Housed within Dux’s hot water manufacturing plant in Moss Vale, New South Wales, the specialised environmental hot water education centre – also known as the Dux Solar Uni – has eleven different working hot water systems covering the areas of high efficiency gas, electric-boosted solar, gas-boosted solar, and heat pump water heaters.

“We are seeing first-hand how the hot water rebates are boosting jobs in the solar hot water industry. This has led to a surge in demand for skilled tradesmen in the solar hot water industries,” says National Training Manager at Dux Chris Brown.

“We plan to overcome the issues that plumbers and retailers face with new products and processes associated with solar technology through our dedicated solar university.”

The centre will have courses covering technical information, hot water heater selection guides, installation procedures and fault-finding. Factory tours of Dux’s manufacturing plant will allow trainees to see first-hand how the water heaters are made.

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“The Dux Solar Uni has been set up to train plumbers, merchants, retailers and installers who want to upgrade their skills in environmental hot water,” says Mr Brown.

“The uni will train these people on hot water systems that will be the standard for the future, and by coming to the uni they will receive the type of tailored knowledge or experience they need to have installation and product confidence. It will help them future-proof their businesses, and keep their customers happy,” he adds.

Courses will range from half a day to two full days. For example, specialised courses such as fault diagnosis on gas-boosted solar would run for half a day, while full two day courses will cater for Dux staff, retailers, in home salespeople and plumbers learning about solar for the first time.

The training has been developed to incorporate both theory and practical sessions. For example, a plumber will be able to learn how a solar collector works, install it on a roof section, test the system and commission it.

The purpose-built centre aims to train over 1,000 people in the next year to build the capability of the environmental hot water industry and create a pipeline of trained solar workers for the rapidly growing sector.

Dux envisages that in the future, local TAFEs will send apprentices to the centre to learn about solar and heat pump technologies.