Energy Saving Trust Advice Training
You do not need to have EST-approved training in order to join the Endorsed Advice Service. If you think your staff already meet the requirements of the Endorsed Advice standards, our assessment is all you need to lead to the endorsement of your company.
Training
Our goal is for your customers to take action on the advice they are given. So, unlike many other courses, our training courses cover not only information, but also effective ways to deliver it. The core training covers:
- up-to-date, government-backed information, statistics and data on domestic energy savings
- how to effectively deliver advice that customers will act on - key competencies and best practice
- all the elements required to meet our advice standard
- theoretical and practical exercises.
Training usually takes place at your premises and lasts between one and five days depending on the expertise of the group and the type of advice being given. Telephone advice training needs fewer hours than face-to-face or in-home advice training. The ideal group size is twelve to fourteen people.
If you’d like to see sample training agendas, contact us
Content
The content of the training will be tailored to your requirements. Most courses will cover the key measures in energy efficiency:
- Climate change
- Insulation
- Heating systems
- Heating controls
- Appliances
- Consumer electronics
- Lighting
- Renewable technologies
- Grants and discounts
- Personal transport
- Water efficiency
- Housing types
- Building regulations and planning law.
For housing and trade professionals, we include information about the most common housing types, the latest building regulations and planning law.
We can provide more in-depth training, for example on solar PV, solid wall insulation, water efficiency or electric vehicles. These modules can be incorporated into your training or added as stand-alone elements within your staff’s continuing professional development.
Practical elements
The practical elements of the training include:
- the ideal structure for a phone call, home visit or in-store discussion
- getting enough information – asking the right questions
- tailoring your advice based to the house, person, situation, propensity to act
- softer skills - positivity, advocacy, whole house
- knowing your limitations; the help available
- working with Energy Saving Trust support - escalating enquiries, getting data updates
- the advice standard and monitoring process.
