SWCA and Zmart Hohm team up to help train smart home technicians
South West Construction Academy (SWCA) in Bristol and Zmart Hohm in Gloucester have joined forces to launch the South West’s first smart home technician (SHT) apprenticeship course.
Coming this September, the course will be led by former Wiltshire College tutor Paul Smithies, who previously spent 16 years on the tools running his own business.
SWCA is one of only five organisations in the UK delivering the apprenticeships, as a mixture of low awareness and the need for experts to write the courses has resulted in slow industry takeup.
But with smart home technology – lighting, heating, security, audio, access and energy management – now reaching a wider market amid rising energy prices, demand for the associated skills is at an all-time high.
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In fact, the South West’s first series of smart housing association homes are due for completion in Weston-Super-Mare later this year.
Paul Smithies said: “Smart home technology is coming around the corner in a major way, and the industry will need qualified technicians who can properly install it.
“As ever, these things are created and then the courses need writing – so it’s important to take consultancy and advice from experts so that the installation training is cutting edge.
“There are some other providers dotted around the UK, but no one’s taken it up and run with it yet. It takes small operators like us to take the initiative before the industry follows.
“So it’s great to be working together and we’re excited about the potential for these new courses.”
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SWCA was set up by husband-and-wife duo Shane and Nicola McCallum in 2013, and over the past 10 years has provided trades courses for Bristol and the surrounding area from its offices, teaching rooms and workshops in St Phillips.
To deliver the new course, they’re teaming up with Zach Meek, who established Zmart Hohm in 2019 to offer intelligent home and commercial systems fit for modern properties.
Zach added: “We’re on a mission to provide as many people with high-quality smart home and commercial automation systems as possible.
“We’re committed to providing our customers with all of the benefits that smart technologies can provide while also ensuring that our systems are easy to use, reliable and familiar.
“As such, it’s great to be working with Paul and the team at SWCA to help deliver these courses.
“Electrical contractors can be sure that the demand is going to be significant in coming years.”
