Training with Grant UK – an engineer’s perspective

Accredited Heating Services specialise in domestic and commercial heating and plumbing services, installing, servicing and maintaining oil boilers, natural gas and LPG, air source heat pumps and solar. In 2023, they welcomed Laura Chown-Hammond to their Team as a Business Development Manager. Fast-forward a few years and Laura is not only helping the business to continue its growth but she is also one of their qualified heating engineers. 

2025 was a pivotal year for this mum of three. Throughout the year, Laura undertook product training and industry qualifications which included attending courses at Grant UK’s Training Academy. After a busy twelve months, Laura shared her experience of training to become a qualified heating engineer, explaining the support received and challenges overcome. 

Can you tell us about your career and when you became a heating engineer?

Laura: “My journey to becoming a heating engineer, which I’ve been now for about twelve months, was a long-winded one! I started at Accredited Heating in December 2023 as a Business Development Manager to help expand the business. Shortly after joining, I said to Iain Jack (Chief Heating Engineer at Accredited Heating) that I’d like to learn more about the business by spending some days in the van following Iain in the field. That’s when I fell in love with being on the tools and when I made the decision to have a change in career. Prior to joining Accredited Heating, I had little industry knowledge so I am new to the industry but a keen, interested learner.” 

Who do you work with at Accredited Heating?

Laura: “Our Team here at Accredited Heating comprises of Iain who is our main heating engineer, James our plumber, Julia who is an oil engineer, and myself. My role is now divided, working as an oil engineer during the Winter months and supporting the office with administration during the Summer.” 

What types of heating products do you specialise in?

Laura: “I predominantly work on oil boilers and related work including oil tanks with my work spanning across both domestic and commercial installations.” 

Why did you choose the Grant UK Training Academy for product training and your OFTEC assessment?

Laura: “Accredited Heating have been part of Grant UK’s G1 Installer Scheme since 2019 and we are in regular contact with Steve Farrow, our local Grant UK Area Sales Manager. Iain and I were with Steve at an event in November 2024 and I got chatting with Steve about my interest in getting some hands-on training. I mentioned to Steve that I can get quite anxious but he reassured me that Grant UK’s Training Academy run small course sizes and the Trainers would put me at ease. And he was completely right. 

“In Summer 2025, I attended the Pressure Jet Burner and Vortex Combi courses at the Grant UK Training Academy in Swindon, Wiltshire. When booking onto these courses, I mentioned my anxieties to the Training Administration Team and they were very supportive and reassured me. The Trainer for my oil boiler product training was Gavin and he really put me at ease – I thoroughly enjoyed my two days of training and this positive experience gave me the confidence to continue my pathway to become a qualified engineer.

“When it came to booking my OFTEC course, I could have gone to a local training centre closer to home but because the Grant UK Training Team had made me feel so comfortable, I was happy to travel so in November 2025, I completed my OFTEC training with Grant UK. I was feeling anxious about these four days and the end assessment but my anxieties were sensitively handled – their Training Administrators must have informed the Trainer because, while he never mentioned it directly to me, he made me feel relaxed in the training environment.” 

What courses have you completed with the Grant UK Training Academy?

Laura: “Alongside the two boiler courses I did last Summer, I also did my OFTEC training with Grant UK completing the OFT10-600A/OFT10-105E/OFT10-101 and assessment (Oil Appliance Installation, Oil Storage and Supply Installation, and Pressure Jet Servicing and Commissioning). I also did the 1-day Aerona 290 ASHP Installer Course which I was able to attend more locally in Norwich at one of Grant UK’s partner training centres.”

Can you share some feedback about Grant UK’s courses and training facilities?

Laura: “From start to finish, I found the experience with Grant UK’s Training Academy positive. The booking process was simple and the Administration Team helped with queries. With the courses themselves, I felt included and valued – I felt I was treated equally as I was treated as an engineer, not a female engineer. The small course sizes, especially for my OFTEC training, were also something I appreciated.”

Looking ahead, what are your thoughts on the heating industry in the months and years ahead?

Laura: “Heating in homes will always be needed. Personally, I feel more regulation is needed when it comes to installation standards and the oil boiler and heat pump industries need to catch up with the gas sector. You cannot work on a gas boiler unless you are Gas Safe registered but an equivalent mandatory registration is missing for those working with oil boilers and heat pumps. As a business, we are not currently MCS accredited but it is something we are considering, however, there are bugs in the system which put us off and the administrative burden too. Hopefully, regulators will work with those in the field to help ensure the correct standards are met but without being a hindrance for businesses.”

Any final comments?

Laura: “Following my own personal experience, I would like to see apprenticeships in the heating sector being more inclusive for older students. Apprenticeships provide a clear learning pathway for those starting out their careers after education but for those of us who make a career change later in life, the same level of support is not widely available. I’ve been incredibly lucky to have the support of Iain and the wider Accredited Heating Team who have encouraged me to take the steps with training and industry qualifications, but not everyone will have this level of support which may be a barrier for them to enter this industry.”

For further information about Grant UK’s Training Academy and courses, please visit www.grantuk.com/professional/training.