What are the best topics for training according to HVAC installers in Europe?

The European installation market is facing severe labour shortage issues. One of the consequences of this is that installation companies are trying to hire more unskilled and non-qualified staff and train them to become professional installers.

This development increases the overall training needs in the installation industry, as they installers will also look at wholesalers, manufacturers and specialised training institutions to assist them with the training.

Besides the increased training needs due to the fact that new staff needs to be trained, there’s also the increased complexity of the products and the installation. Compared to installing a traditional  wall mounted gas boiler, installing products like heat pumps, especially in combination with photovoltaics and/or battery storage, is significantly more complex and requires much more training.

This is why in our latest Q4 2023 report of the European Mechanical Installation Monitor, we focused on the training needs of the installers.

One of the key questions we have asked is what are the best topics for training according to the installers themselves?

On a European level, the best topic for training revolves around the installation of products. About 38% of all European HVAC installers mentioned this as the best topic for training. On the second, third and fourth place we find  training in new laws and regulations, new technologies and commissioning, with 36% of all installers mentioning this.

Other training topics that score high on a European level are troubleshooting and maintenance, mentioned by 34% of the installers.

There are however, significant country differences.  For example, in the UK, 56% of the installers mentioned that the installation of products is the topic best suited for training. But for example in France the topic mentioned the most was troubleshooting (58%), in Germany technology training (35%) and in the Netherlands training on maintenance (36%). Another interesting outcome is that for most of the top 5 topics best suited for training face-to-face training is preferred.

Only in the UK and Poland installers have a preference for online training on the topics of new regulations and laws.

Understanding the training needs of the installers, the method of training and the topics is vital for offering trainings that are a good market fit. In our Q4 2023 report on training needs of the European mechanical installation monitor, you will find all the answers on these questions and more.