How to become an air-conditioning and refrigeration installer or repairer

Official title: Air-conditioning and refrigeration installers and repairers

Also called: Refrigeration engineer, Refrigeration mechanic, Air conditioning fitter, Refrigeration technician, Air conditioning engineer, Air conditioning installer, Air conditioning technician, Refrigeration repair engineer, Refrigeration service engineer, Service engineer, Refrigerator maker, Refrigerating engineer

Air-conditioning and refrigeration installers and repairers install, service and repair air-conditioning and refrigeration systems in factories, offices, shops and homes.

Main tasks

• Examines the proposed site to establish if installation plans are practical
• Plans layout of the system (pipework, ducts and control panels)
• Produces detailed estimate of costs of the work
• Plans work schedule and installs the system
• Inspects and tests the installation
• Carries our maintenance checks and repairs

How to become one

There are no formal academic entry requirements although some employers may request GCSEs/S grades. Training is via an apprenticeship, or BTEC, City & Guilds or other specialised qualification.

Ways in

• Apprenticeship (England): Drinks dispense technician (level 3). England. Typically 18 months. Skills England standard ST0752.
• Apprenticeship (England): Refrigeration air conditioning and heat pump engineering technician (level 3). England. Typically 36 months. Skills England standard ST0322.

Pay · Outlook

• Median full-time pay: £41,166 a year The middle half earn £36,608 to null.
• About 17,000 people work in this job now, and about 16,000 are projected by 2035. (-5.6%)

Related jobs

• Metal machining setters and setter-operators
• Tool makers, tool fitters and markers-out
• Metal working production and maintenance fitters and technicians
• Precision instrument makers and repairers

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Questions people ask

How do I become an air-conditioning and refrigeration installer or repairer?

There are no formal academic entry requirements although some employers may request GCSEs/S grades. Training is via an apprenticeship, or BTEC, City & Guilds or other specialised qualification.

How much does an air-conditioning and refrigeration installer or repairer earn in the UK?

Median full-time pay is £41,166 a year (Office for National Statistics).

Is an air-conditioning and refrigeration installer or repairer a growing career in the UK?

Employment is projected to fall 6% by 2035, from about 17,000 to about 16,000 people (Department for Education).

Do you need a degree to become an air-conditioning and refrigeration installer or repairer?

Usually not. Only 9% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Drinks dispense technician (level 3).

Sources

• Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03