Current status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 5 October 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many heating and plumbing apprentices have been funded through the Low Carbon Skills Grant to undertake heat pump training since the introduction of the scheme.
Since the introduction of the Low Carbon Skills Grant in 2021 the fund has supported a total of 293 heating and plumbing apprentices to be trained in heat pump installation. The fund has continued to grow in popularity and this is shown by the increase in yearly delivery figures provided in the following table:
Low Carbon Skills Grant | 21-22 | 22-23 | Delivered to date in 23-24 | Forecasted total 23-24 |
Apprentices trained | 84 | 162 | 47 | 300 |
As a result of the fund’s growing success over the first two years of delivery the budget for 2023/24 was increased with an increased target to train up to 300 apprentices by the end of the financial year.