4 minute read
AIRAH Update
by AIRAH
FIRE AND ICE
This year’s WA Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Awards saw Mark Law walk away with the state’s Apprentice of the Year gong. He tells us about his successful switch from hospitality to HVAC&R.
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In October, AIRAH, South Metropolitan TAFE and RACIAWA hosted the WA Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Awards. Almost 100 people gathered to celebrate the achievements of the 10 award winners.
The winner of the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Apprentice of the Year Award was A.J Baker & Sons apprentice Mark Law.
Mark Law accepting the Apprentice of the Year Award from AIRAH National President Paul Jackson, F.AIRAH.
SECOND BITE
Law came to the HVAC&R industry a little later than some. On finishing school, he studied hospitality at TAFE and spent several years working in that industry, specialising in pastry and baking and rising to the position of chef de partie. But at the age of 32, he was ready for a change. “I was looking up jobs,” says Law. “We always had the fridge blokes out, always playing around with the controls. I used to talk to them about it, and found out that refrigeration was actually really big.”
When he returned to Perth, Law signed up for a pre-apprenticeship and did a six-month work placement at an HVAC company. Although he enjoyed most parts of the job, there was one major problem.
BEST OF THE WEST
Award
The WA Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Awards were presented in 10 categories to the best and brightest HVAC&R talents in Western Australia.
Award sponsor Winner
Most Deserving Student in the First year of Apprentice Training RACIAWA Best Performance in the First year of Apprentice Training RACIAWA
Most Deserving Student in the Second Year of Apprentice Training RACIAWA Best Performance in the Second Year of Apprentice Studies AJ Baker & Sons
Sajjad Zafari Benjamin Entwistle Luke Evans
Chan Nam Tang Michael Sharman
Most Deserving Student in Third Year of Apprentice Training BK James/AIRAH Best Performance in the Third Year of Apprentice Training RACIAWA
Boon Guey Ang Jacob Hinton
Best Performance in Diploma Studies Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Apprentice of the Year AIRAH Jose Luis Rivera Bayer, Stud.AIRAH RACIAWA Mark Law
“I was afraid of heights,” says Law. “So I was terrified of being in these high-rise buildings.”
The solution came at the start of his full apprenticeship when a friend who had a placement lined up with refrigeration specialists A.J Baker & Sons decided to go elsewhere. Law took the bull by the horns.
“I said, ‘I’m going to go down there, drop my resume off and see how it goes’,” Law remembers. “I got a chance to meet with (Managing Director) Mike Baker, and gave him the whole spiel. The rest was history really. Mike told me ‘You can start next week Monday’!”
CHALK IT UP TO EXPERIENCE
Although Law says he felt the pressure of being a mature-age apprentice, it also offered some advantages.
“It definitely builds people skills and relations with customers,” he says. “I’m not socially challenged, I’m extroverted, so I do relate to the people I’m working with.
“Also, I was a leader in the kitchen, so I’ve dealt with a lot of apprentices myself and know what’s expected of them. I wanted to show these people that I have drive, that I can do things, even if it puts me out of my comfort zone.”
Law has certainly done that. During his apprenticeship, he’s worked on both HVAC and refrigeration, doing everything from residential and small commercial jobs to large supermarket fitouts using the latest transcritical CO2 technology.
“It’s a great company,” says Law. “To get the experience of what they’ve given me can’t be bought. South Metro TAFE went above and beyond for me as well. I had great lecturers, people who definitely gave me their time, even during lunch breaks.”
Law says the award was unexpected, but very much appreciated.
“Being a 32-year-old entering the industry, I thought it was going to be really difficult. But coming from the hospitality world I was giving these guys 110 per cent every single day just for the chance to do another trade. It was fantastic.” ■
Winners were grinners at the WA Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Awards.
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS
AIRAH thanks the major event sponsor Ford & Doonan, as well as event sponsors AJ Baker & Sons, Seeley International, Turner Engineering, Systemaire and Polyaire.
The foremost resource
EDITION 05
NATIONAL RESOURCE AUSTRALIAN REFRIGERATION AND AIR-CONDITIONING
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NATIONAL RESOURCE AUSTRALIAN REFRIGERATION AND AIR-CONDITIONING
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