Design Engineer Sam Gills represented the company on the tour, sharing his journey from apprentice to qualified engineer and speaking about the critical role refrigeration plays in sectors such as healthcare, food production, data centres and sustainable energy. Gills joined a BBC-hosted panel alongside Kathryn Wilson (BBC), Matthew Carr (Middlesbrough FC Foundation), and Emilia Martinez-Barnfather (BBC journalism apprentice), offering students real-world insights into technician roles.

“Technician careers don’t have a ceiling,” said Gills. “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, who began his career as an industrial refrigeration apprentice at Star’s Newcastle branch, became a qualified engineer in 2019 and now works in design while completing a part-time BEng in Building Services Engineering at Teesside University. His achievements include CIBSE Student of the Year North East, ACR Trainee of the Year (2017), a SkillFridge bronze medal (2018), and RAC Cooling Awards Student of the Year (2019).

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 spoke to over 1,100 students during last year’s BBC Bitesize Careers Tour.

Astrid Prado, Head of Marketing at Star Refrigeration, said: “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.”