JTL celebrates official opening of £1m refurbished London South Training Centre to boost electrical, plumbing and low-carbon skills
Posted by: electime 12th January 2026
Leading apprenticeship provider JTL has officially opened its newly refurbished ‘London South’ training centre in Orpington, following a £1 million investment to expand high-quality electrical, plumbing and heating training across London and Kent.
The centre was formally opened at a launch event attended by employers, industry stakeholders and local representatives, with Helen Hayes MP, Chair of the House of Commons Education Select Committee, officiating alongside Sir John Low, Chair of the JTL Board, and Chris Claydon, JTL’s Chief Executive.
The significant investment has transformed the Orpington site into a modern, industry-led training facility, with a strong focus on plumbing, heating and low-carbon technologies. The centre features fully equipped plumbing and electrical training bays, providing industry-standard equipment, including heat pumps, solar thermal systems and energy efficiency technologies.
Designed to meet the evolving needs of employers and support the transition to greener heating solutions, JTL London South will play a key role in developing the next generation of skilled plumbers, electricians and building services engineers. The centre supports apprentices from across London and Kent and aligns closely with regional skills priorities in construction and retrofit.
Guests at the opening event were invited to tour the facilities, meet JTL apprentices and expert teaching staff, and see first-hand how the new workshops are preparing learners for real-world work environments. The event also provided opportunities for employers and local partners to network and explore how JTL supports businesses with apprenticeship recruitment and training.
Helen Hayes MP, Chair of the House of Commons Education Select Committee, said: “It was a pleasure to officially open JTL’s London South training centre. Facilities like this are vital in ensuring young people and career changes can access high-quality technical training, while supporting the development of skills needed for the future, particularly in areas such as plumbing, heating and energy efficiency. It was fantastic to meet some of the brilliant apprentices and the employers they are working for and to hear how they will all benefit from JTL’s new training centre.”
Chris Claydon, Chief Executive of JTL, said: “Our new London South centre demonstrates JTL’s long-term commitment to the highly skilled trades of electrical and plumbing services, and to investing in the future of the region. By providing apprentices with access to industry-standard equipment and specialist training in occupations in desperate need of skilled tradespeople, we’re helping to address skills shortages while supporting the UK’s journey towards a more sustainable built environment.
“Each apprenticeship depends on employer backing to give them the work placement so we are committed to supporting employers in meeting demand, and pressing the Government to make these commitments a reality.”
The refurbished London South training centre is now fully operational and welcoming apprentices, employers and partners from across the region, supporting the development of a skilled electrical, plumbing and heating workforce to meet growing demand linked to retrofit, energy efficiency and low-carbon technologies.
