Upskilling HVAC technicians on heat pump technologies for green energy transition (PUMP-UP)

Project objectives:
The fast-paced expansion of heat pumps in residential buildings and industry (37% EU market growth in 2022) paired with EU projections to accelerate the deployment rate for increasing energy security is rapidly pushing up the demand for qualified technicians. Nonetheless, the HVAC sector is severely strained by skills shortages. The project aims to overcome these skills shortages. Specific obcectives has been set up:
– Revise occupational requirements for HVAC technicians to match the demand for green heating & cooling.
– Develop a novel curriculum for dual vocational training on heat pump technologies.
– Introduce open-access delivery methods to increase VET flexibility and inclusiveness.
– Foster heat pump skills recognition via a micro credential-based certification scheme.
– Foster the capitalisation of project results in VET practice via integration in HVAC qualification outlines.

Main activities are:
-Consultation with experts on learning outcomes formulation
-Joint design of a VET curriculum & OERs on heat pump technologies
-Development of wide-access delivery methods for the PUMP-UP curriculum
-Pilot delivery and evaluation of curriculum’s learning effectiveness
-Sectoral recognition of HP occupational requirements
-Development of a Blueprint for the update of HVAC occupational profiles & qualifications
-Inclusion of heat pump skills requirements into ESCO & national classification systems

Expected results: 
-A modular curriculum with WBL components on heat pump technologies in 7 languages (EQF4, 140 hours duration)
-A MOOC and a “virtual assistant” application
-A certification scheme for heat pump skills based on micro-credentials
-Blueprint for an EU-wide qualification for HVAC technicians, and updated profile on ESCO
-7 on-site training seminars & 8 online TTT sessions
-1000 HVAC technicians trained and upskilled
-7 national info-days and an EU Conference on HVAC trends and reskilling needs

See more from the project website: https://heatpumpskills.eu/

Partners: 
UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE VALENCIA (SP)
HELLENIC SOCIETY FOR THE PROMOTION OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT  METHODOLOGIES ASTIKI ETAIRIA (GR)
Tartu Rakenduslik Kolledž (EE)
ECQA (AT)
CELF – Center for Erhvervsrettede uddannelser Lolland-Falster (DK)
Innovela sprl (BE)
RENEWABLES ACADEMY (RENAC) AG (DE)

Duration: 01.11.2023 – 31.10.2026

Project manager: Kaire Mets (kaire.mets@voco.ee)