Nine TAFE students and their teachers have been selected as the recipients of the second annual Industry Educational Trade Scholarship (IETS).
The scholarships, which are made available as a result of a partnership between ARBS, AMCA and AREMA, aims to increase opportunities for students studying commercial refrigeration and air conditioning and provide professional development for teachers.
The scholarship recipients – from New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia – will commence the first week of a two-week residential course at the Refrigeration and Climate Control Centre of Excellence (RCCC) in Melbourne on July 3. They will return for a second week of study from October 2.
The RCCC is a partnership between AMCA and Box Hill Institute ensuring recipients of the scholarship are exposed to the latest technological advances for HVAC&R. Winners include:
Chris Accary
Nirrimba TAFE NSW
Employer – Coldline Refrigeration
Teacher – Robert Rago
Liam Reck
Ultimo TAFE Sydney NSW
Employer – FDC Mech Services
Teacher – Tommaso Totaro
Thomas Stevens
Box Hill TAFE VIC
Employer – Brivis
Jamie Sigley
Box Hill TAFE VIC
Employer – D & T Refrigeration
Innes Dutoit
Townley TAFE SA
Employer – DCM Services
Teacher – Steve Excell
Jake Docksey
Nirrimba TAFE NSW
Employer – R.S Refrigeration Services
Teacher – Robert Rago
Lionel Benoit
Box Hill TAFE VIC
Employer – A G Coombs
Brandon Miller
Nirrimba TAFE NSW
Employer – Airmaster
Teacher – Robert Rago
Thomas Stewart
Nirrimba TAFE NSW
Employer – Inter Chillers
Teacher – Robert Rago
The scholarship embodies eight key units of competency from the Master Refrigeration program developed by AMCA.
Box Hill will enrol all students and award a Statement of Attainment for each unit completed. AMCA will provide a Master of Refrigeration certificate for those students who complete all eight units.
Scholarship recipient Brandon Miller, said he feels privileged to be selected.
"I see this as a real opportunity to increase my skills and knowledge and gain more confidence in my job," he said.
"This will make me more productive, directly benefitting my employer and helping enhance my future career prospects.”
AREMA president, Mark Padwick, said Brandon’s reaction to the win was “exactly what the IETS s all about."
“Our aim with this program is to reward students with a positive attitude, keenness to learn and a demonstrated aptitude to successfully complete their trade training. Brandon’s enthusiasm is just what we were looking for,” Padwick said.
These thoughts were echoed by Sumit Oberoi, executive director of AMCA, who said this year’s winners may well be future leaders.
“As an industry, we must ensure we continue to address ways to upskill apprentices, and further professionally and personally develop our important trade teachers," Oberoi said adding that the judges commented on
the high calibre of entries this year.
"This led to us increasing our intake from five students in 2016 to nine this year. It’s a great result.”