It could be said that one of the benefits of becoming a qualified refrigeration engineer is just how rewarding it is. Being a qualified refrigeration engineer, you will feel a sense of pride and accomplishment that you were able to use your knowledge and expertise to breathe some life back into a company’s fridge. Fridges have the potential to malfunction at the drop of a hat, meaning that refrigeration engineers are always in demand. Without refrigeration engineers, commercial and catering fridges are unable to function, meaning that businesses will be left in a spot of bother. This is where a refrigeration engineer can help. In this guide, we’re going to explain what is required to become a refrigeration engineer and what sort of tasks they carry out.
At Mitchell’s, all of our engineers have gone through this process and are qualified, so you know that they have all of the necessary skills, expertise and knowledge to carry out the job. So whether it’s a retail or catering fridge that needs fixing, we have the capabilities to assist you.
Here’s our ultimate guide to how you can become a qualified refrigeration engineer!
What Can you Expect?
As aforementioned, fridges have the potential to break down. Considering that almost every supermarket, restaurant and cafe relies on refrigeration, this means that there’s always a demand for an engineer. The average starting salary for a refrigeration engineer is around twenty-thousand pounds a year. However, as you build more experience, extend your knowledge and gain more qualifications, your salary can rise up to thirty-five thousand pounds. With the unpredictability of fridges, this means that engineers may sometimes have to work on call. To illustrate this, if a busy restaurant’s commercial fridge has stopped working, then they need someone to assist as soon as possible.
Refrigeration engineers are also responsible for installing and repairing refrigeration systems. Some engineers don’t just focus on refrigeration, but they also have the ability to manage air conditioning systems too.
Your daily duties will include assessing sites, planning the layout, handling quality checks and ensuring everything is operating properly. As you begin to expand your knowledge, you can provide your customers with advice on the systems and what they can do to reduce their energy use.
How to Get into the Role
You can get into the role of a qualified refrigeration engineer in two ways. Both of these paths lead you to the same outcome, but they both have their own unique benefits. Find out the two ways you can become a qualified refrigeration engineer:
Apprenticeship
Some believe that their best way of learning is being chucked into the deep end and experiencing things first-hand. Well, it doesn’t get much deeper than starting an apprenticeship! Apprenticeships essentially mean that you’ll be learning everything whilst you’re on the job, looking at real-world situations and how to fix problems. This is a really effective way of learning because you can see examples of what exactly is required to fix the fridge. However, it must be noted that this way of learning is not for everyone, as learning everything on the job can be both overwhelming and daunting.
This method is also most suited to those who like to stay as far away from a textbook as possible. Considering that you’ll be learning everything on site, then you’ll know the exact procedures and what is required to leave the customer fully satisfied. When you’re thinking about what company to join, it’s important to remember that some companies might be reluctant to hire somebody with no experience. As a result, you might need to have a little bit of patience and persistence.
A benefit of an apprenticeship is that you’re actually earning money whilst you learn. Although the wages may be fairly minimal at first, the money you earn will start to increase as you become more knowledgeable and adept at the job.
College
The alternative route to an apprenticeship is to go to college. If you learn better from textbooks in a classroom setting, then college might be the best option for you. This option is also useful because, provided you finish all the work and pass your exams, then you will leave with some qualifications. These qualifications include:
- Access to Building Services Engineering – Level 2 Diploma
- Installing and Maintaining Refrigeration Systems – Level 2 Diploma
- Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Systems – Level 3
- Building Services Engineering for Construction – T Level
Once you have received these qualifications, then you’ll find it much easier to find a job. However, the downside of going through college is that you might not receive as much real-world experience. Also, you won’t be getting paid from a college course either.
What Qualifications are Required?
If you are starting an apprenticeship, then your journey towards becoming a qualified refrigeration engineer won’t actually require many qualifications. This is because you’ll almost be starting afresh, joining a company and learning the tricks of the trade on the job. However, going to college you will receive the aforementioned qualifications which will help you a long way in landing that dream job.
Another important qualification that is important to become a refrigeration engineer is the NICEIC certificate. This abbreviation relates to ‘National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting’. Having this certification is so much more appealing to builders. You can receive an NICEIC certificate through online learning or remote and in-class learning.
At Mitchell’s, our refrigeration engineers have a wealth of experience under their belts, meaning that no one is better qualified to breathe some life back into your commercial fridge. Whether it be installing, servicing or repairing, we’ve got the expertise to get your fridge back up and running.
What Skills Make a Good Engineer?
As already noted, the drawbacks of learning how to be an engineer through college means that you are primarily learning in a classroom setting. This means you don’t learn skills such as communicating with customers. Here are some of the skills that make a good engineer:
- Problem-solving – Considering that every fridge can have its own problems, this means that you must be able to adapt to multiple situations to get the job done. For instance, not every retail fridge looks the exact same, so you’ll need to have an understanding of how to solve the problems for each scenario.
- Communication – Without good communication, then not only are you jeopardizing the quality of the installation or repair, but it also means that the customer might not feel fully satisfied with your services. Part of the role is dealing with customers, so it’s important that you have the skills to be able to calm them down in pressured situations. Not only that, but you must ensure that communication is maintained between you and your colleagues to provide the best service possible.
- Detail is Key – If you are to be a successful engineer, then you need to be able to get the details right. In view of the fact that you are dealing with complex systems, you need to ensure that you are following the correct protocol at all times.
- Computer Skills – Although your ability largely depends on how well you can use tools, your computer skills also come in handy at points. A lot of modern cooling systems require knowledge of computer programs to install fridges and freezers.
- Patience – Whether you’re dealing with an unhappy customer or your employees are criticising your work during the learning process, you need to have the patience and tolerance to take these comments on the chin. Being able to remain calm under pressure is one of the main attributes of a successful refrigerator engineer.
Mitchell’s, the Commercial Refrigeration Services That You Can Depend On
As explained, becoming a commercial refrigeration engineer requires a lot of skill and expertise. At Mitchell’s, our qualified engineers have years of experience in the field and can give you a hand when you need it the most. We know how important it is to ensure your commercial fridges are working at all times, that’s why we’re on hand to get you back up and running as soon as possible. Dealing with catering fridges, retail fridges, walk-in freezers and more, there’s nothing we can’t do when it comes to commercial fridges. If you are convinced that Mitchell’s are the right company for you, then get in touch with our team today!