Refrigeration and air conditioning engineer Job Information | National Careers Service

The work

Making sure the air around us is not too hot and not too cold is a specialist technique. From keeping people comfortable in a multi-screen cinema, to storing blood at just the right temperature for lifesaving operations, people working in air conditioning and refrigeration play a crucial part in our lives.

It’s a highly skilled, environmentally-friendly and very technical industry that needs dedicated and enthusiastic people to not only look after all the systems we usually take for granted, but also ensure we’re helping to save the planet at the same time.

In this industry you’ll be at the forefront of protecting the environment, because RAC engineers make sure we’re using energy as efficiently as possible. You’ll be working with renewable technology, special types of gas that don’t harm the ozone layer, and looking at how customers can reduce their energy consumption. Overall you’ll be playing a key part in the solutions that are helping our buildings become more eco-friendly.

The careers are roughly divided into two areas:

• As a refrigeration engineer you’ll be installing, servicing and maintaining refrigeration systems in places like supermarkets, hospitals, food processing plants and research establishments.
• As an air conditioning engineer you’ll install, service and maintain the systems that control and maintain the air quality, temperature and humidity inside offices, schools, leisure complexes and other modern buildings.

Hours

You could be needed at any time to help fix a problem, so you might sometimes be asked to work outside of the usual working week of 37 to 40 hours, Monday to Friday.

You could be working in places like supermarkets, hospitals or shopping centres to install and maintain refrigeration and air conditioning systems. Depending on what type of work you specialise in, you might also work on construction sites, which can be noisy, dusty and cold. Sometimes it may mean working in cramped and uncomfortable conditions in order to access the air conditioning and refrigeration units and you might work on scaffolding or the roof of a building.

Working in this industry usually means you’re based locally, travelling from one project to the next. But some companies work across the whole country for their customers, so if you work for one of these firms you might be asked to stay overnight for short or long periods if a project is far from home.

Income

Your salary will vary depending on your employer and where you live in the UK, but as a guide you might expect:

• First-year apprentices may start on around £10,000 a year.
• Newly-qualified workers may earn between £20,000 and £27,000 a year.
• Experienced workers may earn around £30,000 a year.

Some employers pay more, and you might get bonuses and overtime pay. There are national set rates that will cover your travelling time, travel expenses and accommodation costs.

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Entry requirements

Depending on which level you’d like to work at, you’ll need a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Level 2 or 3, or Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) at Level 2 and 3. There’s also other training on top of the NVQ/SVQ that you’ll have to complete in order to become fully qualified.

Most people start as an apprentice straight from school or college and train on the job. Apprenticeships give you the underpinning knowledge and skills you need to work effectively and professionally.

• Apprenticeships

You’ll do both off-the-job training, where you learn at a college or training centre, and on-the-job training, where you apply your skills and knowledge while working on-site for your employer. Generally training will take between two and four years to complete, depending on the apprenticeship scheme.

If you’re not able to do an apprenticeship straight away, there are programmes around the UK that can help you to progress to an apprenticeship, further learning or a job. Speak to your local careers adviser to find out more.

Some apprenticeship schemes across the UK are open to people over 25, although the number of places might be limited. Local colleges may have their own training schemes aimed at adults.

If you’re over 25 you can still undertake the NVQ/SVQ without doing an apprenticeship. To gain an NVQ/SVQ, you must be in employment or have the ability to be assessed on site, carrying out work on real installations. Similar to an apprenticeship scheme, you should be prepared to gain the qualification over a number of years, not weeks or months. There is no quick fix to gaining the right qualifications and it will take around four years to complete.

Vacancies for qualified workers are usually advertised in local newspapers, job centres, and on websites such as Monster or Workthing.

You may need a driving licence

You can find more details about this career and training providers on the websites for the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry Board (ACRIB) and Summit Skills.

Training and development

As a trainee technician, you would work towards NVQ Mechanical Engineering Services – Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (6087) at levels 2 and 3. The NVQ contains options in:

• Commercial and Industrial Air-conditioning Systems
• Non-Ammonia Commercial and Industrial Air-conditioning Systems
• Ammonia Refrigeration Systems.

If you work with fluorinated gases (F gases) or ozone depleting substances (ODS), you are legally required to have minimum qualifications to prove that you are competent to do so. The City & Guilds (2079) Level 2 award in F-Gas and ODS Regulations is accepted as proof.

You could continue your professional development by taking a foundation degree, HNC, HND or degree in Building Services Engineering. You can search for full time courses on the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) website, or contact individual universities or colleges for information about part time courses.

• Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS)

The Institute of Refrigeration (IoR) offers a membership scheme at various grades. Membership would allow you access to a variety of professional development workshops and training courses. See the IoR website for more details.

• Institute of Refrigeration (IoR)

Skills and knowledge

Whether you’re male or female, the air conditioning and refrigeration industry is looking for people that:

• have good practical and hand skills
• can follow technical drawings, building plans and other instructions
• can work carefully, methodically and safely
• can measure accurately
• have a head for heights and are prepared to work in all sorts of weather
• are willing to work in confined spaces
• are presentable with a pleasant manner
• have good written and verbal communication skills
• are good team players but also able to work on their own initiative
• can adapt to change
• have good problem-solving skills.

If you’d like to work at a slightly higher level you’ll also need to plan and organise the work for a team, motivate people and have good analytical and evaluation skills to solve complex tasks and problems.

More information

Institute of Refrigeration
www.ior.org.uk

SummitSkills
Tel: 08000 688336
www.summitskills.org.uk

Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry Board (ACRIB)
76 Mill Lane
Carshalton
Surrey
SM5 2JR
Tel: 020 8254 7842
www.acrib.org.uk

Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE)
222 Balham High Road
Balham
London
SW12 9BS
Tel: 020 8675 5211
www.cibse.org

Tomorrow's Engineers
EngineeringUK
Weston House
246 High Holborn
London
WC1V 7EX
Email: careers@engineeringuk.com
Tel: 020 3206 0400
www.tomorrowsengineers.org.uk

Opportunities

Most large companies have a formal progression structure. If you work for one of these companies you may have the chance to take on more important projects and managerial responsibilities as you progress and gain experience.

Once you are qualified to NVQ Diploma/SVQ Level 3, you could progress to higher qualifications like NVQ Diploma/SVQ Level 4 or even a degree, which will lead to job opportunities at technician or management level. If you want to do a foundation degree or degree course may universities and colleges will accept a relevant entry qualification, or take your work experience into account instead or traditional academic qualifications.

You could also have the chance to move into design consultancy, teaching or there’s even the potential to run your own business.

Once you are fully qualified there are also opportunities for you to work abroad, particularly in places like the USA, the Far East and Australia.

You may find the following useful for job vacancies and general reading: (links open in new window)

• Engineering Jobs Network
• Directgov (Jobseekers page)
• Refrigeration Engineer