A 30-year veteran of the HVACR industry, Grosvenor Engineering Group technician, Jason Glendenning, has won the very first Tradie of the Year Award.
This is a man who has seen the industry evolve over decades and still believes the industry has a big future.
“We've come a long way but there's still a long way to go,” Glendenning said.
For as long as he can remember, Glendenning has always had a passion for "fixing things".
“Grosvenor allows people to work to their strengths and my strength is fixing things,” he said.
“I've always lived by the motto – don't find the cause, find the remedy.”
Glendenning said he was encouraged to take up a trade when he finished school and was selected for an apprenticeship.
He was part of the original Grosvenor team of five technicians servicing buildings in Sydney.
Glendenning now works as a technician in the Brisbane region and, by his own admission, prefers to take on more complex projects.
“With over 30 years experience as a technician, there’s nothing else I’d rather do,” he said.
“I see myself as a HVAC all-rounder and nothing gives me more satisfaction than being able to use my experience to find a solution to a problem and, of course, leaving behind a happy customer.
“It's good to be the go-to person for fixing things that might be a little tougher to crack than the average job.” Career plans for the future? “I want to stay in HVAC because I really enjoy it and the people involved,” Glendenning said.
“While I love being a technician there may come a time when I may consider becoming a Client Account Manager so I can still work with our techs and customers and help out on the equipment where needed.
“I enjoy sharing my industry knowledge and often take on a mentoring role with apprentices.”
Glendenning said training is one of the biggest challenges facing the industry right now. “Also, attracting apprentices has become more complex as today's generation is much more technology-focused,” he said.
Sponsor of the award, Hitachi Air Conditioning, announced the winner at CCN Live. It was presented by Hitachi marketing manager, David Staker.
“At the CCN Live event we were reminded of the challenges the trade faces. Recognition of excellence in the trade is a crucial component of encouraging a strong trade for the future. This was attractive to Hitachi Air Conditioning, a company dedicated to helping individuals reach their full potential," Staker said.
"We see learning as being central to not only practical skill development, but also to the creation of new products and technologies that will ultimately benefit us all.
"I’d like to again congratulate Jason Glendenning. It's great to recognise the hard work put in over many years.”