About Pay

[liam]

hi all i have been working for a airconditioing company for the past 18months and have recieved no training courses even tho they said they would train me up and i just seem to being a general labour even tho i can install airconditioing units i was just wondering if there is any good companys out there and how much should i be gettin payed

[SUBCOOLING]

wot do you get paid now and have you asked about the training recently, how old are you

[The Viking]

Sorry if I come across as negative but I think we need to know a bit more...

have recieved no training

i can install airconditioing units

If the first statement is true, what is the second statement based upon?

What previous work experience/training have you got?

What do you want to become?

[liam]

I have just been watching as the install engineer install aircon units, and just keep asking question after question, i haven't received no formal training e.g day courses safe handling etc but i am quite confident to install wall mounts back to back and small cassette jobs, although i haven't got a clue how to service.
ps im on 6 per hour that's every hour i work mon to fri which is normally 50 hours is this fair ??

I am 21 years old

[The Viking]

As I see it you are qualified, and used, as an unskilled mate.
For that £6 / hour is not unreasonable.

BUT.

You want to learn and go further.
In order to achieve this you will have to get yourself in on a day release collage course.

Options:
1. Try and convince your current employer to send you to college (contact your local collage first and see what's involved so that you know what's what when you speak to Mr Boss)

2. Get yourself in on the course and ask your current Mr Boss for a day a week off.

3. Find a nicer Mr Boss who will send you to collage.

Good luck.

[wambat]

I was wondering if you have union apprenticeships in the UK where young men/women can apply for training like we have here in the US. We even hire and train apprentices in the City, the County and the L.A. unified school systems of Los Angeles and we all belong to: The United Association of Plumbers, Pipefitters, Refrigeration and Fire Sprinklers of the U.S. and Canada.

[The Viking]

Nah,
Unfortunately the old-fashioned "proper" apprenticeships were scrapped here in UK.

There is a system of whereas they goes to collage one day per week and spend the rest of the time on the tools in it's place. But it's not the same...

[Testech]

I recently went for an interview with a company in the South-East.
The company takes on Maintenance engineers doing only PPM's, the rate for the first 40hrs was £9.84hr - Overtime rates at time and half and double time applied.
The company was called Rainham Refrigeration Ltd based at The Oaks Lordswood Chatham Kent ME5 8LF. Contact Steve Beard.

[taz24]

In the UK you can still get an apprenticeship if you meet the right criteria and age is a big factor.

You will work for a company and you will be suppervised by a training organisation. You will be trained fully in all aspects of refrigeration / air cond design, install, commision, service, maintenance, customer liaseing and ontop of that you will be taught first aid, health and safety, fire awareness, risk assessment and all that type of health and safety stuff.
It is a 2 year to level 2 course and three year to level 3.
Most good companies will put their new lads through the course. The industry expects a minimum standard of training and the level 2 NVQ is the one. Level 3 is the minimum for sombody to be deemed competant to work on their own and the big air conditioning supliers will not garentee work that has not been commisioned by sombody who is not level 3.

The MA (modern apprenticeship) and the FMA (full modern apprenticeship) are industry recognised and the at the moment the minimum qualification accepted by the industry is level 2 NVQ. You can't gat a modern aprenticeship without the level 2 / 3

Cheers taz