The students, accompanied by teachers, toured several areas of the site on National Avenue in the city, including the main production hall and heat pump manufacturing facility.

They also received an overview of the company’s climatic chambers, where testing takes place.

They learned about Ideal Heating’s no-fault production methods and fully functional test processes, and the company’s National Training and Technology Centre at its Bridgehead site near the Humber Bridge, where installers are being re-trained to install, maintain and service heat pumps.

The students marked the occasion by presenting Ideal Heating with a handmade copper pipe artwork spelling out the word “Ideal”.

The visit comes at a critical time for the industry. The UK needs 120,000 heat pump engineers by 2030, yet today there are only around 18,000, making engagement with the next generation of engineers and technicians more important than ever.

Ideal Heating Production Director John Cook said: “Visits like this demonstrate that businesses in Hull and East Yorkshire are actively investing in the future of the industry. We have an outstanding story to tell here, and it’s important that students and colleges across the region know what’s available to them.

“Ideal Heating has been part of this community for 120 years, and strengthening relationships with colleges like Scarborough TEC is important in continuing that into the future.”