Apprentice Service Engineers

Aqua Cooling Solutions; Southampton; On-site; GBP 11,000 - 18,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical cover

Enhanced pension contributions

Gym membership

Job summary

Aqua Cooling Solutions is seeking an Apprentice Service Engineer to join our Southern Team in September 2026. This hands-on role involves installation, servicing and commissioning of process cooling equipment, with day-release college training and progression toward a Level 3 NVQ in Refrigeration & Air Conditioning.

You will work remotely from our Southampton HQ but travel to client sites and attend college sessions, gaining practical experience while supported by a Senior Engineer.

Qualifications

• Must have a full, clean driving licence.
• Enrolment onto Refrigeration & Air Conditioning course.
• Willingness to learn through day-release college sessions.

Responsibilities

• Install, service, and perform preventative maintenance on equipment.
• Respond to client call-outs for breakdowns and repairs.
• Install and commission new systems.
• Complete documentation accurately and on time.
• Attend college or training as part of the apprenticeship.

Skills

Customer service

Driving licence

Independence

Travel to sites

Problem solving

Education

NVQ Level 3 in Refrigeration & Air Conditioning

Job description

Apprentice Service Engineers - Process Cooling/Industrial Refrigeration

Job Role: Apprentice Service Engineers – Process Cooling/Industrial Refrigeration
Reports to: Regional Service Manager
Location: Remote working – Based at our HQ in Southampton

The Company

Established in 2001, Aqua design, supply and install innovative temperature control solutions, across the UK. Our Sales, Hire and Service teams support customers from every industry sector, whether they are looking to purchase, hire or maintain equipment. Products include process chillers, adiabatic, dry air & free coolers, cooling towers, temperature control units, boilers, air conditioning units and portable heaters. As a business, we have a strong focus on energy efficiency and the ability to design completely bespoke solutions. Aqua are proud recipients of a Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation.

We offer national, 24/7 support to a wide range of industry sectors which involves maintaining, servicing, installing and commissioning process cooling systems and industrial refrigeration equipment.

We are looking to recruit an Apprentices to join our Southern Team in September 2026. The successful candidate will commence a qualification in Refrigeration and Airconditioning in September 2026 on day release.

Role Overview:

Our network of engineers is field based, reporting directly to a Regional Service Manager and supported by a dedicated service team at our head office. This is a hands‑on, customer‑facing role with a focus on delivering high‑quality service and support

Key Responsibilities:

• Installation, servicing, and preventative maintenance of our specialist equipment
• Responding promptly to client call‑outs for breakdowns and repairs
• Installation and commissioning of new systems
• Accurate and timely completion of all required documentation
• Attending college or training as part of a formal qualification to support your career development

The Ideal Candidate Will Demonstrate:

• A positive, can‑do attitude with a “first fix” mentality and a strong focus on delivering a first‑class customer experience
• A full, clean driving licence (or actively working towards obtaining one)
• The ability to work independently and travel to customer sites as required

How the Apprenticeship scheme works:

• Enrolled onto a 3‑year Refrigeration & Air Conditioning course at your nearest available college
• Attend college 1 day a week. 4 days you will work alongside qualified engineers
• Gain experience on all ranges of cooling equipment to build confidence and experience throughout the apprenticeship
• Training days at office on specialist equipment to broaden trade knowledge
• Develop into competent Engineer and get Level 3 NVQ in Refrigeration & Air Conditioning qualification (including F‑GAS)
• Attend call out and PPM’s once gained experience
• Work closely with Senior Engineer for support throughout Apprenticeship
• 25 days’ annual leave plus Bank Holidays, with annual leave entitlement increasing with length of service
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay after 1 year’s service
• Company sick pay, with enhanced entitlement based on length of service
• Long service awards
• Private medical cover after 2 years’ service
• Enhanced pension contributions after 2 years’ service (Aqua contributes 8%, employee contributes 1%)
• Gym membership contribution of up to £100 per year
• Access to Perkbox, our employee benefits and discounts portal
• Employee Referral Bonus Scheme
• Cycle to Work salary sacrifice scheme
• Discounted legal advice covering matters such as moving house, divorce, bereavement, and personal injury
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Paid ‘door to door’
• Permanent contract
• 8 hours workday (over time paid at time and a half after regular hours)
• Double time on Sundays
• Free breakfast when leaving home before 7am (in agreement with line manager)

Employment Type

• Full‑time (40 hours a week), overtime paid at time and a half after regular hours and double time on Sundays.
• Fixed term contract for duration of Apprenticeship

We have such strong and enduring customer partnerships because we are always honest. Honest about what solution our customers need, not what we want to sell them, and honest about what it will take to deliver that solution to always manage and deliver against expectations.

Responsibility

At Aqua we have the opportunity to create real, tangible positive impact for our customers and their business, for their customers and for the environment. We take our role in that seriously and are committed to doing good.

We know everything about temperature control but our customers know their business better than us. When we work together internally and in partnership with customers to design solutions, success is guaranteed. It is true that power lies in partnerships.