Page 24 - Climate Control News Magazine December-January 2022

HVACR Leadership Awards
Woman of the Year in HVACR Award winner
WOMAN OF THE YEAR IN HVACR AWARD WINNER, PAM ROGERS, BEGAN HER CAREER ON THE TOOLS BUT SOON WORKED HER WAY INTO MANAGEMENT.
TODAY SHE IS the general manager of SP&R Air Conditioning in Melbourne.
“I worked hard during my time as an appren- tice and technician as I always knew I had to prove to the boys that I was good at what I do,” Pam says.
“I always made sure that I kept learning as well because knowledge is power.
“In the beginning I wanted to work in a trade to avoid being stuck in an office, which is where I ended up 15 years down the track.”
Pam never really thought about management roles when she began her journey as a refrigera- tion mechanic.
But once she was given the opportunity, she thrived. When Pam first began working at Preci- sion Mechanical Services there was a small ser- vices team.
In the next seven years Pam says she helped the team grow from two technicians to 12 and tripled sales through hard work and dedication.
“This is also where I learnt the most in my ca- reer being mentored by one of the best in the business, I am forever grateful,” she says.
Pam says lack of knowledge about the trade is a very real problem because it allows plumbers, sparkies and other tradies to take work away from the HVACR industry.
“It is great to see more women giving trades a go, I see a lot more women on trade sites and I hope this will continue,” she says.
“THIS INDUSTRY HAS BEEN GOOD TO ME AND I’VE LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. ”
“Working for SP&R Group has been one of the most fun and fulfilling jobs I have worked at, I am surrounded by so many skilled and passion- ate people,” she says.
“I feel strongly about females in the trade and have hired many female apprentices through my time. I speak at TAFE when I can about the HVAC industry to raise awareness.
Pam says she has gained a lot from the industry and feel it’s time to give back whether that is through mentoring or providing career opportunities.
Pam Rogers
“This industry has been good to me, and I have loved every minute. It’s given me opportunities I couldn’t have imagined,” she says.
Away from work Pam is the founder and presi- dent of the Casey Thunder Football Club, a fe- male only club established in 2019.
“I have been involved in football for 15 years and was always frustrated with men’s clubs not providing the women’s teams with enough sup- port, so at the end of my 2019 season I thought I would create my own club without affiliating with men’s teams to try and provide an environ- ment that is fair for women,” she says.
“We played our first season this year in 2021 after 12 months of lockdown and have over 70 registered players and are growing every year.”
Sponsored by Bitzer, the winner of the Woman of the Year in HVACR Award was announced by Bitzer Australia operations manager, Cara Keatly.
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