Cool Careers
Hands-on LEGO refrigeration activity inspiring students to explore STEM skills, careers, and pathways in the cooling industry.
The Neon quality mark shows this activity has been reviewed and meets Neon's quality standards.
Overview
In this hands‑on LEGO refrigeration experience, students build a working model fridge to see STEM in action and explore real careers in refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps.
As students investigate how cooling technology affects everyday life - from supermarkets and hospitals to data centres and sustainable heating - they develop teamwork, problem‑solving and practical engineering skills.
The free session is delivered by a member of the Institute of Refrigeration (IOR) alongside a trained STEM Ambassador from the refrigeration industry, who will share their career journey, helping learners understand real‑world roles, labour‑market opportunities, and pathways into apprenticeships, college courses and university programmes.
The experience provides meaningful workplace awareness and employer encounters, and highlights how IOR student membership can support young people to explore further study and exciting careers in this vital industry.
Teachers will receive easy reflection prompts and access to Fantastic Fridges resources to carry on the learning beyond the activity.
Details
- School subject
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- Chemistry
- Design and technology
- Engineering
- Curriculum links
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- Engineering
- Biology: Material cycles and energy
- Physics: Energy
- Technologies - Craft, design, engineering and graphics: Application of engineering
- Sciences - Planet earth: Energy sources and sustainability
- Sciences - Planet earth
- Design thinking and engineering: Engineering
- Physics: Energy transfer
- Technology & design - Manufacturing
- Sciences - Earth and universe: The environment and human influences
- Sciences - Forces and energy
- Technology & design - Control
- Group size
- Whole class
- Duration
- 1 to 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Location
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In-school
- UK-wide
Learning outcomes
- Improve engagement, interest or enjoyment in STEM subjects
- Learning what the engineering workplace is like
- Improve awareness and aspirations for STEM-related study and careers
Frameworks
Gatsby benchmarks
The Gatsby benchmarks are a framework for good careers guidance for schools across all of England and in some areas across the rest of the UK. This experience helps your school to reach the following benchmarks:
- 2 - Learning from career and labour market information
- 5 - Encounters with employers and employees
- 6 - Experiences of workplaces
- 7 - Encounters with further and higher education
EqualEx
- Introduce and Inspire
Essential skills
The essential skills every young person needs to succeed in education and their future career. Find out more at the Skills Builder Partnership. This experience builds the following skills:
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Enrichment framework
- 5 - An accessible and engagement enrichment offer
