Login
01482 498660
Meet the Experts: Jonathan Ward, Senior Technical Training Manager
Jonathan Ward has been with Ideal Heating since October 2021, joining us after over 14 years working at British Gas.
Jonathan aspired to be a plumber from a young age, leaving school at 18 years old to study at Leeds College of Building, which he did for two years before joining British Gas.
After five years as a gas engineer, he was promoted to Lead Engineer and moved on to managing a team.
Four years ago, Jonathan decided to move to Ideal Heating’s Expert Academy to further his career.
“It’s ironic because I initially came into this line of work because I preferred the hands on, practical elements to it. But after years of experience as a gas engineer, I now find myself in a position where I’m motivated to help others and pass on my experience.”
Jonathan’s move into training has come at a real tipping point for the industry. The transition from the boilers that Jonathan worked on for years, to renewable technologies, means working in training is as exciting as it is challenging.
“Heat pumps are still a relatively new proposition in the UK. I’ve had substantial experience with all manner of traditional gas boilers but since joining Ideal I have really built on my knowledge of other technologies too” Jonathan said.
“I’m really passionate about helping to train and educate engineers at what is a really pivotal time for us all. Having taken the journey that many people in our industry will need to in order to diversify their skill set, I’ve first-hand experience of what works and what doesn’t when creating effective training courses.”
Jonathan’s day job is a blend of managing a team, designing training courses and conducting training sessions with installers. He has a particular specialism in heating system design.
He is celebrating his 20th year in the industry, having risen from an apprentice, through to a Lead Engineer, a manager, and now a Senior Technical Training Manager.
In his spare time, Jonathan is a Leeds United fan, which he describes as a love-hate relationship. As well as a husband and a father of one, he is an avid traveller and looks forward to visiting more new places in the future.