Heat-pump installers put in the low-carbon heating systems replacing gas boilers across the UK. It suits practical people who like a mix of plumbing, electrics and problem solving, and who want to be early in a growing trade rather than late in a shrinking one. The honest bits: heavy units to shift, outdoor work in winter, and customers who need patient explanations. Demand is real and rising as homes move away from fossil fuels, and installers who train now will be in short supply for years.
A typical day is one install or two surveys. You might spend the morning siting an outdoor unit, running pipework and wiring it in, then the afternoon commissioning the system and walking the homeowner through the controls. You finish by photographing the job and signing off the paperwork.
AI helps with the sizing calculations, the quote, the grant paperwork and the schedule, which used to eat whole evenings. Design software is getting better at suggesting the right system for a house. The install itself, the judgement on site and the homeowner's trust in you stay human.
There are no formal entry requirements, though GCSEs help. Most people come in through an apprenticeship or a college course with on-the-job training, or by building up experience with short courses.
Tick off steps, save the job and grow your own tree. Free, nothing captured.
Electrician · EV charge-point installer