salary improver

[mitton1234]

I am 26 years old and have been doing a/c and fridge for 4 years now..
I have national diploma level 3 electrical electronic engineering, NVQ 2 refrigeration a/c service and install and have my fgas 2079.. I am to start NVQ 3 in September.
I have gained alot of experience with both install, repair and maintenance of a/c and fridge.
As an improver with my experience/qualifications what salary range should I be looking at receiving?

[mitton1234]

Anybody... ? would you say £6.45 is a fair rate??

[install monkey]

its difficult to judge as some ac companys pay on merit and dont take into account of your age and financial circumstances- me lad has just done his level2 and 2079 and is currently waiting on a payrise- currently he's on £10,500

[Tayters]

More than £6.45 I'd have thought. Around the £10 / hr in my experience.

4 years would take you out of trainee league so then it's down to ability etc. I joined WR as an improver (only done split bashing before and only had NVQ 2) and was on their lower range of £10.84. Some of the more experianced guys were next to useless and got more. I think top whack was around £13 ish. The local firm I was with after that put me straight on to almost £14.

Cheers,
Andy.

[chilliwilly]

£ 6.45 is a poor rate for an improver who has had 4 years experience with fgas and nvq2 under their belt, but if you haven't got a job its better than nothing. Is that what you have really been earning for the last four years? if so the firm you are working for must only be charging out at around 13-15 per hour, which would be hard to beleive that a service industry business is charging out at that amount and keeping solvent. Unless they have at least 25+ engineers working solid 40 hours a week generating a combined labour mark up profit of around £50.00 per hour.

In my experience the fridge and aircon engineers that I know are on a par with most other technical trades such as sparkies and plumbers, around the going rates of 12-15 per hour. Stick at what you are doing until you have your nvq 3 then ask for a rise. If they turn you down for any excuse then they are clearly abusing you, and you need to look elsewhere. There would be no way that an engineer with your experience and pending qualifications would accept wages like that in an interview without being offended and maybe walking out of it. You could get the same money stocking shelves in supermarkets, or issuing parking tickets.

I would have expected that £6.45 per hour would be a starting rate for a first year labourer/trainee/apprentice, then around a pound an hour rise every year after up to a skilled rate experience pending. From the sounds of it if that's all they're paying you now then they will probably be reluctant to give you a rise at any point in the future, and maybe you should start looking around for something else now. Then see how long it will take them to find someone else to work for that kind of money without leaving for better pay elsewhere.

The choice is yours my learned friend.

[mitton1234]

The company charges out at £60 an hour.. The problem is I am with another engineer 90% of the time but I now have a better understanding than most of the engineers I work with and always give 110% when doing installs. I am now at the stage where I feel I have stuck in for 4 years and iam ready to move on..
The problem is the work load does not warrant them putting me out on my own so my choice seems to be stick it out and get my nvq 3 or look elsewhere which will probably mean moving away from my home town..
Will the nvq 3 be that much more beneficial to me because I know if I go elsewhere then they wont put me through level 3...

Thanks for all your replies.. Much appreciated!

[leegally1983]

If your working with someone else like a install team i would suggest you be lucky to get above £9 ph but if your working by yourself you should be around £10-£11ph with your exp. My advice move on if they not paying right as some companies just take the p**s especially if they think you wont leave and if they really want you they will offer you more money when you hand in your notice...... simples

PS - Never burn your bridges tho handle it right and at least you can always go bk

[cadwaladr]

£60 charged per hour and paying workers approx £7,thats taking liberties well sportlines are expensive and audi cars even more mmm wonder why we are not busy!

[Magoo]

You are being tucked at that charge rate versus wage rate. Unless of course your charged/recoverable hours per day are low.

[jdunc2301]

In my opinion...i wouldn't bother asking for more or with the NVQ3, your more qualified than me according to paperwork...
Up until just recently i was working with a company, being paid around the £10-£11 mark, which is about 22-23k p/year. Qualifications...6.5 years experience mainly service work. CITB refrigeration electrics, essential electrics, pipework and brazing, fgas...obv....skill card and some manufacturer courses....
The company charged out at £45 p/hr, and wouldn't give any payrise, nor any overtime pay.

So i looked about and managed to land a job elsewhere £15.39 p/hr about 32k p/yr + overtime...which is bumping me up almost double at the moment. And funnily enough they charge £45 p/hr like the old lot.

These ****ers just keep taking mate, they will never bump your hourly rate to £10-£11 quid....your best to take your skills elsewhere, get some interviews, land a job and get your notice in. In all honesty there's plenty of AC/R jobs out there. keep us updated!

J