Career information

What does it involve?
Refrigeration and air conditioning engineers manufacture, install and maintain the components used in air conditioning and refrigeration systems. These systems provide a climate-controlled environment so it's possible to store and transport perishable items such as food and medicine.
Your work environment can change one day to the next from a shipping container to an apartment block.
Typical day
Normally an 8-hour day; sometimes working longer maybe required. Work can include:
- installing split system air conditioning;
- ventilation and air conditioning engineering (fabricating, installing and maintaining systems in office buildings, hospitals and factories); and
- refrigeration engineering in warehouses, ships, containers and trucks.
You are likely to work in many different locations from day to day.

Does this sound like you?
• English or Media or History
• Maths or Accounting or Economics
• Sciences or Workshop Technologies
• Computing/ICT/Information Management.
• Strong eye for detail
• Good literacy and numeracy
• Good organisational skills
• Good work habits/time management.
• Analysing, researching or problem solving
• Making or fixing things
• Working with machinery
• Working with computers.
• Inside (workshop or plant)
• Outside (outdoors)
• Different places from time to time.
Career pathway
Unit standards
Ideally NCEA Level 2 in:
• Maths
• Science (physics)
• Technology (metal work)
• English
Apprenticeship
• Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineer
• Air Conditioning Systems Designer
• Industrial Refrigeration Engineer
• Commercial Refrigeration Engineer
• Transport Refrigeration Engineer
Higher learning
• Specialist Engineer
• Supervisor
Higher learning
• Foreman
• Site Supervisor
• Business Manager
• Business Owner
How much could I earn?
-
3 – 5 years experience
$50k- $95k