Daniel McTaggart and Clinton Morton, who started out by gaining Pre-Apprenticeship in Plumbing (NQ) @ SCQF Level 5 qualifications at DGC and progressed to completing their full apprenticeships, have returned to the college for all their training needs in their new professional roles.

To boost their skillsets further, both Daniel and Clinton were enrolled in the college’s BPEC Heat Pump Systems course by their employers — Dumfries and Galloway Council and Wheatley Group respectively — and they were delighted to be back at DGC’s Crichton Campus.

BPEC Heat Pump NOS Mapped is designed to give installers the skills and knowledge required to correctly install heat pumps.

This course was created with the intention of meeting the requirements of the National Occupational Standards. The qualification is also recognised as a demonstration of competence for the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS).

Daniel McTaggart, plumbing and heating engineer, Dumfries and Galloway Council, said: “I have enjoyed a long and successful learning journey with Dumfries and Galloway College, where I started on the full-time plumbing course in 2014.

“From this course I secured a plumbing apprenticeship with Dumfries and Galloway Council in 2015 and I’m continuing with all my learning needs for this profession with Dumfries and Galloway College.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed the heat pumps course, which has been greatly beneficial as this is a new concept to me — I’m now feeling more confident if and when I’m faced with this type of technology.”

Clinton Morton, domestic heating service engineer, Wheatley Group, added: “I really enjoyed the heat pumps course. Although not new technology to me, it allowed me to further my knowledge and understanding of this renewable heat source.

“I started my working life as a plumbing apprentice in 2010 when I found employment through the full-time plumbing course at Dumfries and Galloway College in 2009. Prior to this course I had been on the multi-trade construction course, where I decided plumbing and heating was the trade for me.”