Apprentice Air Conditioning Engineer

Summary

Organised in regional teams up to 20 commercial engineers who work in concert with our central technical support team to deliver, service, repair, maintain and install the full spectrum of commercial building services. You will be part of the customer facing powerhouse of our business within a designated region with a portfolio of clients and sites

Wage

£15,704 a year

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The education for this apprenticeship will start in September, employment is ASAP. Before being signed up as an apprentice you will be employed by the business on National Minimum Wage for your age

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 8 September 2025

Duration

3 years

Positions available

2

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you’ll do at work

Adhere to strict Health and Safety procedures, industry rules and regulations
Work on commercial and residential premises with qualified engineers, supporting with callouts and assisting on maintenance contracts, filling out necessary paperwork and adhering to company and clients
Service, maintain and install of a wide range of air conditioning and commercial refrigeration equipment
Problem solve and repair identified faults on systems
Work 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 appropriate to do so, provide our site based client teams with guidance on the operation and management of their assets and advising them when their plant needs to be replaced or upgraded rather than repaired
Provide data to support the creation of quotes (including equipment, parts and labour)
Be the Subject Matter Expert for one of your regional team's key technical competencies

Where you’ll work

Unit 5C
Morse Road
Basingstoke
RG22 6NE

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

CITY OF PORTSMOUTH COLLEGE

Your training course

Refrigeration air conditioning and heat pump engineering technician (level 3)

Equal to A level

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.
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.

Your training plan

Refrigeration air conditioning and heat pump engineering technician
Level 3 (A level) Apprenticeship Standard

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 4/C/Functional Skills Level 2)
Maths (grade 4/C/Functional Skills Level 2)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
IT skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Customer care skills
Problem solving skills
Analytical skills
Logical
Team working
Initiative
Non judgemental
Patience

Other requirements

* Areas of work include Hampshire, Surrey, south and west of the M25 ring road. * The education for this apprenticeship will start in September, employment is ASAP. Before being signed up as an apprentice you will be employed by the business on National Minimum Wage for your age. * Must have a full drivers licence at point of interview. * This role is subject to a successful DBS check.

About this company

Established in 2000, CMS is a privately owned national market leader in Facilities Maintenance, built on the core values of Integrity, Expertise and Responsiveness. With Engineering hubs located throughout the UK and a team of over 130 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, delivering critical services to the Care, Education, Leisure & Hospitality, Retail and Public Sector.

https://www.cmsltd.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

* 33 days holiday, including bank holidays * Pension (if eligible) * Private healthcare

After this apprenticeship

Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship, and subject to progress as an employee, Commercial Maintenance Services UK Limited would like to offer you a full time job

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

CITY OF PORTSMOUTH COLLEGE

Heather Murray

heather.murray@copc.ac.uk

02394 211959

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000298779.

Apply now

Closes on Friday 11 July 2025

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