Working for Adcock Refrigeration and Air Conditioning as an engineer is a hands-on, rewarding, technical role requiring a high level of responsibility and customer care. For a snapshot of engineer life, the company has written an ‘Engineer Career’ series based on insight, tips and feedback from their own engineers. In part one, the reader can find out about various career paths and progression, from those that are out there every day doing the job successfully.
"I believe a career in most types of engineering is something to be proud of. It can be a great life," said Lee, Service Manager. Engineer is an umbrella term and typical job titles in the cooling/refrigeration industry include Service Manager, Install Mate, Service Engineer and Installation Engineer. Using science and maths to solve technical problems, all roles require good interpersonal skills, teamwork, patience, creativity, diligence and resilience.
provide excellent opportunities
With thanks to Adcock team members Ben Moulson, Will Royal, Shaun Taylor, Richard Todd, Gavin Coakley and Lee Munday for their candid insight. Is there a set career path to becoming an engineer? It’s fair to say that there are several paths that can lead to an engineering career in cooling/refrigeration and not everyone makes that career choice early on in life.
Shaun completed a module on air conditioning at college which sparked his initial interest in the industry
If one is still in education then work experience, apprenticeship and college courses provide excellent opportunities to understand the world of air conditioning, gain experience, qualifications and start networking. Speaking to some of the company’s engineers, Lee was offered a refrigeration apprentice by his first employer, to start straight after he finished his final school exams and Shaun completed a module on air conditioning at college which sparked his initial interest in the industry.
complete career change
Will opted for a complete career change for a more hands-on role as an engineer and Ben studied music technology before getting into engineering. Gavin left an unfulfilling retail job to become an installation mate, eventually arriving at Adcock 12 years ago as a Service Engineer, demonstrating commitment, gaining promotion and achieving qualifications which Adcock supported him with.
It’s never too late to find out one’s engineering options by asking a career advisor, job center or by contacting a company that one wishes to work for. It’s usually essential to have a driving license and a sense of humor.
smart air conditioning
Work hard and listen to the people around you so that you can gain the knowledge that will help you progress"
“My advice to anybody who is thinking of entering the world of air conditioning and refrigeration is to find a great company like Adcock. Always work hard and listen to the people around you so that you can gain the knowledge that is going to help you progress your career. Be patient and wait for the golden opportunities!” said Gavin, Service Manager.
Is career progression possible? Yes. Once one joins Adcock as an engineer, trainee engineer or apprentice, there are so many opportunities to progress and learn. These are exciting times because technology is evolving into unexplored territory, like the Internet of Things and ‘smart’ air conditioning.
building customer relationships
Their engineers’ advice is to not stand still - watch, listen, ask questions and snap up opportunities to work with as many types of equipment and new technology as possible. Learn from mistakes. Grasp training opportunities - not only technical qualifications but also health and safety and leadership courses to build knowledge and enhance your employability and management skills.
One thing is clear, the company’s engineers love solving problems for clients, which comes down to having the right knowledge, experience and passion for success. So not only is career progression possible, but job satisfaction is too. “I find my job motivating and rewarding through building customer relationships and being able to leave site knowing I have a fixed a problem for the customer,” said Shaun, Trainee Service Engineer.
training and qualifications
“Completing my Level 2 & 3 City & Guilds qualifications gave me the fundamental knowledge that I call upon on a daily basis to help me in my role,” says Gavin, Service Manager. Adcock is proud to have the UK’s best engineers thanks to their continual investment in training and qualifications and their strong relationships with popular manufacturers. All staff, not just engineers, are offered relevant training and CPD for career progression.
There’s a real sense of collaboration to complete a job well and go the extra mile for customers
Do engineers work alone or as part of a team? It can be both, but their engineers are never isolated because they nurture a team spirit throughout the company. Depending on the job and the experience, one may be working on their own at times, in pairs or bigger groups, but they are always part of a team with someone to talk to - whether that’s their regional branch or the wider UK Adcock team (and not just the engineers).
industries and systems
Traveling to different jobs means they meet various clients and get to grips with different buildings, industries and systems but they are always in touch with the office team to liaise about projects and what’s coming up next. There’s a real sense of collaboration to complete a job well and go the extra mile for customers.
"I work with a great team in the office and engineers out on the road, I wouldn’t swap them for anything” said Lee, Service Manager. Adcock has many job opportunities around the UK. Perks include generous holiday, competitive salary and overtime. Find out about the company’s current roles in their official website. In the second part of their Engineer Career blog series, one can discover a typical “day in the life of” the Adcock engineers and the most rewarding jobs they have worked on.
