A recent study has found that the UK needs to significantly increase its heat pump workforce to meet its net zero targets. The report by the Heat Pump Association (HPA) estimates that the country will need 122,627 full-time heat pump engineers by 2035, which is a 13-fold increase from the current 10,000. The current workforce shortfall is already evident, with only 9,062 people trained annually, 12% below the required number.
To achieve the 2028 target of 41,143 full-time equivalent workers, the industry needs to train an average of 10,267 individuals per year. The UK is currently on track to hit its 2028 target, but the 2035 target seems out of reach. To achieve the target, the government needs to provide a clear signal to consumers and businesses that there will be a demand for their services and to reduce the cost of electricity, which heat pumps run on.
Experts suggest that the government needs to introduce building regulations for new homes to ensure they are fitted with heat pumps instead of gas boilers and reduce the price of electricity relative to gas. They also recommend moving some of the levies from electricity bills to gas bills to make heat pumps more attractive. Additionally, the government needs to increase the targets imposed on gas boiler companies to install heat pumps and impose higher fines for non-compliance.