Qualifications or not

[RIZZLA]

Hi all

Does having qualifications in refrigeration actually earn you more money?

I believe a good electrical background, an ability to solve problems, to have pride in your work and to have been taught refrigeration within a company is good enough.Well thats what I believed untill it come to that time of year to negociate your next wage rise.My employer told me that even though I was his best engineer and brought him in the most work I had no refrigeration qualifications so he could not pay me top dollar.I was a little confused an expressed my feelings and calmly left is office, found another job and left.Not before he rapidly increased is offer,unfortunately my pride had been hurt and to much water had flowing under the bridge.

In my new employment I was chatting to another engineer about gaining some qualifications,a waist of time was his views.

I would be interested to here your views, employers and employees.

Employers-If an engineer offers that little bit extra,someone you can phone any time and off he goes and you know he will get you the answers and results you need plus having the ability to deal with those difficult customers.

Employees-Is it easier just to get through the day and go home,there is more to life than work.
Within your company do engineers with qualifications get paid more ?


Regards riz

[eggs]

Before starting my own little business, i was down the sub-contract self employed route.
If it's money you want, do it now.(don't set up a little business)
Then you can hold the tight fisted ex employers to ransom during the busy months. Charge them exactly what you think you are worth, qualifications or no qualifications.
It doesn't work to well in the winter, but you must account for this with your pricing in the summer.
You will find that you can work, the same hours as you do now, decorate your house (or sit on your backside)for three months of the year, and still earn 30% to 40% more than you do now.

cheers


eggs

[chillyhamster]

When f-gas and other legislation comes into force in the next year or so, it will be mandatory to hold some qualifications to be able to work as a refrigeration engineer. Gas handling and skill card will most probably be the minimum.

[eggs]

These days i do very little sub-contract work, if i do i only tend to work for ductwork companies, fitting ductwork.
Now, about four years ago there was all this talk about these skillcards and how you won't be allowed on site without one.
So i toddled off onto the course, paid my money, listened to the training fella (who did not know what ducting was, or what ducters did !))for two days, fell asleep a few times.
Then i paid some more money.
Two weeks later, my card arrived.
A little blue one with "Senior Master Craftsman" printed on the reverse.
Wow, this was it, my licence to earn a living according to the H&V news.
Since i have had that card, i have worked on HBG, Bovis Lend Lease, Norwest Holst, SES, NG Baily, Interior/Exterior, basically most of the big builders sites.
Only HBG have ever asked to see it.
Even then i never got around to producing it.
It in my opinion is a big con, to get down the big companies insurance premiums.
If they do toughen up on it, will i need two?
one that says "ductwork engineer" and one that says "air conditioning" engineer ????

pardon my anglo-saxon english "bollox to them", if nobody get's one, who is going to install the air conditioning in these over paid pillocks offices? Who is going to install the refrigeration in their supermarkets?

Its time we fought back against all this legislation designed to line the pockets of the training providers. Club together with the sparks with their "part P" crap and the gas fitters with whatever incarnation of the "ACS" they have these days.

If we are not carefull we will end up just like another state of the "good old US of A" to scared to go out doing an honest days work for fear of being sued by somebody for not having the correct permit for this that or the other.
Check out alt.hvac for a few days and see what i mean.

Rant over, sorry chaps

cheers


eggs

[RogGoetsch]

Hi all

Does having qualifications in refrigeration actually earn you more money?

If what you want is money, there are better fields. Having qualifications is not as important as actually knowing the field for which you "have qualifications".

Why would you want to work at something and not try to be the best, or at least as good as you could be? Find something you love enough to want to be the best. Do that and you won't be worried about money.

I believe a good electrical background, an ability to solve problems, to have pride in your work and to have been taught refrigeration within a company is good enough.

To me, having pride in your work means you take whatever steps possible to improve your understanding. You take courses, you belong to the trade group and attend training meetings.

In my new employment I was chatting to another engineer about gaining some qualifications,a waist of time was his views.

Most are content with mediocrity. That's why there's so much of it around! And they sure as hell don't want you improving, either.

Employers-If an engineer offers that little bit extra,someone you can phone any time and off he goes and you know he will get you the answers and results you need plus having the ability to deal with those difficult customers.

If you were my employee, I would use you where I could rely on your skills. If you were independently studying to expand your skills, I would see you as an unusual employee and I would make sure to assist your learning and make sure you stayed happy in my company.

It's difficult enough to train someone who's been through school and has the basics. I would never spend the time to train someone who didn't have the initiative to learn on his own. Especially with new graduates applying constantly.

Employees-Is it easier just to get through the day and go home,there is more to life than work.

It's a balance, kid. There is always more to life than work. That's no excuse for not being your best at work by cracking the books in the early years.

Within your company do engineers with qualifications get paid more ?

Duh!

Rog

[Brian_UK]

Rant over, sorry chaps, cheers, eggs

That's alright, glad that you feel better now

[panman48nm]

more qualifacation is an excuse to pay you less and more profit for the company

[Squiddly]

Heres a good test of an engineer.
Works great on new employees and proves just how interested and motivated they are.
When the engineer rings for help or advice ask "what cabinet (for instance) are you working on". Of 5 engineers that have journeyed through the company I work in the last 18 months none of them could tell me without going to look !! One even said "er, dunno , its red..."
How can anyone even attempt a repair with out knowing at the very least the manufacturer ?

Personally I would go for competence over qualifications any day.

[Gary]

I am the same way, Marc. Most of the time I have no idea what the brand name or model of the machine I'm working on is, and I don't care. It's just another machine. I understand it, I figure out what's wrong with it, and I make it work.