The Queensland Parliament’s Education, Employment and Training Committee will be holding three community forums and a public hearing briefing about the delivery of vocational education and training (VET) for regional, rural and remote Queensland in July 2023. The committee is keen to hear directly from workers, employers, and their representatives as part of its inquiry. […]
AIRAH has applauded the Australian 2023–24 Federal Budget and its strong investment in a net zero future. It also notes that success will require ambition, as well as continued cooperation between government and industry. AIRAH CEO Trish Hyde says the federal government has wisely combined short-term relief with investments that will bring energy bills down […]
Refrigeration and air conditioning apprentices are now eligible for additional financial support thanks to the trade’s reclassification as a “clean energy” job in the updated Australian Apprenticeships Priority List. The priority list identifies occupations for the Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System, which provides support payments for both apprentices and their employers. The latest priority list also […]
Woolworths is looking for motivated individuals to join its next cohort of refrigeration apprentices in January 2023. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to install the latest refrigeration systems into Woolworths supermarket stores, or support the facilities management team with proactive and reactive maintenance services. The facilities management division oversees energy management and maintenance of […]
It’s National Skills Week again, and this year the event created to raise awareness of VET pathways comes at a time when Australia needs vocational education and training more than ever. National Skills Week’s Chairman Brian Wexham notes that a severe shortage of skilled construction workers is slowing delivery and increasing the cost of home […]
Solar Victoria is offering free and low-cost packages for women to take up apprenticeships and training in the renewable energy industry – including air conditioning and refrigeration. The Home Heating and Cooling Upgrades has invested $11 million in comprehensive training and workforce development packages. Women currently make up less than 1 per cent of the […]
Since the start of the COVID pandemic, the entire HVAC&R industry has had to adapt to keep working. For those in the training sector, that has proved especially difficult. Robert Parsonson is General Manager of Superior Training Centre (STC), based in Sydney. He says conditions in 2021 were nothing if not challenging. “Trade courses normally […]
Dr Michael Riese, M.AIRAH, is Business Development Manager – Defence & Research at Cold Logic. He shares his views on the need for an HVAC&R training levy. Last week, AIRAH’s South Australian division crowned the new apprentice of the year in HVAC&R. The standard of the eight candidates put forward by TAFE SA was excellent, […]
Woolworths has opened applications across five states for its 2021 refrigeration apprenticeship program, including New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. The four-year program offers the selected apprentice refrigeration technicians the opportunity to gain experience with the latest global refrigeration technologies. Woolworths says its refrigeration systems are at the forefront of technology. […]
Geoffrey Craggs is proving it’s never too late to follow your passions, after switching roles from a duty manager to an apprentice refrigeration technician within the Woolworths Food Group. Craggs migrated to Australia from Belgium in 2012, and is now settled in Rockdale, Sydney. After working as a duty manager for nine years he wanted […]