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Apprentice Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Engineer
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As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.
Wage
£16,640 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Training course
Refrigeration air conditioning and heat pump engineering technician (level 3)
Hours
- Monday - Friday 8.00am - 4.30pm.
- 40 hours a week
Start date
Monday 28 September 2026
Duration
3 years
Positions available
1
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
- Learn how to service, maintain and install commercial air conditioning and refrigeration units
- Problem solve and repair identified faults on systems
- Work on site environments, on large and small commercial sites to install various air conditioning & refrigeration systems
- Carry out pre-planned repair works on air conditioning equipment
- Understand customer requirements to ensure successful delivery / installation / maintenance of works
Where you'll work
You can select which locations you want to apply for in your application on Find an apprenticeship.
This apprenticeship is available in these locations:
5 Factory Lane, Croydon, CR0 3RL
East London, DA1 1DR
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
UNITED COLLEGES GROUP
Training course
Refrigeration air conditioning and heat pump engineering technician (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Comply with health and safety, regulations and standards. Apply safe systems of work, including carrying out a risk assessment.
- Comply with environmental and sustainability regulations and standards for example prevention of refrigerant emissions, segregate resources for reuse and, recycling and disposal of waste.
- Position, fix, joint and test, pipework and electrical circuits.
- Test, charge with refrigerant and commission vapour compression systems.
- Test and commission electrical and electronic control systems applicable to vapour compression systems.
- Interpret information and data from log books and diagrams.
- Perform servicing, maintenance, fault diagnosis and rectification procedures and techniques on vapour compression systems including routine and reactive maintenance, installation of components and safe electrical isolation of supply.
- Perform routine service, maintenance, fault diagnosis and rectification procedures and techniques on electrical and electrical control systems applicable to vapour compression systems including carrying out safe isolation procedures.
- Decommission vapour compression systems, safe recovery and disposal of equipment, hazardous waste refrigerant transfer.
- Decommission electrical and electronic systems applicable to vapour compression systems.
- Adjust vapour compression system operating parameters to achieve reductions in carbon emissions.
- Maximise performance of vapour compression systems by determining heating and cooling loads and selecting and balancing components and systems.
- Retrofit and retro fill existing equipment to lower GWP refrigerants.
- Mitigate risks of refrigerants including environmental, toxicity and flammability hazards.
- Identify and use tools and equipment.
- Communicate with others verbally and in writing.
- Complete a customer handover.
- Work collaboratively with clients or stakeholders to solve problems.
- Apply project leadership techniques and principles.
- Use information and digital technology and comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations.
- Apply ethical principles.
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Training schedule
You will attend a day release course once a week at United Colleges.
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Essential qualifications
- GCSE in:
- English (grade 4)
- Maths (grade 4)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Number skills
- Logical
- Team working
Other requirements
- Travel required around the local area and occasional overtime.
- Full driving licence essential.
Established in 2000, CMS is a privately owned national market leader in Facilities Maintenance. With Engineering hubs located throughout the UK, a team of over 300 staff members, CMS offers a range of integrated services, including reactive and planned Gas, Heating, Plumbing, Air-Conditioning, Electrical, Renewables and Catering Services. Awarded as one of the Top 20 fastest growing companies by the Journal's Fastest 50 companies in 2020, CMS continue to grow at pace.
http://www.cmsltd.co.uk (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- Private Healthcare
- Pension
- 33 Days annual leave (including bank holidays).
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
Progression to fully qualified air-conditioning engineer.
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
COMMERCIAL MAINTENANCE SERVICES UK LIMITED
Geoff Barrass
geoff.barrass@cmsltd.uk.net
07940957511
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000045883.
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