and solid fuel appliances, as well as renewable and commercial heating technologies, the academy will offer installers both hands-on product training and legal assessments. The increased space is also expected to accommodate expansion into growing areas of interest such as smart technologies and Bosch's connected home concept.

The Academy offers 41 formal courses, as well as regulatory assessment courses including ACS gas renewal training, domestic oil renewal and LPG changeover. All relevant courses are Logic Certification accredited. As well as industry-specific training, Worcester also offers training on sales, marketing and business development, all designed to help installers run their businesses more effectively. All non-regulatory courses have a nominal fee of £25.

Nick Fothergill, Worcester's National Training Manager, said: "The unveiling of our new, flagship Training Academy is a real landmark for Worcester, having been the result of the largest single investment in training in the company's history. As demand for professional development among installers grows, we want to ensure we continue to offer some of the industry's best training courses, at facilities engineers really enjoy using.

"The introduction of smarter, connected heating technologies is an exciting time for the industry, so it is vital that we play our part in enhancing installers’ skillsets and help them to deliver reliable, efficient heating systems to homes around the country."

The company has four training academies across the UK, based at Worcester, West Thurrock, Wakefield and Clay Cross. There are also six mobile training classrooms, which can visit installers' premises and merchant branches, replicating real-life installations using working products. Worcester also works closely with 87 college-link centres around the UK, as well as offering a number of online courses from product overviews to fault-finding and diagnostics.

For more information on Worcester, Bosch Group and its training programme, visit www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/training.