Work on transforming a 12,000 sq. ft warehouse into a state-of-the-art facility built over two floors has been ongoing for the past six months.

As well as interactive training areas for renewables featuring heat pumps and solar energy, bespoke theory training rooms are equipped with the latest interactive digital presentation equipment to provide a unique learning experience.

A phased opening will see a range of domestic and commercial gas safety courses, water safety courses and LPG courses delivered initially, with the first series of CCN1 assessments underway. Dates for renewable energy courses will be confirmed shortly, along with availability of a unique managed learning programme.

Overseeing the new facility will be technical director Ian Edgeworth and his wife Carolynn, who as well as managing the office, will be the lead internal verifier, overseeing candidates’ paperwork prior to submission to LCL Awards, one of the Building Services Engineering (BSE) sector’s foremost certification bodies. It offers qualifications and courses via a network of approved centres located nationwide.

“Watching everything come together has been a great feeling and to now be up and running is a huge milestone for us,” said co-founder Mark Glasgow.

“We have a great team behind us and I genuinely believe this is going to make an enormous impact in the community and help with the worrying skills shortage in the gas and renewables sector.”

The centre, which is located in Dalkeith, will be run as a social enterprise and will eventually also cater for youngsters looking to take their first steps on the journey to a professional qualification.

The academy has a dedicated space for gas engineers to sit their Accredited Certification Scheme (ACS) exams, with an additional four bays replicating a home environment with boilers, gas fires, underfloor piping and attic space to allow practical training.

Co-founder Andrew Lamond added: “This is the only community-focused facility of its kind in Scotland and has been a vision of ours for some time. It’s pleasing to see it really start to come to fruition, especially given the hard work which went in to attaining LCL Awards approval. We believe that by investing in the education and training of our community, we can foster a safer and more sustainable future for all.”

LCL Awards issues certificates and awards qualifications in the following sectors: gas heating, oil heating, energy efficiency, plumbing, electro-technical and renewable technologies.