SKZ certifies socket fitters and specialists for district heating
The expansion and maintenance of district heating networks are essential for the heat transition. Qualified training and further education of specialist personnel is the necessary basis for this. The SKZ Plastics Centre offers the practical training courses required for this at its location in Halle an der Saale.
SKZ training course for socket fitters (Photo: Louis Betschak, SKZ)
Training as the key to the heating transition
The heating transition in Germany requires a massive expansion of climate-friendly district heating networks. According to the German government's plans, up to 100,000 households are to be connected to the district heating network each year in the coming years. This will require the installation of several thousand kilometres of plastic-coated pipes (KMR) – quickly, safely and professionally. However, the shortage of skilled workers in pipeline and plant construction is already a major obstacle today. The SKZ Plastics Centre is addressing this bottleneck with special training courses for practitioners and responsible technical personnel at its location in Halle.
Professional socket installation as the key to reliable networks
Socket installation is often the bottleneck in a district heating construction project because there are not enough qualified fitters available. Only specialists trained in accordance with AGFW worksheet FW 603 are permitted to carry out these complex installation steps on the construction site.
In the five-day course, participants learn the basics of socket installation as a connection technology for plastic-coated pipes and receive a certificate after passing a theoretical and practical exam.
The high proportion of practical work – from installation on the KMR to wire connections and foaming – ensures that participants can immediately apply their knowledge in construction practice. It is often necessary to manufacture so-called assembly components on site. This usually requires plastic welded joints to be made. For this reason, plastic welders are also qualified at the SKZ site in Halle in accordance with DVS 2284 with testing in accordance with DVS 2212-4 for welding plastic-coated pipes in a five-day course.
Seminars with a high practical relevance
In addition to socket assembly training, the SKZ in Halle also offers district heating seminars with a high practical relevance. For example, the seminar ‘Leak warning and leak detection systems in district heating pipes’ took place for the first time from 17 to 18 June 2025. Participants received theoretical and practical training from experts in the field on the design, mode of operation and operation of common leak monitoring systems. The most important topics were covered, from network planning and installation to network monitoring during operation, repairs and documentation.
The seminar will take place again from 10 to 11 December 2025. The target groups are responsible employees from planning and construction supervision, as well as plant managers, maintenance personnel for district heating networks and network operators.
Contribution to the heat transition and securing skilled workers
The expansion of district heating is a central component in supplying Germany with climate-neutral heat. Without sufficiently trained specialists, this goal will not be achievable.
‘With our training programmes, we are helping to prepare the urgently needed skilled workers in the district heating sector for the future. Practical training and further education are the key to accelerating the heat transition,’ emphasises Carina Heinze, site manager of the SKZ site in Halle.
