best route to get in

[llcooljerome]

hey all this is my first post. im going to get straight to the point. i work full time as a hospital porter but really want to get into the refrigeration sector. i have done a lot of research on the net and have found companies such as ellis training, which offer various courses such as f-gas and split air con. i picked up the yellow pages and called all around surrounding areas(oxford) and asked what is the best way to get in and also what they thought on doing such a course like with ellis training. some thought ellis was a good start and some thought its just simply not enough. others thought distance learning was a suitable alternative but i really dont know what to do from here. i hope you guys have some ideas for me bearing in mind i work full time? any help will be very appreciative. either way im going to do something and just be persistent with it as doing something is better than doing nothing but really hope you have some other options or ideas for me. thanks jerome

[mad fridgie]

I commend you for trying to upskill.
Refrigeration is the best of trades and the worst of trades.
I would at this early stage start with a slightly different approach.
Go to your local refrig wholesaler, and get a component catalog, Then reasearch each level of components, whilst doing this drawing a picture of the system. Hopefully this would give you a good grounding before you pay for external instruction.
Some very good engineers have come from the "stores" side of the business
Also when you go for a job, product knowledge also helps

[nevgee]

Depends on lots of things. Your age, previous technical knowledge, school qualifications etc. You need to have an aptitude for mechanical, electrical and some science.

You could do a night school course at a tech college ... but eventually you'll need to find an employer to take you on.

You would be best. probably, writing to all of the air con and refrigeration business's in your area and explain what it is you wish to achieve, adding the fact youre looking to do a college course anyway. Fingers crossed you might be lucky to find someone, bare in mind there is a "slump" in the economy at the moment.

nothing ventured nothing gained ... good luck

[llcooljerome]

thank you for the replies. mad fridgie i agree, i should be getting myself familiar with all the components to help me in the long run. i heard the f-gas is quite hard to learn in such a short time so im already starting to learn about that before i pay all that money.
nevgee, thanks for your input. im 24 and passed gcse's with mainly C's. after school i spent 2years at college doing a btec electrical/electronic engineering course. absolute rubbish teaching and way too much theory, i hated it. although i didnt pass as i failed 1module out of 16, i did enjoy the electronic side and the bit of hands on that they let us do. i was young and stupid and do regret not passing but i really want to get things on track.
thanks for the tip, i will begin sending out letters and see what feed back i get. iv been searching the net for college tech evening courses but cant find any in my area but guess i have to keep trying. slump is a word iv been hearing a lot from the companies iv been calling lol but still is not going to stop me
again thanks for the replies

[superswill]

Great advice gents and i agree with all said,

it good to see young people wanting to join the trade but before you start its years of hard work and low pay (still is we all say at once) but work hard, ask questions and be willing to learn at your own pace and its the best trade going

good luck