Let's talk about the international job market...

[Screwloose717]

I don't mean current job openings. I just want to know where the NH3 systems are and what purpose they serve.

I can give you the low-down on fish plants in Alaska. I'm currently working at a facility that operates year-round processing cod, pollock, halibut, herring, idiot fish (rockfish), flatfish, skate, crab and salmon. Most plants up here also can salmon, so we have an influx of seasonal workers. Some plants only process salmon, freezing and canning. At those, the work is only seasonal (May to September usually). A refrigeration engineer or "Reefer ****" as we are lovingly referred to usually works a 12 hour shift, 7 days a week. Wages range from 10$/hour up to 25$/ hour depending on experience. Everything after 40 hours in a week is time and a half. There are about 10 major companies that have multiple plants and offshore processing vessels, and loads of smaller independent companies. Some are notorious for hiring J-1 university students as entry-level workers. By that I mean there are a loads of hot new foreign girls working every summer. Just a perk of the job I thought I should mention. For Reefer ****s, housing is usually free and sometimes meals as well.

I have been offered jobs at poultry plants in Georgia, Coors brewing plant in Virginia, and I am told that the UK is starved for engineers. I just want to know what's out there. Ice cream, meat, beer, soda, hockey rinks, indoor ski parks, you name it. I'm particularly interested in Australia, New Zealand, The Philippines, South Africa and The Falkland Islands. I love Alaska but I need a change of scenery.

[chilliwilly]

The Job market over here is pretty p!ss poor at the moment. There are plenty of agencies dangling carrots, and it sounds like you have seen a newspaper ad for working in UK, Oz, NZ, and SA. Stay well clear of chancers like them because it'll cost you a fortune my friend, and you will probably end up with a load of bullsh!t excuses as to why its been over two years that you paid them £5000.00+ and your still waiting for your job and visa.

Your probably best coming over to the UK or the places your interested in for a holiday and feel the market for yourself. But don't tell the passport border agency that your interested in working here, tell them your here for pleasure or you'll be on the next plane back.

I worked out in Cleveland and Ashland Ohio back in 94 as a sparky and I loved every minute of it. I didn't want to come back, but as I was working for a mate of mine and didn't have a visa. I didn't want to push my luck too far and cause problems for him and his family. Especially when his brother law was a FBI agent! I entered the US via Minneapollis st Pauls and the border agency gave me a grilling especially because I was a single traveller, I was treat like a criminal. Mind you I was intending to look for work so I could move over there one day but it never happened.

If you do manage to get a job over here your qualifications won't be any good unless they're backed up with the Fgas licence. That's something relatively new over here. If you have worked in the industry for a few years it will be a walk in the park for you and your assessment should only take a couple of days. Costing around £300.00 - £600.00 depending on which organisation you do it with. The refrigeration industry is one of the few trades that is almost international with methods, standards, and terminology, so nothing should phase you. Unlike being an electrician, that's almost another planet between the UK and North America.

Anyway all the best mate and I hope you find what you're looking for. NH3 systems are used over here but are a minority system compared to the mecanically pumped type.

[mad fridgie]

You can come to Aus and NZ on a young persons working VISA. NZ has plenty on NH3 operations, covering most food types (dairy, meat, fish, booze "HT and LT") Keep away from the visa sharks!

[Screwloose717]

Come on guys, what are you shy? What region do you work in? What are you freezing over there?

[chilliwilly]

I work all over the North of England on various catering (food service) equipment, laundry, and various refrigeration found in kitchens and butchers shops. I think out in Hull and other fishing docks they may have either NH3 or CO2, but I don't work on anything big these days so I don't really know.

[Magoo]

google job seek for Australia and New Zealand. There are tons [ no pun intended]of jobs available, more in Australia, registar with them and they will direct all relevent stuff to you . They also have other international connects.
Your age could work against you though, experience comes with age, for the big salaries. All local regs and licences will have to sorted as well, can be messy and time consuming plus frustrating.
Not all US of A qualifications are acceptable, and you will possibly have to start from scratch.

[RANGER1]

Come on guys, what are you shy? What region do you work in? What are you freezing over there?

So Screwloose what are you qualified as exactly & what can you offer a prospective company, skills etc.

I would'nt mind a change as well, those foreign girls sound interesting!
I'd hope for more than 10 bucks an hour though.

[Nh34life]

$10/ hour is far more than i earn in a week after the missus and the bank take there share

[Screwloose717]

"So Screwloose what are you qualified as exactly & what can you offer a prospective company, skills etc."

OK, well screw this thread. It's not easy to google search for places that use NH3. I just wanted to know what kind of factories/plants there are around the world. Don't worry about my qualifications or my process of getting a work visa. 'Round these parts every ammonia refrigeration tech knows each other so anything you want to know about a fish plant or cold storage warehouse (which is basically all there is in Alaska), ya just ask 'em. Number one rule of Ammonia Refrigeration: IN THIS TRADE, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A TRADE SECRET.

[Magoo]

Hi screwloose.
It is a big wide world outside of the US of A., and a hand shake and mates referral does not wash, nor carry a lot of weight.