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Meet Martin

HVAC Technician

Martin is an Apprentice Refrigeration and Aircon Engineer at CPA Group.

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What I do

I install, service, fix and maintain air conditioning and refrigeration systems, mostly on industrial sites.

The systems I install can cool or heat rooms, chill large spaces or keep machinery from overheating.

My work ranges from fitting a large industrial chiller, to a single air conditioning unit in an office.

How I became a technician

At school in Scotland, I took National 5 subjects (equivalent to GCSEs) in maths, English, physics, chemistry, modern studies, Spanish and computing science.

I then did five Highers (equivalent to AS-levels) in maths, English, physics, chemistry and computing science.

In sixth year, I studied Advanced Higher maths, Advanced Higher physics and Higher business.

How I became a technician

At the time, university felt like the obvious route. I went to the University of Glasgow to study physics with astrophysics. I didn’t enjoy it though, and after a while I realised I was more interested in how things work. I decided to switch to mechanical engineering.

I spent two years studying mechanical engineering, but the further I got, the more I realised it wasn’t as hands-on as I thought it’d be.

How I became a technician

I was spending more time behind a desk, and I wanted to be doing practical work, so I left university and started looking at apprenticeships.

After a few interviews, I joined CPA Group on a Level 3 Install, Commission and Maintain Refrigeration Systems apprenticeship. I’m now in the third year of a four-year apprenticeship.

This year, I’m specialising in refrigeration at college and next year I’ll study air conditioning.

How I became a technician

Some of the thermodynamics I’ve already learnt through my previous studies, and that’s helped me understand how heat moves through the systems I work on, but the apprenticeship has given me the hands-on route I was looking for.

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A typical day in my working life

On a normal day, I leave home around 7:30am and go straight to a customer site.

The first job could be servicing a chiller, installing an air conditioning unit or finding the cause of a breakdown.

I work in lots of different locations, so I can be near Glasgow one day and somewhere much further away another day.

A typical day in my working life

I’ve worked in all sorts of places, from small offices to big industrial sites like a factory for a leading bottled water brand.

There, chilled water runs through a machine that turns small plastic tubes into bottles.

The process creates lots of heat, so the cooling system helps keep the machine running.

A typical day in my working life

When the day involves a large installation, it can be an early start. If I need to travel, I’ll leave home as early as 6am.

For these bigger jobs, I work with two other engineers, following a plan for where the units and pipework needed to go.

It can be hard physical work, especially on industrial sites, where fitting equipment into the available space can be difficult.

A typical day in my working life

On other days, I might replace a faulty component or work on an older system that uses more mechanical valves than the newer digital equipment I’m used to.

That can turn into a puzzle, because I have to work out what is actually happening before I can fix it.

I usually finish on site at 4:30pm, speak to the customer about what we’ve done and what comes next, and then travel home.

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What I love about my job

Fault-finding is probably what I enjoy most. I see it as a puzzle.

Sometimes, a customer is waiting behind me because a process needs to get running again, so there can be pressure. I know I have support from my company, but I still have to stay calm and work through the problem.

The best moment is when it finally clicks. If I find the faulty component, replace it and get the system back online, that feeling is brilliant. I also like travelling to different sites and seeing equipment I haven’t worked on before.

The skills I use most

Problem solving is a big part of my job. When a system breaks down, I have to look at what it’s doing and work through all the possible causes and find the fault.

Precision matters too, especially on installations. We’re not trying to finish as fast as possible. We want pipework and equipment to be fitted neatly and professionally, with everything where it is supposed to be.

Find something you’re good at and something you actually like doing. Don’t assume university is the only route.
You don’t have to narrow your future down to one perfect choice straight away.

A little more about my everyday role

The best bits about working in a team

Our refrigeration team includes engineers and apprentices, with a manager and supervisor supporting the work. As an apprentice, I usually spend a period working closely with one qualified engineer. That gives them a chance to see how I’m getting on and give feedback.

I really enjoy that way of working – I get support when I need it, but I’m also given more responsibility as I improve. On bigger jobs, a few of us can be working together for days, so being able to keep the team going when a job gets difficult matters as much as the technical work.

My favourite piece of equipment

My favourite tool is an app called Danfoss Ref Tools. Refrigeration systems can use different refrigerants, and the app helps me check what’s happening inside a system using the things I’ve learnt at college.

I use it as a diagnostic tool when I’m fault-finding. It can help me work out whether the readings I’m seeing make sense. I can’t imagine how much paper engineers must have carried around in their vans before tools like this!

What I like to do in my spare time

I’m really into cars, and I like taking mine out on scenic road trips around Scotland. I also enjoy travelling. I’ve been to Ibiza three times, and I have a trip to Morocco planned too.

At the moment, I’m also trying to save up to buy a flat, so my spare-time goals are a mix of travelling when I can and putting money away for the future.

My school days

Outside school, I liked watching football and I trained in martial arts until I was about 17, becoming a brown belt. Cars were another big interest. My first car was a Vauxhall Corsa, and I used to tinker with it myself.

My dad and uncle were into cars too, so it’s been around me from an early age and has stayed with me.

The most exciting thing I’ve achieved so far in my job

Winning the Apprentice of the Year Award in Scotland through the Institute of Refrigeration was a big moment for me. I had set my sights on it early and spent a long time working towards it, so winning felt brilliant.

Afterwards, I was invited to London with the Institute of Refrigeration, where I could meet people across the industry and ask experienced engineers about their careers. I was also invited to join a technical engineers’ committee to give an apprentice point of view. More recently, I reached the WorldSkills finals, which felt like a huge achievement.

A surprising fact about my job

One thing that surprised me when I entered the trade is that air conditioning isn’t just about making a room colder. The same type of system can also heat a space.

When it is cooling, the indoor unit takes heat from the room and the system moves that heat outside. In heating mode, the process can work the other way and move heat into the room. So the equipment I work on can be useful in winter as well as summer.

The next steps in my career journey

I’m in the third year of my apprenticeship, studying refrigeration at college. I expect to go back next year to study air conditioning, with the apprenticeship lasting four years all together.

After that, I’d like to stay with CPA Group. The company has the option to release me when the apprenticeship ends, but we’ve talked about the future, and I’d really like to stay. I also want to continue entering awards such as WorldSkills and other industry events when there’s the opportunity.

The advice I’d give to someone younger

Find something you’re good at and something you actually like doing. Don’t assume university is the only route. I’ve been down both paths, and an apprenticeship gave me the hands-on experience I was looking for.

Think about the kind of work you want to do, then look at the different apprenticeships available. There are so many options – you don’t have to narrow your future down to one perfect choice straight away.

A mean working inside wearing a yellow hi-vis rain coat.

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