Does this career field suffer from agism like other industries?

[lortech]

I am 50 now. Been a aircraft mechanic in the service. Worked as a auto mechanic. Jumped fields again working in IT. But that industry is all young workers and I am not young any more. I did take a pre-apprentice refrigeration 3 month class a few years back and applied to 50 companies. never once got a call for a job interview. Perhaps the per-apprentice program was to "pre" mature? I am a us citizen resizing in Canada but about to leave and return into the Seattle Region. I met two refrigeration mechanic who said you can earn up to 55 dollars a hour as a journeymen. That is a good wage even for hyper expensive Vancouver BC.

I will be residing in my home town of Tacoma / Gig Harbor. I want to know should I pursue refrigeration at my age? I met two refrigeration mechanics and they said "yea you can earn 100k a year...buts hard!" was not sure if he was refering to the trade to the job in general

Waiting your feed back.

[Rob White]

.

I would say that refrigeration in it's self is not ageist and for
the most part, jobs are there for the right people.

What I would say though, the industry may be ageist
to somebody who is not specialised in the trade and
has no formal qualification or background in it.

Refrigeration is hard to get into. Ask 100 teenagers what
they want to do for a career and none will know about
refrigeration?? People get into it by accident or more than
likely because they know friends and family in the trade
and they get them a foot in the door.

Somebody in their late 20's or early 30's would struggle
to get into the industry without formal qualifications
and experience, so don't be surprised if somebody
in their 50's might struggle.

Right person, right place is what normally does it.

Rob

.

[Magoo]

When have settled into new home , approach companies and offer your services free of charge and tag along as a trade assistant for a week or so, to see if its what you expect of the job, try commercial service companies for a variety of work.

[HVACRsaurus]

Hi,

In a cruel twist of fate, a trade qualified fridgie would otherwise have better than average career prospects & opportunities, there is a nationally recognised skills shortage.. (or at least here in oz)

[hookster]

There is no ageism in an industry rather people with ageist views reflecting badly in an industry.
Looking around our industry in the UK, I see a lot of mature engineers and very few young starters.

Unfortunately the schooling has been geared to promote alternative career fields for years and wages were driven down for skilled tradesman.

When I look at what the colleges are training into the market place currently we see a mix of older students training for career changes and a lot of young guys who failed/scraped by through their education and now are moving into a very technical field.This is why you get a lot of 'split bashes' and very poor service levels.

Mid career trainees are always most preferential to employers as they see them as long career with the spikey bits of youth rounded off. Though older trainees can bring a wealth of life skills to their new career choice as long as they show the willing to learn and can show this in an interview, I doubt any prospective employer would discriminate just on age alone, what with the current skills gap.

I would like personally to see our industry training standards raised to a level beyond a 1 week F-gas course allowing people to call themselves Fridge engineers. Our industry is very scientific and requires mathematics, electrical, mechanical skills and throw in the customer services ability, sales, commercial awareness. Convince someone you have these abilities or willing to learn them and you will be employed no matter your age, religion, colour or creed.