Page 18 - Climate Control News August 2021

NextGen 2021
Shaping the future
KOSMAS CHRONAKIS IS a fourth year ap- prentice at Alliance Refrigeration in Sydney. Ko- smas is serious about completing his trade and is now preparing to undertake a Diploma in HVAC Engineering. Kosmas was destined to be a fridg- ie. “My father is a refrigeration engineer so I picked up the tools as a toddler,” he says.
The 22-year-old has travelled across Australia completing his apprenticeship. “The best part of the job is the people you meet, plus I like the the- oretical side of the trade,” Kosmas says.
Dylan Cox is a South Australian based apprentice in his final year at Cold Logic. The 25 year old began his career as a light vehicle mechanic but soon got bored being in the same place day after day.
This is when Dylan decided to be a fridgie. He tested the waters doing air conditioning installs for 10 months before joining Cold Log- ic. “This is complex work, it is challenging and we get to dabble in so many different areas; from ammonia to commercial air condition- ing,” he says.
“My favourite part of the trade is working on big industrial systems, compressor rebuilds and going
“I LIKE COMPRESSOR REBUILDS AND BIG INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS TO WORK ON.”
Problem-solving skills are an important part of the trade.
on call-outs. In the future I want to set up my ute to do contracting work and travel around Australia.” Melbourne-based apprentice, Kai Davies, has
been working towards his trade since high school. The 17-year-old worked two days per week at SP&R Air Conditioning while complet- ing years 11 and 12.
After completing his education Kai began working at SP&R Air Conditioning full time. The first year apprentice is part of the Head Start Program which allows students to do paid work while finishing school. It certainly gives students a headstart in their careers.
The company is owned and managed by fridg- ies so it’s a place where apprentices can thrive.
“I love the trade because I learn something new everyday and it is always different,” Kai says. Ben Dolahenty is nearing the end of his ap- prenticeship at ChilledRight in Sydney. He was introduced to the trade by his father. “My dad is a fridgie and runs his own business,” Ben says. The 19-year-old says it is a challenging trade but that is what he likes most about the job. “I have to ac- tually use my brain and I enjoy problem-solving,” Ben says. “I have had a chance to work in all as- pects of the trade now and my favourite part of the job is working on supermarket jobs, I like
working on the bigger stuff.”
Final year apprentice, Norman Furlong, loves
the independence the job provides. “I am out and about all the time, I am never stuck in one place,” he says. “When I first left school I started an ap- prenticeship as a butcher but left within a year I hated being stuck indoors all the time.”
The 24-year-old has been at DM Air, west of Brisbane, for four years. “It is the longest job I have ever had,” Norman says. In future, Nor- man plans to travel and is confident he will be able to get regular employment with his re- frigeration and air conditioning skills. “My mate’s brother has been in the trade a long time and he has worked on jobs overseas, that would be awesome.”
Apprentices get to service a broad range of equipment.
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