Apprenticeship designed to address the UK’s ‘dumb meter’ problem

Utilita Energy and Cheshire College South and West have officially launched a new-style smart metering apprenticeship designed to overcome many of the communications issues engineers face during a smart meter installation.

The new apprenticeship has been purpose-built by the energy supplier and college to combat the commissioning issues that engineers face on the day of install, which is one of the three main reasons for one in 10 – or 3.4 million – smart meters being left in ‘dumb mode’ – this is where it is unable to communicate with the energy supplier.

It uses the existing smart metering framework designed by a range of energy suppliers, but has been adapted to give engineers access to Utilita’s smart meter installation simulation rigs at its national training centres where they can learn to overcome the variety of complex commissioning challenges.

The 14-month apprenticeship pilot will launch with eight apprentice engineers at Cheshire College South and West, and will be the first smart metering apprenticeship delivered by a college and energy retailer in unison.

Alongside classroom-based learning at the 11,000-student college, the apprentices will learn within the on-site ‘Sustainable House’. The £680,000 facility allows students to work in a real life setting without being in a real home.

Apprentice engineers will spend 17 weeks of the 24-week course between being in the field shadowing a Utilita smart engineer and Utilita’s smart commissioning rigs at its Warrington Training Academy.

Karen Roberts, the assistant principal for apprenticeships and employer engagement at Cheshire College, comments:

“The collaboration with Utilita is another meaningful step forward for our college’s sustainable ambitions. We are very excited to continue our longstanding partnership with Utilita, and to support the demand for the green skills in the UK.

“As a college, we work closely with employers to drive economic growth through the development of future e-focused skills. Apprentices who achieve this Level 2 Smart Metering Diploma will play a significant role in helping the UK reach Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Apprentices will greatly benefit from Utilita’s expert training alongside our state-of-the-art resources and facilities at the college.”