Air conditioning and refrigeration engineer
Install and fix the cooling and air conditioning systems used in buildings, cold storage and refrigerated transport.
- Salary£25,000 – £45,000
- Hours40 to 48 hours a week; you may be on call on a rota (National Careers Service)
- Working for yourselfSelf-employment is possible
What the job is like
Refrigeration and air conditioning engineers fit, service and repair the systems that keep food cold, buildings comfortable and sensitive equipment at the right temperature. Work ranges from chilled storage and office air conditioning to cooling units on refrigerated vehicles.
It is a technical, problem-solving trade with some science behind it, and handling refrigerant gases is regulated. If you like understanding how systems work and enjoy fault-finding, it offers good prospects, including design, project management and heat pump work.
What you'll do
- Plan the layout of pipework, ducts and control panels
- Install cooling and air conditioning components
- Carry out scheduled maintenance and find and fix faults
- Run quality and safety checks on working systems
- Retrofit buildings to meet newer environmental standards
- Fit or remove refrigeration units on transport vehicles
- Advise clients on reducing energy use
Where you'll work
- Indoors
- On the road
- In a team
- On your own
Skills and hobbies that help
Weighted by how much they matter in this job, from the official job profile's skills and tasks. Tap one to see other careers that use it.
Key skills
Used a lot
Handy to have
Hobbies that give you a head start
How to become an air conditioning and refrigeration engineer
Apprenticeship
Refrigeration Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Engineering Technician – Level 3 apprenticeship (ST0322), typical duration 36 months.
Mobile Transport Refrigeration Technician – Level 3 apprenticeship (ST1327), typical duration 36 months, working on refrigerated vehicles.
Building Services Engineering Installer (Level 2) or the Building Services Engineering Level 2 Foundation Apprenticeship as earlier steps.
T Level
T Level in Building Services Engineering for Construction, choosing the refrigeration engineering and air conditioning engineering specialism.
College
Courses in installing and maintaining refrigeration systems, or refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump systems, can help you find a trainee post.
University
A higher national certificate or diploma in building services engineering; usually needs GCSEs including maths and science plus 1 or 2 A levels including a science.
Qualifications, licences and cards
- F gas certificate – a legal requirement for work covered by the F gas regulations
- ACRIB F Gas SKILLcard – shows your refrigerant qualifications and health and safety awareness
Where it can lead
- Refrigeration engineer designing cooling systems and managing installations
- Wider building services engineering
- Specialising in transport refrigeration
- Running your own business
Good to know
- ACRIB explains that anyone carrying out work within the scope of the F gas regulations must hold an F gas certificate, and employers must only use certified people.
- Working conditions can be cramped and cold, and you are likely to travel often.
- Refrigeration and heat pump skills overlap, so this trade can lead naturally into low-carbon heating.
Courses and training
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T Level
Find a T Level near you – T Levels (Department for Education)
Two-year technical courses for 16 to 19 year olds in England, with an industry placement of at least 315 hours. Search for schools and colleges offering the T Level you want.
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Apprenticeship search
Find an apprenticeship – GOV.UK
The official GOV.UK service for searching and applying for apprenticeship vacancies in England.
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Course search
Find a course – National Careers Service
The National Careers Service search for college and training provider courses in England, including Skills Bootcamps.
Official information
- Refrigeration and air-conditioning installer job profile – National Careers Service
- Refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump engineering technician apprenticeship standard
- Mobile transport refrigeration technician apprenticeship standard
- ACRIB F Gas SKILLcard
- ACRIB careers and training advice
- Institute of Refrigeration – education and careers
Sources
We checked these pages in September 2026. Rules, pay and courses change, so always confirm with the official source.
- National Careers Service: Refrigeration and air-conditioning installer nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/refrigeration-and-air-conditioning-installer
- Refrigeration air conditioning and heat pump engineering technician (Level 3, ST0322) skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/st0322-v1-3
- Mobile transport refrigeration technician (Level 3, ST1327) skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/st1327-v1-1
- Building services engineering installer (Level 2, ST0065) skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/st0065-v1-1
- ACRIB F Gas SKILLcard acrib.org.uk/acrib-skillcard
- ACRIB careers and training acrib.org.uk/help-and-advice/careers-and-training
- T Level: Building Services Engineering for Construction tlevels.gov.uk/students/subjects/building-services-engineering