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Apprenticeship training course

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

There are 21 training providers who offer this course. Check if a training provider can deliver this training in the apprentice's work location.

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

Planning, preparing and safely carrying out work in process, product and space cooling.

Knowledge, skills and behaviours
View knowledge, skills and behaviours

Knowledge

  • Health and Safety legislation and safe working practices applicable to working with pressure systems, electrical circuits and flammable substances.
  • Industry codes of practice and standards, legislation and sources of information and advice applicable to working with pressure systems, electrical circuits and flammable substances.
  • Environmental and sustainability regulations and guidance. Environmental hazards that can arise from vapour compression system operations. Environmental management systems standard. Environmental Protection Act. Environmental signage and notices. Types of pollution and control measures: noise, smells, spills, and waste.
  • Principles of thermodynamics, gas laws, psychrometrics and fluid flow.
  • Properties of refrigerant fluids and lubricants and their suitability for use in vapour compression systems. Applications and environmental impact.
  • Refrigerant use: handling techniques and risk mitigation.
  • Scientific and mechanical principles applicable to vapour compression systems.
  • Function and operation of refrigerant system components and how they interact in vapour compression systems.
  • Methods of maximising efficient vapour compression refrigerant system performance: heating and cooling loads, component selection and balancing techniques.
  • Methods of working with gases under pressure, including brazing work and pressure testing.
  • Vapour compression system operating parameters: adjustment techniques to mitigate direct and indirect carbon emissions.
  • Installation of electric circuits, pipe work: positioning, fixing, jointing and testing techniques.
  • Testing and commissioning practices and techniques applicable to vapour compression systems.
  • Testing and commissioning practices and techniques of electrical and electronic control systems applicable to vapour compression systems.
  • Routine and reactive service and maintenance practices and techniques applicable to vapour compression systems, including safe electrical isolation techniques.
  • Fault finding, diagnosis and rectification practices and techniques of electrical and electronic control systems applicable to vapour compression systems, including safe electrical isolation techniques.
  • Decommissioning techniques applicable to vapour compression systems, safe recovery and disposal of equipment, hazardous waste refrigerant transfer.
  • Decommissioning techniques of electrical and electronic control systems applicable to vapour compression systems.
  • Logbooks and diagrams applicable to refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump maintenance activities.
  • Environmental technologies employed in the sector: heat recovery, low GWP refrigerants, heat gain, cooling load and energy use equipment.
  • Tools and equipment used in refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump activities.
  • Collaborative working, relationship management with clients and stakeholders and mutual problem-solving techniques.
  • Communication techniques used with different audiences.
  • Well-being: mental and physical health considerations in self and others and how to access support. Impact of mental health on the construction industry.
  • Equity, diversity and inclusion requirements in the workplace.
  • Documentation methods and requirements - electronic and paper.
  • Project leadership techniques and principles.
  • Planning, prioritising, work scheduling, workflow and time management techniques.
  • Requirements for component warranty, legislation or regulation related to installation or other protections.
  • Information technology: Management Information Systems (MIS), spreadsheets, presentation, word processing, email, virtual communication and learning platforms. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Cyber security.
  • Ethical and unethical behaviour, and the routes for reporting if unethical behaviour is identified.

Skills

  • 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.

Behaviours

  • Prioritise health and safety.
  • Act ethically.
  • Take responsibility for work.
  • Team focused to meet work goals, for example, work effectively with others, resolve issues in discussion with others.
  • Committed to continued professional development (CPD) to maintain and enhance competence in own area of practice.
  • Support an equitable, diverse and inclusive culture.
Apprenticeship category (sector)
Construction and the built environment
Qualification level
3
Equal to A level
Course duration
36 months
Maximum funding
£18,000
Maximum government funding for
apprenticeship training and assessment costs.
Job titles include
  • Air conditioning engineer
  • Commissioning engineer
  • Heat pump engineer
  • Maintenance engineer
  • Refrigeration technician
  • Service engineer

View more information about Refrigeration air conditioning and heat pump engineering technician (level 3) from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.