Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Engineering Technician Apprentice
Aster Building Services Ltd
Location of work will vary, to include but not limited to: Hampshire, Berkshire, London, Surrey. Supervising Engineer resides in Winchester
£6.40 an hour, Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm with an hour lunch, 37.5 hours a week
Please note the role is subject to an Enhanced DBS check which is essential for our works in schools and colleges
Aster Building Services are based in Hartley Wintney and are specialists in commercial refrigeration, heating, ventilation and air conditioning. The company was set up in March 2004, we currently have 8 engineers working full time with various skills and qualifications. We work on installations, maintenance contracts and call outs.
This is an exciting opportunity for you to become an air conditioning and refrigeration engineer apprentice. You will start learning core knowledge and skills within a small technical team, shadowing installation, service and maintenance work carried out to a wide variety of air conditioning and light refrigeration equipment.
Our highly qualified Engineers are committed to sharing their wealth of knowledge with you. They will take you under their wing, guiding you through the intricacies of the industry. You’ll be right there with them, getting your hands dirty, learning how to install, maintain, and troubleshoot refrigeration and air conditioning systems.
As the apprentice you will learn from your mentor any of the following, each day can be very different:
- Working on heating and cooling split systems, technical service and troubleshooting.
- Learning about different types of commercial air conditioning plant including modern and older systems, split systems, close-control equipment and packaged chiller and associated equipment and controls.
- Gaining technical knowledge and experience of working on light commercial refrigeration plant, including cellar coolers, cold-rooms, undercounter fridges, ice machines etc.
- Learning about efficient diagnostic skills and reporting.
- Gaining a practical understanding of heating and ventilation systems generally, within a commercial building services environment.
- Learning how to carry out general planned maintenance works to HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) plant and equipment. The term HVAC is used to describe a complete home comfort system that can be used to heat and cool a home, as well as provide improved indoor air quality.
- Learning how to manage and maintain accurate and up to date records of all work carried out on plant and equipment utilising our field service software system and some paper-based site logs where necessary.
- Building effective working relationships with colleagues, clients, customers and work as part of a team.
- Becoming confident and learn the up to date relevant legislation.
Skills
- Logically minded
- Attention to detail and thorough with the processes
- Good communication skills
Personal qualities
- Disciplined
- Keen to problem solve
- Positive outlook
- Responsible and reliable
- Punctual
- Flexible, adaptable and easy going, to be able to handle any last minute changes to work schedule
Qualifications
GCSE 9-4/A*-C in English and maths or Functional Skills Level 2 in both, proof of certificates is required
Due to the demands of the role and education, applications with less than the required grades will not be considered. Equally, applications received without stating GCSE maths and English/Functional Skills/equivalent results will not be considered.
What does the programme include?
Key activities are: the design, installation, routine maintenance, reactive service, commissioning and de-commissioning of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heat Pump systems. Technicians require a thorough competency in their understanding of the engineering principles of thermodynamics and the vapour compression cycle in order to perform operations.
Apprentices are expected to acquire the required transferrable knowledge, skills and behaviours identified in the Refrigeration Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Engineering Technician Standard and to provide evidence of their application in their specific work environment. This apprenticeship has been designed by industry representing a wide range of employers diverse in terms of size, location and type of work and supported by Professional Institutes and Trade associations.
During on-programme training apprentices must achieve the mandatory qualifications “Level 2 Certificate in F Gas and ODS Regulations Category 1, a Level 2 NVQ Diploma in either Refrigeration or Air Conditioning and a level 3 Diploma in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning” as defined in the apprenticeship standard. The F Gas Certificate, Level 2 and Level 3 certificates must be submitted as part of the Gateway. All apprentices must complete an Apprentice Development Journal on-programme. This must be completed before the apprentice can pass through to the End-point Assessment at Gateway stage, and will be used to inform the Apprentice Development Journal synopsis which the apprentice will write during the EPA period.
This standard is designed to meet the professional standards of the Engineering Council for registration as an Engineering Technician (EngTech) in partnership with the Institute of Refrigeration and CIBSE.
What attendance is required?
A 36 month apprenticeship programme delivered on a day-release basis (one day per week) at City of Portsmouth College's North Harbour Campus in North Harbour, Portsmouth.
Following successful completion of the course and End Point Assessment you will achieve the Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Engineering Technician apprenticeship standard which includes a Level 2 NVQ Diploma in either Refrigeration or Air Conditioning, a level 3 Diploma in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning and an F-Gas Handling Fluorinated Gases and Ozone-Depleting Substances Category 1 certificate.
Learning and assessment
The Refrigeration Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Engineering Technician is a specialist occupation involved in planning, preparing and safely carrying out work activities in process, product and space cooling. Knowledge must be transferrable between any of the core activities of refrigeration, air conditioning or heat pumps.
Apprentices will spend typically 36 months on-programme working towards the apprenticeship standard, with a minimum of six hours a week off-the-job training. Off the job can consist (but is not an exhaustive list) of college attendance, homework/coursework, project related work, employer training, mentoring, and coaching.
First 24 months will be spent learning the basics of being a Refrigeration Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Engineering Technician. By the end of the first 24 months the apprentice will have achieved the Level 2 NVQ that incorporates the F Gas and ODS Regulations Category 1, they must pass this to then progress onto the final 12 months which solidifies the Level 3 learning and ensures they can progress after the apprenticeship to a Supervisory role. They will cover heat load calculations, air conditioning systems etc. This ensures the apprentices finishes the education completely and so gains more employability prospects.
The End-point Assessment (EPA) will provide summative synoptic assessments to test apprentices against the full apprenticeship standard. Before accessing EPA there will be a Gateway stage at which evidence will have to be provided for each apprentice to confirm their readiness to progress to EPA.
At Gateway the employer confirms the apprentice has acquired the required knowledge, skills and behaviours to progress to Endpoint assessment. This must include a completed Apprentice Development Journal and appropriate on programme learning outcomes and must be verified by way of a Gateway Form signed by Employer and apprentice.
End-point Assessment (final 3-6 months) - apprenticeship results and grading is generated on aggregate of three assessment methods
- Knowledge and skills test - an online multiple choice exam assessing across the knowledge requirements of the Standard. This is written, delivered and marked by the End-point Assessment Organisation (EPAO).
- Practical test - takes between 14-18 hours to complete and can be carried out over a maximum of three days. It is anticipated that a minimum of 14 hours should be allowed in order to carry out all of the test tasks specified adequately. Practical tests must be written by the EPAO in line with the specification in this End-point Assessment Plan. The assessment will be observed, documented, recorded, marked and graded by an Independent Assessor appointed by the EPAO.
- Professional interview - a focused interview with an Independent Assessor appointed by the EPAO enabling the apprentice to give evidence verbally of how they have applied the required knowledge, skills and behaviours through their work experience, drawing on examples from their Apprentice Development Journal synopsis. The synopsis itself will not be assessed as part of the Interview and will not contribute to the grading of the apprenticeship.
Performance in the EPA will determine the apprenticeship grade of Distinction, Merit, Pass or Fail.
After completing the apprenticeship and with a few years of experience on the tools, a fully competent technician works without immediate supervision, and liaises effectively with other trades and with end users.
Future prospects
We are not just interested in training you; we want to see you thrive. As you gain skills and confidence, we’ll support your growth within the company and it is hoped after the apprenticeship you decide to stay with us as a full time employee. Additional technical training can be provided, including manufacturers courses and professional development.
Things to keep in mind
- 23 days and bank holidays
- Pension (when eligible)
- Uniform provided - polo shirts, hoodie, trousers, boots, PPE
- A full enhanced DBS check will be performed for the successful apprentice as the sites we attend require these checks
- We ideally need someone who can drive or be happy to travel to the sites independently. Arrangements could be made with the supervisor engineer where pick ups can be made, but this will highly depend on the punctuality and flexibility of you.