Sykes will follow a three-year Level 3 course funded by a government training grant, with specialist modules in HVAC and electrical theory and the option to progress to Level 4/5/6 degree-level equivalent qualification.

Rob Smelt, managing director of BREng, said: 'The goal is to develop Adam into a fully qualified Building Services Project Engineer, ensuring a 360-degree understanding but with a bias towards the electrical side of HVAC systems, to compliment BREng's existing capabilities.'

Sykes' initial focus will be on training in HVAC design calculations and a solid grounding in CAD, before moving on to specialise in the electrical side of HVAC projects.

The BREng training program includes CIBSE courses and in-work support from specialists co-opted from local contractors embedded within BREng to expand its skills base, with reciprocal arrangements for BREng specialists to support collaborating companies.

Sykes is already working on active commercial projects for BREng, supporting lead HVAC designer Tom Smelt on a major project at a world-renowned automotive manufacturer in Crewe, and carrying out site decarbonisation audits/surveys of schools with Jack Marvin-Smelt, BREng Hull’s digital surveyor, in preparation for installation of heat pumps and upgraded heat emitters.

Smelt said: 'Demand for low carbon cooling and heating is expanding at a tremendous rate. The need to decarbonise the national building estate will require a huge increase in manpower and skills to achieve the UK's net-zero targets, and we are only just in the foothills of this challenge.

'We aim to play our part by helping to recruit and train the new generation of engineers and designers needed, with further apprentices joining the program shortly to ensure we have a pipeline of talent with the right skills for the future.'