A Swindon-based heating supplier has partnered with a college's careers programme to open up opportunities for students.

Grant UK has joined New College Swindon in their Careers Extra Programme, aiming to teach youngsters more about the sector.

Plumbing and heating students first took part in a visit to Grant UK's Training Academy back in June 2023, learning about air-source heat pumps.

Equipped with newfound knowledge from the visit, additional training sessions were granted, along with the provision of equipment for the college.

A boost to this hands-on experience was added to the curriculum by integrating with the college’s Careers Extra Programme.

This scheme provides the benefits of attending careers events for students while also initiating another pathway for work experience, industry placements, and employer workshops.

With recent visits to the Grant UK Training Academy in Swindon in June of this year, students were granted the opportunity to partake in theory and practical training sessions familiarising themselves with heat pumps and their installation.

Students were able to see the internal workings of a heat pump and its core accessories.

Some also expanded their knowledge with a session on solar thermal hot water systems.

Lecturer, Wayne Eggleton, said: "The relationship we have started to build with Grant UK will be invaluable to the College not only now but in the future.

"We are incredibly thankful to all of the Trainers who allowed our students to visit the Training Academy over a couple of weeks in early June.

"The initial feedback from students and staff that attended was great.

"We are also looking forward to installing Grant products at our premises over the next academic year."

In agreement with this sentiment, Phil Stanley, training manager at Grant UK said: "It was good to welcome more students from New College Swindon to the Training Academy recently.

"Alongside our delivery of product training and industry qualifications to engineers and installers, we are also keen to extend our training so that the next generation of heating engineers and plumbers can be equipped with new knowledge to support their personal development.

"We look forward to continuing to develop our partnership with New College Swindon and its students."

Grant UK will continue its partnership with New College Swindon, reinforcing education in the heating and plumbing sector.

The firm has been designing and manufacturing reliable and easy to install heating products for over four decades.

For more information on the collaboration, you can visit Grant UK's website.