Male Rising Star Award winner, James King, began his career at Precise Air Group as one of the company’s
very first apprentices.
That was 11 years ago before he worked his way into management and began a Bachelor of Business degree.
Today he is known around the company as a Superstar who is passionate about his role as one of the youngest account managers for the Newcastle region of New South Wales.
King's colleagues describe him as mature, capable and hard working.
At the tender age of 30 King leads his own service team and has been instrumental in securing a large and valuable contract that was held by a competitor for more than a decade. Not surprisingly, King said he plans to continue studying and to eventually undertake an MBA.
“From technical advancements to regulatory changes this is an industry that is always evolving,” he said.
“This drive for continual improvement means that it is never boring and that's what I love most about this industry.
“The downside to all this change is ensuring the industry can continue to build a skilled workforce that can keep pace with rapid technological advancements.
“It means finding a balance between short term commercial outcomes versus investment in R&D and meeting the training needs of today's workforce,” King said.
When asked about trends likely to shape the industry in the next few years King nominated analytics and AI as well as the continuing challenge to reduce HVACR's environmental impact.
Moreover, he believes HVAC tradespeople are ideally placed to manage multiple services across different disciplines such as fire, plumbing and electrical.
King works closely with Facility Managers and believes the current consolidation of services presents opportunities for the HVAC industry.
He said CFSP (Certified Fire Safety Practitioner) requirements will come into play for essential servicing testing.
“There is a greater need for collaboration and understanding between fire and mechanical trades,” King said.
Once again ABB sponsored the Male and Female Rising Star Awards. King was presented with his award by ABB Australia's HVAC segment manager, Paul Burrows.