Star Refrigeration - Industrial Refrigeration Engineering Apprenticeship (Northampton)

STAR REFRIGERATION LIMITED

Northampton (NN12DN)

Closes on Tuesday 31 March 2026

Posted on 12 January 2026

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Summary

Apprentices will combine academic learning with on-site work-based learning from our experienced engineering teams. The apprenticeships last between 3 and 4 years and successful apprentices will be offered permanent employment as Refrigeration Engineers with progression opportunities through our engineer grading system.

Wage

£16,260 a year

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Salary increases in 6 monthly increments throughout the apprenticeship, reaching £31,152 upon graduation. Industry leading benefits package.

Training course
Maintenance and operations engineering technician (level 3)
Hours
Monday - Thursday, 8:30am - 5.00pm and Friday, 8:30am - 4.00pm.

39 hours a week

Start date

Monday 1 June 2026

Duration

3 years

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

  • Service, maintenance and installation of heavy-duty heating and cooling systems and components
  • Health and Safety and environmental legislation and working practices
  • Fault diagnosis and rectification through root cause analysis
  • Safe handling of refrigerants (including ammonia and CO2)
  • Electrical systems
  • Communication and customer care

Where you'll work

Regional Role
Site Based
Northampton
NN12DN

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

NORTHAMPTON COLLEGE

Training course

Maintenance and operations engineering technician (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

Training schedule

Maintenance and Operations Engineering Technician Level 3.

You'll be assigned a personal mentor and start by shadowing our experienced engineers on site, gaining hands on experience and expanding your skillset from day one. Our training team will keep in touch with regular catchups to support your development. You'll study in day or block release periods at college alongside apprentices from other companies and industries.

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 4-9)
  • Maths (grade 4-9)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Customer care skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Number skills
  • Analytical skills
  • Logical
  • Team working
  • Initiative
  • Patience
  • Physical fitness

Other requirements

We're looking for responsible candidates keen to join an inclusive workplace. You don't need prior experience in engineering (that's where we come in) but you must show a commitment to learning the skills that will make you successful in the role.

About this employer

Star Refrigeration is the UK’s largest independent industrial refrigeration engineering company, founded in 1970, working with customers from design to commissioning and maintenance, supported by a nationwide branch structure. The company is comprised of six business units and currently has around 400 employees throughout the group. We are an Investors in People Platinum and Investors in Young People Gold accredited employer and recognise the important role our employees play in our success which is why they are at the heart of everything we do. We aim to support and encourage our employees to pursue their interests and provide development opportunities to ensure they have rewarding and fulfilling careers.

https://www.star-ref.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

35 days annual leave (incl. bank holidays), an 8% non-contributory pension, and biannual RPI salary reviews. We offer private medical insurance, life assurance (6x salary), professional development, share ownership scheme, and a company bonus.

After this apprenticeship

After completing your apprenticeship, you can continue to progress through Star's engineer development pathway with salary increases along the way. Some of our engineers have gone on to become service and maintenance managers, regional managers or even directors. You will also have transferable engineering skills that can be valuable to other departments such as sales or design should you wish to try something different. A number of our engineers have also gone on to study at degree level. The possibilities are endless!

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

NORTHAMPTON COLLEGE

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000008048.

Apply now

Closes on Tuesday 31 March 2026