What Makes a Great Apprentice

What makes a great apprentice? Interest.

A kid that wants to learn will always be taught. So, at Coolphase we teach. We take kids that have a love for electrical and turn them into craftsman. In short, here are the attributes we look for, and how you can succeed.

 

Great questions. When I started my apprenticeship the boss drilled into me, “An apprentice is only as good as the questions he asks”. So, I instantly thought I was a bad apprentice; I didn’t ask anything. But as I was to learn, there is a grace period. The more you experience you gain the more questions you can ask. And if you show interest you will be fine. Questions represent enthusiasm.

 

“I believe questions are better than answers” Jim Collins

 

Attention to detail. At Coolphase we train craftsmen not just tradesmen. In particular we like our people to take pride in what you can’t see. When we train apprentices, we expect every job no matter how small, to be done right. From a piece of cable tray to a span of conduit, everything should be done with a high degree of personal satisfaction. Be proud of what you do.

 

Honesty, patience and resilience. Being an apprentice can be tough. In most cases a young person will start their trade fresh out of school. In year 11 or 12 you are nearing the top of the tree, you have friends, knowledge and respect. But bam! Now you’re a first year. Our society has changed a little over the last 40 years and apprentice hazing is a thing of the past. However, starting at the bottom can be a real shock to your self-esteem. So, be honest about what you’re going through. Be patient and most of all be resilient, you will get there.

 

Work ethic. As with anything in life if you work hard people will appreciate you. So, put in the effort and do what you can. The worst thing you can do as an apprentice is to stand around with your hands in your pockets or scroll endlessly through your mobile phone.

 

Apprentices are so important for the future of all industries. Live to learn. 

Coolphase for Clean Seas

Part of “living the chill” 🤙🏼 is having a great affinity with the ocean. And our sea connection is clear. We have dudes that surf, team members that paddle and legends that enjoy island holidays. So for us, a “Coolphase for Clean Seas” fundraiser is a no brainer.

 

And you can help!

 

By working with and purchasing through us during November you’ll help us support Eco Barge Clean Seas. A great organisation that is looking after something we love. And we are really excited about getting our friends involved. Hopefully, we can raise some cash to keep the ocean crystal clean.

 

About Eco Barge Clean Seas

 

“Eco Barge Clean Seas Inc. was established in Airlie Beach to engage the community to protect the precious marine life and aquatic environment of the Whitsunday Region.

 

This was initially undertaken with the Whitsunday Marine Debris Removal Program to remove marine debris from the highly impacted beaches of the Whitsunday Islands. It now also includes reducing the amount of debris that enters our waterways through the Clean Streets and Creeks Program. As well as responding and caring for sick and injured marine turtles at the Whitsunday Turtle Rescue Centre and recycling the marine debris collected and transforming into reusable products.

 

Eco Barge also undertakes education and awareness activities within the community. Highlighting the issue of marine debris, the importance of thoughtful waste disposal, and what should be done in the event that a sick or injured marine turtle is encountered”.

 

For the month we’ll donate $50 from every case sold to Eco Barge Clean Seas. And the profits from the sale of our special edition t-shirts. The T-Shirts are high quality t’s from AS Colour, designed by yours truly and prints crafted by Shout Marketing.

 

 

5065 FADED TEE FADED DUST 02869 1620098022 Turtle Comined

 

To look after our special place “Coolphase for Clean Seas”  is super important. Hopefully, we can raise a little money and a lot of awareness. The link below goes directly to our Crowd Raising site. Please donate if you can.

 

Donate Here

 

South Straddie Clean Up

 

Keep an eye on our socials. To coincide with our fundraising we’ll be doing an Eco Barge South Straddie clean up on the 28th of November 2021. All friends and volunteers will be welcome. #livethechill 🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼

Road Trip

When school holidays came up, we thought it was a great opportunity to go on a road trip. We planned to travel through parts of Queensland that we hadn’t been to before. We also took the opportunity to look at some of the cabinets that Coolphase had sent around the country. Some of these refrigeration cases went to places that we had never heard of.

 

This is how our little trip went…

 

We left Brisbane on Friday afternoon and headed straight through to Gympie. A long drive on the last day of school. So we found a nice place to sleep and had a great meal at The Bunker Smokehouse and Bar. Our sleep was ok. But being right next to national highway can be a little noisy.

Early on Saturday we grabbed some local bacon and eggs and hit the road.

Our intent for the day was to reach Monto. Stopping off at the Waterfall Creek Rock Pools, the Coalstoun Lakes Craters and the RM Williams Bush Learning Centre. We were reached all destinations, dirt roads, cows and all!

 

 

We love to explore and there’s nothing better than exploring your own backyard. And Queensland has a big backyard! The Coalstoun Lakes Craters are some of the youngest volcanic formations in Australia. To see perfectly formed volcanic craters that are 600,000 years old was pretty cool. Equally the Waterfall Creek Rock Pools nestled in rugged bushland were little gems.

 

Monto

 

Reaching Monto and visiting the local Perry’s IGA was a (work) highlight of the trip. Our cabinets look great and the Kamis add a new shine to the store. We are so happy to be able to support regional communities and provide products that will last many years to come.

 

 

 

The Amethyst and Kami pictured above are our best sellers. They are a great price, reliable and totally functional. We were a little nervous when we supplied the Kamis. The store intended on installing by themselves. But country folk are pretty industrious and they did a great job.

 

The sites and surroundings of Monto were pretty cool too. It was full of historic buildings and murals. And half an hour outside of Monto is the Cania Gorge National Park. A beautiful dry rainforest full of screeching cockatoos and picturesque scenery.

 

 

 

Our road trip was short but exciting. We saw some great parts of queensland and how our products support regional communities. Thank you to all the warm and friendly people that we met along the way. We can’t wait to see you again when we journey out on our next adventure!

Supporting the North Gold Coast Seahawks

Supporting the North Gold Coast Seahawks is one of the most rewarding and enjoyable things we do at Coolphase. It’s a great partnership that’s both fun and exciting. And with the perfect alignment of values, our teams are constantly renewed and rewarded.

 

Coolphase has sustained an association with basketball for many years. We were there for the glory days of the Brisbane Bullets and now we’re here for the emergence of the youthful Seahawks. But the value we get from the North Gold Coast club exceeds anything we had seen in the NBL. The personal touch is amazing, the games are great and the local brand exposure is legendary.

 

 

Opportunity

 

Our partnership had an exclamation mark put on it this week when I asked Dwayne Vale the Seahawks General Manager a simple favour. Could he spread the word about our upcoming employment opportunities. We were on the lookout for new apprentices, both in refrigeration and electrical.

This was Dwayne’s response.

 

“Appreciate the opportunity with this. It works well with the culture we are trying to put together. And these sorts of opportunities for our athletes are great”. Dwayne Vale – General Manager North Gold Coast Seahawks.

 

The CV’s and resumes have been flowing in. And it’s pretty scary that one of the kids that applied was actually in my 16 year old son’s first basketball team. Do I feel old, well yes, a little. I’ve always been big on first impressions and luckily for us, the first impression I received from Jack all those years ago, was a good one. We’re excited to see what the Seahawks team can bring to our team.

 

Supporting the North Gold Coast Seahawks will be a priority for us for many years to come. This new mutual avenue of growth for both the Seahawks and Coolphase is a great. #swoopas1 #livethechill

 

Apprenticeship Application

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    Saving the World

    Saving the world like a superhero; yes, you can! You might think that that’s a little crazy and far fetched. But as a refrigeration mechanic every repair you perform can prevent greenhouse emissions and slow global warming. And every new concept and idea on cooling can improve the way we live. So, go ahead and make a difference. Start saving the world one gas leak at a time.

     

    Being a refrigeration/air conditioning technician is more than just being a hero. It’s a great trade. You get to meet great people, travel and earn awesome money (after the first 4 years that is). Refrigeration and air conditioning is made up from many different trades and covers many different areas. You can condition the air on an Airbus Dreamliner or keep the meat cold at your local supermarket. And your daily tasks can include things like programming electronic controls or welding new or busted pipes.

     

    The majority of the work we do at Coolphase is on commercial refrigeration equipment. And one of the most interesting parts of our job right now is transitioning supermarkets to natural refrigerants. Yes, you guessed it, saving the world by reducing carbon footprints.

    Saving the World 2

    At Coolphase we give kids the opportunity to do something great every year. In 2022 we’ll again be employing two first year refrigeration apprentices and one electrical apprentice. Having a constant flow of trainees ensures that our business can meet our legendary requirements well into the future.

     

    If you want to learn more, just give us a call. We are more than happy to provide any information you may need. Refrigeration is a great career. #livethechill

     

    Apprenticeship Application

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      Cooling the Keg

      Cooling beer or “the Keg” is something quite sacred in our neck of the woods. And being a refrigeration company, we have the skill to do it great.

      This is the story of how our chill cold room adventure began.

      Every now and then you get an opportunity to express your inner passion. And sometimes that opening rolls on to something unimaginable. Sometimes your inspiration flows through others and a massive dream begins to grow.

      I can’t remember how it started now but I know it was probably one of my crazy ideas that we acted on. An eBay search and a PayPal purchase later, we had our first beer tap set up. The expo cold room that was tucked in the corner had a purpose “to quench the thirst of many”. How awesome was this, draft beer by the office door!

      Thirsty Thursdays and Wedgy Wednesdays are now a regular fixture of our week. We are good at unwinding and laughing about tough days. A schooner or two never goes astray.

      Phase 2

      As good as beer at the bottom of the stairs was, we couldn’t take it everywhere we went. Cooling “the keg” had to be stepped up. Then one of our legends had another crazy idea “We need wheels, let’s make a cold room beer tap trailer”. Boom! Beer in all directions.

      And this is where wheel things get really cool. We love what we do, we love training, and we love doing great work. Our sheet metal apprentice built our first trailer. Bryce is a legend; he took on the task and smashed it. Every cut and every weld on the frame were perfect. Things kept evolving and moving on, everyone who walked past the trailer came up with a new idea. Our electricians perfected the wiring and our staff perfected consumption.

       

      Mass Production

      Our first trailer was actually sold before it was finished (thanks Linda). And that’s when we knew we were onto something. The cold room trailers were now more than just a form of entertainment for us. We built 3 more straight away. Each one better than the first. Craftsmanship at its best. The next 3 are now scheduled for production and all can be hired or purchased.

      Getting It Out There

      Apparently, we have a great concept on our hands. So, we’ve enlisted the help of Accentuate Web Design and Marketing to get the word out. Look for us at beer festivals, weddings or just a party on a suburban street. Hopefully, our little project will bring joy to many. #livethechill

       

      Legendary Push Off

       

      Our Legendary Push Off

      On the 2nd of June 2021 we held our first Legendary Push Off in support of the Push Up Challenge. Needless to say, “it was epic”! We were joined by our great friends LSKD, The Wiener Haus, Elev8 Health & Performance, The North Gold Coast Seahawks and Rare Estate by Rebecca Rainford.

       

      “The Push-Up Challenge is getting Australians active, raising awareness of mental health, fostering social connection and promoting health and wellbeing”.

      Donate

       

      The Event

      Our Push Off started with a brief introduction by team leaders. We spoke about why the challenge was important to us and shared our own personal stories. Elev8 Health & Performance explained why a healthy body was crucial for mental health and then cracked into a demonstration. Mitch told us the dos and don’ts of push-ups and then set the crowd off with his 180⁰ rotation. We were away!

       

      Mitch Coolphase Push Up Flip

       

      LSKD and Coolphase had shared a little banter in the weeks prior to the Push Off and now it was time to put their biceps where their mouth was. Us old folks at Coolphase were no match for the up and comers of the sportswear world. Although, I would say we won the North Gold Coast Seahawks shooting comp by default.

      Everyone was so enthusiastic with their push-uping, mind over matter, appropriate. And between sets we enjoyed the great Hot Dogs of Wiener Haus and quenched our thirst with a few cold beers. A highlight of the day was a keynote speech by Steve Renouf (3), Broncos legend and Deadly Choices Ambassador. Steve spoke about his experiences and the importance of health checks in the indigenous community. He also highlighted the difficulties indigenous Australians have with their mental health. Thanks Steve, your wise words were well received.

       

      “One in five Australian adults experiences a mental disorder each year (2). In 2021, this equates to over 5 million Australians living with a mental disorder”.

       

      Support & Awareness

      The Push Up Challenge were great in supporting our event. Romina their Public Relations Manager organised Michaela (PUC’s Southeast Queensland representative) to come out and record our event. Footage was sent to 7NEWS Gold Coast, but a vandalised pandanus tree stole our spotlight. However, I’ll share one of the recorded videos to help raise a little more awareness on mental health.

       

      *Video includes Jade Cameron from LSKD & Ricky Gatti from Coolphase.

       

      Grateful

      Personally, I am so proud of all the people that helped bring this event to life. And collectively we appreciate everyone that gave up their time and thank the people that donated financially. Hopefully our little event helped bring more awareness to the significance of mental health.

       

      TPUC EDM Banner Gyms Jun 21

       

      1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2009 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing: Summary of Results, 4326.0, 2007. Canberra.
      2. Steve Renouf appears by arrangement with Great Expectation Speakers and Trainers for and on behalf of Coolphase Pty Ltd.

      An Opportunity to Be Bold

      Opportunity is everywhere, and this is our story of a very prosperous meeting. When we met the great people and products of De Rigo Refrigeration.

       

      The Scene

       

      It was a crazy night, Scotty’s birthday. Consequently, the streets of Padova were graced with the presence of several happy go lucky Aussies and Kiwi’s. We were letting our hair down. Partly because it was Scott’s birthday, but mostly because we had a free day the next day. Owing to the cancellation of a factory tour that we had planned for months.

      And yep… while pondering a nice sleep-in and recovery, our thoughts were rudely interrupted, “Come to Belluno with us”!

      We had been invited to the Eliwell factory, a huge control assembly facility that was worth visiting. But even better than that, we had the opportunity to visit an innovative refrigeration cabinet manufacturing company. Specifically, this is what sparked our enthusiasm. With this in mind, I had no idea what we were about to walk in to.

       

      The Introduction

       

      Set amongst the back drop of the Dolomites a great and elegant sign towered above the busy parking lot and immediately sparked my interest “DE RIGO”. Then we walked through the front door and WOW 😯, the branding was blue (this was going to work, Coolphase blue).

      We were introduced to Andrea the Export Manager and Maurizio the CEO. It felt like a job interview. And as a matter of fact we were being tested. De Rigo Refrigeration will not work with anyone that could harm their reputation or brand. But, Coolphase is good, we are proud, professional and passionate, what’s not to like? Granted, we passed the test.

       

      The Tour

       

      “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” – John Maxwell

       

      I’ll never forget the next few moments. Of course, when you see something impressive or meet impressive people, you’re impressed. As we walked into what was like a war room, a plan of action, the leader’s domain, Maurizio and Andrea shared their revolutionary techniques. They showed us how they had changed production processes and had incorporated Toyota’s TPS or Lean Manufacturing system. Their ideas and professionalism showed. Consequently, I was sold on De Rigo Refrigeration before we had seen a fridge, freezer or display.

      The next two hours were spent walking production lines. So, we touched and viewed products, we watched processes, we learnt of rigid structures and computerised precision. Robotic arms lifted and stacked, lasers cut and drilled. Inspired by the plans of a craftsman, one by one a small masterpiece was completed.

       

      The Quality

       

      Italian refrigeration cabinets are some of the best in the world. Which means, they are elegant, stylish and manufactured to an extremely high standard. Not to mention, De Rigo Refrigeration takes that quality to another level. In fact, we have been dealing with display cabinets for a long time, and it takes a lot for us to be impressed. But, we were beyond impressed. And now, we’re bringing a piece of that quality and craftsmanship to you!

      Our cases are now available for dispatch from Brisbane, to see more of these great products check out our website or give us a call.

      Twist Hire
      Madeira Hire
      Kami Hire
      3 Case Hire

      Teach Don’t Criticise

      “It is easy to dismiss and neglect training when finances are rocky and time is limited, but growth and development are crucial. Learning needs to be driven at all costs. By being creative, training doesn’t need to be expensive and can use up only as little time as needed. Creating our learning culture at Coolphase began with the simple statement; “teach, don’t criticise”, learning is now at the core our business, and we are rewarded by the benefits every day.

      “Don’t mark my paper, just help me get an A” – Garry Ridge

      Right now, we are working on the first annual Coolphase 101 training day. And because we don’t always take ourselves too seriously, our training will be fun and our people will have all the answers, we’ll help them get an “A” joyfully. Our training will encompass all we do as an organisation and every employee will get to experience a different discipline or field of expertise. Yes, we will lose physical resources for the day and the loss in revenue will be significant, however, the benefits from aligning skills, values and culture will be awesome”.

       

      Teach, don’t criticise

       

      The above is part of an article written 12 months ago which was never published. We had been trough a rough time, our morale dipped and so did our resolve. We never completed our Coolphase 101 Training Day.

      The statement “Teach, don’t criticise”; however, still rings true. Mistakes are always a teaching or learning opportunity for us. If someone makes a mistake, instead of getting mad or angry, we ask the question “have we trained and communicated correctly, what could we have done differently?” We help our people get an A.

      Back in the current cycle of a subdued revenue forecast due to world epidemics and government restrictions, we know that training is more crucial than ever. We’ve picked up our resolve and morale; the employment of apprentices has been maintained; our technicians continue down the path of improvement and our administration staff are finding new and exciting ways of doing things.

      We still take on programs when we can, we attend free seminars where we can. Last year our service team completed an intense “Legendary Service” program with Blanchard Australia, we also undertook and worked through Patrick Lencioni’s principles from “Five Dysfunctions of a Team”. And today I am attending a virtual session with Jim Collins, organised by The Growth Faculty. I can honestly say that learning benefits us all.

       

      Change

       

      Sadly, we recently lost 60 years of experience (2 employees) to a competitor. But, thankfully due to our continual commitment to training, our young staff members were able to fill that void. And in hindsight, the situation gifted us the question. Would you rather have 60 years of experience or a group of people who are about to gain 60 years of experience? I know what I would rather. And I’m excited to see what these great young people can achieve.

      Challenging people with new ideas is what keeps us at our best. We constantly want to help our people improve and grow. Training is important for all of us, we love to learn and teach. Knowledge isn’t ours to keep, we must share and pass it on.

      Teach, don’t criticise! – RG