UK AI Job-Risk Index · SOC 2010 5225

Ranks #214 of 293 for AI exposure (1 = most exposed)

How exposed to AI are air-conditioning and refrigeration engineers?

31/100

AI exposure score (percentile of 365 UK occupations)

Low

#214

of 293 UK occupations (1 = most exposed)

£35,663

median full-time pay (ONS ASHE 2020) · 7,000 employee jobs

Air-conditioning and refrigeration engineers sits in the low exposure band: its abilities overlap with current AI applications more than about 31% of the 365 UK occupations the Department for Education scored. Lower exposure usually means more of the work depends on physical, practical or in-person abilities that current AI applications do not cover well. It does not mean the job will be untouched by technology.

Underlying scores: AIOE (all AI) -0.70, LLM exposure -0.78 (standardised; 0 is the average occupation). Skill level: Level 3. Pay and job counts are 2020 figures, so use them to compare occupations rather than as current salaries.

Job titles in this occupation

Titles the ONS SOC 2010 coding index places in unit group 5225. If your job title is here, this page uses the right figures for you.

refrigerator maker · refrigerating engineer · refrigeration engineer · refrigeration mechanic · refrigeration technician

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Next steps

Lower-risk related jobs

Occupations in the same SOC 2010 sub-major group with a lower AI exposure score, highest-paid first. Pay difference is against £35,663 (ONS ASHE 2020 median, full-time). Switching usually needs retraining; this is a starting point, not advice.

OccupationExposureMedian payDifference
Electrical and electronic trades n.e.c.27/100£34,941−£722
Metal working production and maintenance fitters14/100£32,934−£2,729
Tool makers, tool fitters and markers-out30/100£31,579−£4,084
Vehicle paint technicians6/100£29,827−£5,836
Metal machining setters and setter-operators23/100£29,548−£6,115

Compare these side by side →

Occupations with similar exposure

← #213 Cooks · #215 Chemical and related process operatives →

Source: Department for Education (2023), The impact of AI on UK jobs and training (AIOE scores); ONS ASHE 2020 Table 14; job titles from the ONS SOC 2010 coding index (v7). Exposure is not a prediction of job loss. Methodology · Embed this data

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