Hot and cold
Working in the refrigeration/HVAC
mechanic trade offers plenty of variety
Most of Jason McGhee’s friends don’t really understand his
job. The Red Deer resident works for Gateway Mechanical
Services as a refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic.
“I tell people I work in refrigeration and they assume I’m
the Maytag repair man and that I fix refrigerators in people’s
homes,” says McGhee, a third-year apprentice.
What do they do, anyway?
In fact, the commercial and industrial refrigeration
systems he works on are found in places like supermarkets,
convenience stores, industrial and manufacturing plants,
skating rinks, hospitals and restaurants.
In addition to installing, maintaining and fixing these
refrigeration systems, mechanics like McGhee also install,
maintain and fix heating, ventilation and air conditioning
(HVAC) units in residential, industrial and commercial
settings.
If you’ve never heard of this trade, you’re not alone.
McGhee only learned about it by taking a pre-employment
trades course. “I looked at going into other trades like
electrician and heavy duty mechanic,” he says. “Then I found
out about the refrigeration and HVAC industry, and that they
were desperate for people.”
NOVEMBER 2009 • VOLUME 3, ISSUE 11
IN THIS ISSUE
Labour Market News
This publication has been prepared for
Alberta Employment and Immigration
with the support of the Government of
Canada.
Find us online at
EMPLOYMENT.ALBERTA.CA/CENTRAL
C E N T R A L A L B E R T A
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Refrigeration mechanic
1-2
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Contingency planning
2
Work it Out - Jumping to
............................
management
4
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Apprenticeship funding
5
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Employer Best Practice
7
...............
Employer Resources
8
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Job Seeker Resources
..9
NEXT ISSUE...
Serving up a career
in restaurants
JOB SEEKERS
Hope for the best,
plan for the worst
Business continuity planning
Cyber attacks. Fire. Natural disasters. Power outages. Flu
pandemics. Workplace accidents. If the worst hap