Energy & Environment Awards has announced a new five-year partnership with Centrica to deliver end-point assessments for two critical apprenticeship standards: Dual Fuel Smart Meter Installer and Gas Engineering Operative – an essential step as the sector faces an urgent need for 211,900 new technical and professional roles by 2030, as identified in the Energy & Utility Skills Partnership’s 2025–2030 Skills Strategy.
As a leading provider of regulated qualifications and end-point assessments for safety-critical and technical skills, Energy & Environment Awards will ensure apprentices meet rigorous industry standards. Centrica will benefit from a tailored approach, including a dedicated Service Delivery Coordinator who will oversee a seamless process from onboarding through to post-cohort reviews.
This collaboration underpins Centrica’s nationwide apprenticeship programme, with more than 1,500 apprentices expected to complete these two standards over the next five years, resulting in the partnership playing a pivotal role in supporting the recruitment and development of a skilled workforce.
The Dual Fuel Smart Meter Installer apprenticeship is instrumental in the UK’s journey to net zero, enabling the widespread rollout of smart meters – essential for improving energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions, and empowering consumers to manage energy use more effectively. By developing skilled installers, this programme ensures the workforce is prepared to meet growing demand and deliver on national sustainability goals.
Colin McDermid, Academy Training Manager – Engineering at Centrica said:
“We are delighted to announce that we have awarded a five-year contract to Energy & Environment Awards to deliver our End Point Assessments as a critical part of our Dual Fuel Smart Meter Installer and Gas Engineering Operative apprenticeships. Energy & Environment Awards’ deep understanding of the energy and utilities sector, their commitment to excellent service delivery, access to technical experts as well as a personal customer service were strong factors in our decision-making process. We’re looking forward to working with Energy & Environment Awards over the next five years to support our strategic apprenticeship delivery plans across all our British Gas Academies.”
Rachel Thomas, Managing Director at Energy & Environment Awards, added:
“We are very much looking forward to working with Centrica for both Dual Fuel Smart Meter Installer and Gas Engineering Operative apprenticeships and supporting them to deliver the best outcomes for their apprentices.”