Heating engineer

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A heating engineer has the task of assembling and maintaining heating and ventilation systems in buildings.

Germany

education

The apprenticeship as a central heating and ventilation engineer lasted 3 1/2 years and ended with the graduation as a journeyman. The training was carried out according to the dual principle, i.e. in the training company and a state vocational school. The dual training was supplemented by so-called inter-company courses under the leadership of the Chamber of Crafts and the Guilds, in which skills were imparted that were important for the job description, but were no longer carried out in every company (e.g. welding). A shortening of the training by half a year was possible provided that an appropriate grade point average and the consent of the training company were obtained.

further education

A central heating and ventilation fitter who has successfully completed his apprenticeship has several options for further professional training. If he continues to strive for a purely practice-oriented activity, there is the possibility of further training as a customer service technician. This further training is offered by the chambers of crafts and takes place alongside work. This training primarily enables the maintenance and repair of combustion systems and heat pump heating systems . Furthermore, emphasis is placed on dealing with the customer, as the customer service fitters are the figureheads of the company they work for.

If a journeyman central heating and ventilation engineer strives for a practically-theoretically oriented activity, it is advisable to take the master craftsman's examination. Here he is imparted further theoretical and practical knowledge, is able to manage a company and train apprentices. Master classes are offered by the chambers of crafts, private educational institutions and state schools (mostly vocational colleges). It is possible to attend the master school part-time (approx. 2 years) or full-time (approx. 1 year).

In the meantime, the master craftsman's certificates are classified under EU law in “Level 3 (diploma short course)”. This guideline comes into force until the end of November 2007. The master is therefore entitled to call himself a Bachelor in an international environment . However, it is not on the same level as the Bachelor of Engineering degree , even if the almost identical title implies this.

If a central heating and ventilation fitter does not value the practical part of his job, i.e. the work on the construction site, or if he is no longer able to cope with it for health reasons, he has the option of becoming a state-certified technician for heating, ventilation and air conditioning. With this training he finally leaves the path of practical work and specializes in planning, monitoring or sales tasks in his branch. Further training to become a state-certified technician is offered both part-time (around 4 years) and full-time (around 2 years). The technician can also run a company under certain conditions (determined by the Chamber of Crafts ). However, he lacks the commercial knowledge that he has to acquire in other ways. If a company run by a technician wants to train apprentices, the operations manager must take an additional trainer aptitude test or appoint an employee who has this as a training officer. See main article: Technician HVAC

Knowledge and skills

Central heating and ventilation engineers have special knowledge in the field of combustion technology . You will be able to assemble, maintain and repair combustion systems. Electrical engineering and measurement and control technology are also part of this job description. Furthermore, they have extensive knowledge in the field of pipeline construction. By handling different materials, i.e. steel pipes, copper pipes and plastic pipes as well as various sheets for ventilation technology, a heating engineer has a large repertoire of connection technologies. He is able to weld, solder, press and screw pipes. In addition, heating engineers are able to bend pipes, which saves fittings and thus also working time in pipeline construction.

Bending an iron pipe initially takes much more time than using fittings . After the pipe has been bent, it must be welded to the existing pipe at its pipe ends. If a pipe section has to be provided with several bends, however, there is a saving in working time, since in this case significantly fewer weld seams have to be made.