Star joins BBC careers tour

UK: Glasgow-based Star Refrigeration is supporting the BBC Bitesize Careers Tour, a national initiative designed to introduce pupils to real world technical careers and apprenticeship opportunities.

The BBC Bitesize Careers Tour visits secondary schools across the UK in partnership with technicians keen to talk about their respective careers.

The latest tour has been joined by Star Refrigeration’s award-winning design engineer Sam Gills to talk about his career journey, the importance of refrigeration in everyday life, and the diverse career paths available within engineering. 

Gills joined a BBC hosted panel alongside BBC presenter Kathryn Wilson, Matthew Carr, health and wellbeing coordinator at the Middlesbrough FC Foundation and Emilia Martinez-Barnfather a BBC journalism apprentice), offering students insights into how technicians play a key role in sectors such as food production, healthcare, data centres and sustainable energy.

Having started as an apprentice, Sam shared how practical experience can open the door to progression into design, management and specialist roles.

“I want to show students that technician careers don’t have a ceiling. You can start hands-on, gain experience and progress into managerial, design, engineering or technical sales roles. There are so many opportunities in this industry, especially with the growing need for sustainable cooling and heating,” Gills explained.

His participation follows that of technical sales engineer Tom Woolston, who also began his career as a refrigeration and heat pump apprentice at Star Refrigeration and last year spoke to more than 1,100 students as part of the same BBC initiative.

After joining Star Refrigeration as an industrial refrigeration apprentice in the Newcastle branch, Sam became a fully qualified engineer in 2019 before progressing into a design role. He is currently completing a part-time BEng in Building Services Engineering at Teesside University and was recently named CIBSE Student of the Year North East in recognition of his outstanding academic achievement.

Gill’s list of accolades also includes ACR Trainee of the Year 2017, a SkillFridge national bronze medal in 2018, and RAC Cooling Awards Student of the Year 2019.

“There is a growing demand for skilled industrial refrigeration and heat pump technicians in the UK, but many young people are unaware of the career paths available. By taking part in the BBC Bitesize Careers Tour, Sam is helping to change that perception and show students what a real technician career looks like, practical, meaningful and full of opportunity,” said Star Refrigeration’s head of marketing Astrid Prado.

Star Refrigeration employs over 130 refrigeration and heating technicians across 11 UK branches, offering apprenticeships, fast-track training programmes and term-time internships to help young people start their careers in engineering. The company also works with schools and organisations including FemEng, the Women’s Engineering Society, Little Stars, STEMazing and World Refrigeration Day to promote STEM careers among girls and underrepresented groups.