When Konrad Geipel started his training as a mechatronics engineer for air conditioning and refrigeration technology, he didn’t even know what a refrigeration cycle was. He was also not a natural talent for craftsmanship. “I can’t imagine any other career now,” he says now, shortly after his journeyman’s exam. In the interview he talks about how he accidentally got his dream job, how he deals with unfriendly customers and why, as a craftsman, he would never drink a beer on a construction site.
What questions I get asked at parties
“Most people only have a vague idea of my job. So what I hear most often is: ‘What exactly are you doing?’ If I meet the right person at a party, I sometimes have an hour-long conversation about electrical engineering. Many people are also interested in whether I install heat pumps. My job is only to maintain or assemble some of the pumps. I leave the rest to heating engineers. When there is a problem with your own air conditioning at home, some people ask me what the problem could be. But remote diagnoses are difficult.”
What I do as a mechatronics engineer for refrigeration technology
“At seven in the morning, my boss distributes the orders, I prepare my tools and drive with a colleague to private customers or companies. We maintain and install refrigeration and air conditioning equipment. To assemble a classic air conditioner, we fix the indoor and outdoor units of the device with rails, drill concrete or brick between them, and lay and insulate copper pipes. To put it simply, the refrigerant then flows between the units and heats or cools one side. During maintenance, among other things, we clean the system’s filters, check for leaks and check the refrigerant pressures. All of this ensures that the filters are clean and that the harmful refrigerant does not escape into the environment. We record the work steps. Sometimes you can manage several, usually only one customer per day. The regular end of work is at half past three. But I often don’t leave until the work is done, which can sometimes be 6 p.m..”
Which qualities are important for the job
“Before training, I wasn’t particularly talented in terms of craftsmanship. That’s what the training is for. You should have a basic understanding of technology and the desire to delve into technical problems. Plus, my job isn’t for office people; I’m on my feet or in the car most of the day. I often only notice how much I’m moving when my phone shows 15,000 steps. It is also important to enjoy working in a team and generally enjoy contact with people. Even if customers are unfriendly or perhaps look down on tradesmen, you should remain polite. This requires a certain level of stress resistance.”
Imagination vs. reality
“I find it funny when people think I’m constantly freezing in cold rooms. Customers call us when devices are not cooling properly. So in the best case scenario, I’ll drive again when it gets cold. Otherwise, I always come across the prejudice of the craftsman who drinks beer all day on the construction site. My work requires full concentration and physical strength. A beer during the lunch break would be one too many.”