World Refrigeration Day 2021: 10 cool reasons to work in this sector

On June 26th it is World Refrigeration Day and there’s never been a better time to celebrate it. From air conditioning to getting Covid vaccines delivered, here we celebrate 10 reasons why getting a job in the refrigeration, cooling and heat pump sector could be the coolest career move you’ve ever made. This year the campaign is “Cooling Champions: Cool Careers for a Better World”, and it’s an exciting sector to be a part of. Here are ten reasons why.

1. You’ll be in good company

More than 15 million people are employed worldwide in the refrigeration sector and it’s a growing industry. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), by 2050, around two thirds of the world’s households could have an air conditioner.

2. It’s one of the most versatile industries around

It’s a much bigger industry than you think and it has a rich history! Most manufacturing depends on cooling at every stage. Organ transplants and blood transfusions would be impossible without cold storage. In most supermarkets, around 40% of business is refrigerated. Imagine living in a home without a fridge or freezer! Air-conditioning provides comfort in offices, shops and cars. It’s essential in hospitals and operating theatres, and it keeps people alive on airplanes. All technology is based around the ability to keep it cool. And now COVID-19 has brought the challenge of transporting vaccines at ridiculously cold storage requirements around the world.

3. There are a variety of paths to choose from

There are a huge number of career paths in the sector working with different applications and in a wide range of disciplines from design, construction, manufacturing, and maintenance, to refrigerant management, and the regulation of controlled environments, as well as new opportunities, such as supporting decarbonisation. Jobs include hands-on technicians, designers, installation engineers, maintenance engineers, consulting engineers, and research and development professionals. In addition, many more people are employed indirectly with the processes of applications involving refrigeration, air-conditioning, ventilation and heat pumps. Roles include teachers, managers, administration staff, accounts staff, and sales staff. So, it doesn’t have to be a technical role.

4. It’s internationally recognised

The sector is supported globally by industry, professional groups, scientific and engineering associations, as well as by governments and individuals.

5. You can put your problem-solving skills to the test

You could help to solve modern day issues such as:

• How can food be preserved from its source to the table?
• How can vaccines and medicines be shipped around the world?
• Who enables data centres to function?
• How can climate change be stabilised without sacrificing modern convenience?
• Who safely manages the processes that enable air to be cooled?
• How can the quality of indoor air be improved?
• How can disease transmission indoors be prevented?
• Who solves the challenge of heat in underground transport systems?

6. You can make a difference

Work in a sector that improves life in communities and in the world as a whole. Be part of a progressive movement to phase out ozone depleting refrigerants and improve equipment efficiency. The IEA assert that the growing demand for air conditioners is one of the most critical blind spots in today’s energy debate. The use of air conditioners and electric fans accounts for about a fifth of the total electricity in buildings around the world – or 10% of all global electricity consumption.

7. Opportunities are aplenty

There are lots of opportunities for engineers. Modern refrigeration and HVAC products are technologically advanced and this has led to a need for those with mechanical and electronic engineering skills.

8. There are lots of different ways into the profession

There are lots of access levels into a career in the refrigeration sector. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) degrees aren’t the only way in. College courses, for example, include:

• Level 2 Diploma in Access to Building Services Engineering
• Level 2 Diploma in Installing and Maintaining Refrigeration Systems
• Level 3 Diploma in Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Systems
• T level in Building Services Engineering

This is a sector where it really is possible to rise through the ranks and utilise skills that are picked up along the way. You can join the industry straight from school by following a Refrigeration Air conditioning and Heat Pump Engineering Technician Apprenticeship.

9. You’ll learn the science behind the job

Learn about the fascinating concept of displacement of heat! At a time when energy conservation and climate change are on political agendas, displacing heat efficiently has become a leading-edge science!

10. Innovation is at the heart of the industry

It’s a great sector for entrepreneurs. There are lots of small companies in this field that have been set up by individuals. Anyone who can design a system that uses less energy than its predecessors, or uses new refrigerants that don’t deplete the ozone layer, has an opportunity for success. There is a big marketplace for this technological evolution.

So if you are thinking of getting a job in this sector, or want to persuade someone that it’s a good progressive industry to work in then take a look at the World Refrigeration Day website and some of the webinars around “Cool careers”. Joblogic, software provider for HVAC companies, is supporting World Refrigeration Day!