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. 

Apprentices: Why Do They Leave, and How Do We Keep Them?

‘The right apprentices, with the right trades, with the right employers, help our industry with a steady supply of qualified and licensed tradespeople. It is essential.’
Source: CSQ, CSQ Training Plan 2021-22

It’s no secret that Australia needs apprentices. 

But why do they leave early? And what can we, as employers, do to support and keep them?

Since the harsh blows of the pandemic on the trade and construction industry in 2020, the government has been investing heavily into boosting apprenticeship enrollment rates. They offered generous wage incentives to both employers and commencing trainees, and, as a result, there are now more QLD construction apprentices in training than ever before.

‘Driven by generous government incentives, more than 30,000 people signed up for an apprenticeship in Queensland over a six-month period. This was a greater-than-80% increase from the same period 12 months earlier.’

Source: CSQ, A Year in Review 2021

However, this surge in apprenticeship commencements doesn’t necessarily reflect in qualified apprentices. While we’ll have to wait four years to see the outcome of these new enrollments, recent data from the National Centre for Vocational Educational Research (NCEVR) states that 2021 held the fewest combined completions since 1999. 

But why? And why have the completion/cancellation rates remained so close for so long?

By asking enough employers and apprentices, there seems to be a lack of commitment on both sides:

Refrigeration Mechanic 900x600 1

1. Apprentices who don’t commit.

It’s a common story. A kid finishes year 10 or year 12, doesn’t know what they want to do, and randomly picks a trade. Maybe there’s a good wage; maybe their mates are doing it; maybe the government’s offering benefits, but it’s not long before they wish they had known what they were getting into before they began. This, combined with the shifting priorities, values, and needs of younger generations, has led to a hesitation to commit.

CSQ responded to this within their 2021-2022 Training Plan. They’ve invested $1M into an apprenticeship support program dedicated to encouraging the completion of apprenticeships and traineeships, and another $2.7M into career pathways courses for young people. The aim of this is to provide those interested with a solid taste of their ‘dream job’ BEFORE they begin, therefore more accurately targeting those who are willing to stick it out. 

2. Employers who don’t commit.

Kayle Dean, 25, Refrigeration Technician

Kayle’s just graduated from his apprenticeship as a fully qualified fridge. It’s safe to say he’s glad he chose Coolphase for his apprenticeship.

Apprentices cost time, money, and personnel, and, for many employers, the benefits don’t outweigh these. They would rather pay more for experienced tradespeople or string along unqualified assistants for cheap labour.

“They’d never put on apprentices before, they’d just had tradesmen and labourers. I would’ve been one of their first, and they didn’t want to jump in. Easier (and cheaper) to have someone working that’s not an apprentice and not qualified.”

Kayle Dean was 21 when he secured a refrigeration trades assistant job at a competing employer. Initially, he was promised he could begin his apprenticeship immediately, a story that quickly dissolved into ‘in a few months’ and then ‘the beginning of next year’.

After months of getting the run-around, he was desperate for an apprenticeship. That’s when a friend recommended he might find himself a better fit at Coolphase.

 

 

“I spoke to Ricky about my experiences, and he told me on the spot that that wouldn’t be the case here. He said I’d have an apprenticeship as soon as possible.”

Luckily, we followed through. Four years later, Kayle’s just graduated from his apprenticeship as a fully qualified fridgie. It’s safe to say he’s glad he made the switch.

“Looking back, I had hesitated to jump to a rival company after being at my current one for such a short time, but coming to Coolphase was the best decision I could’ve made for myself.”

When he successfully finished his time, he had a few other job options at different companies, but he didn’t care. He couldn’t wait to sign a new employment contract with us.

“They put me through the apprenticeship and spent four years on me. I feel like I owe them at least a bit of time as a tradesman. I want to give back.

The environment of Coolphase is a good one. I get along with everyone, the environment is chill and not uptight or angry. It’s a pretty cool place to work.”

It’s Worth It

At Coolphase, we’re big believers in a fair go. Apprentices make up 35% of our workforce, and they play a huge part in the culture of our business. Coolphase doesn’t just exist for the customers who buy our products or enlist our services, but also our employees. By investing in apprentices, we’re doing our small part to contribute to the next generation of workers and, ultimately, our future. 

‘Our commitment to training apprentices is at the core of who we are. It’s not just a means to supplement our workforce; it’s our way of giving back. We all started somewhere, so giving others the same opportunity we’ve had is extremely rewarding. We don’t get to keep all the kids (or adults) we start. But we’re proud of the ones that stay.’

Ricky Gatti, General Manager at Coolphase

Find Out More About Us Here

Written by Trinity Kitching 4/08/22 6:49pm

Sources:

Construction Skills Queensland

National Centre for Vocational Education Research

The Australian Government Treasury

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

Our Convenient “Grab & Go” Case Range

Grab & go, make it convenient. With our “I want it now”, tech savvy healthy convenient lifestyle comes change. We might spend hours on the internet researching products and services but when it comes to food, we want nutrition, taste and easy. And that’s where our retailers are embracing the new trend and where we can help.

 

Gone are the days of bland carboard box throw them in the microwave for 3 minutes meals. We now have fresher alternatives like Youfoodz “healthy eating made easy” and other producers suppling healthy convenient “grab & go” meals. Some restaurants like one of our favorite customers Lumah, offer their own handmade gourmet foods as tasty eat at home treats. To display these products and make the most out of the convenient trend you need a great fridge.

 

Our best convenient foods display fridges are the Onyx SV, Onyx Doors, Onyx Open and Euro Madeira. These fridges are produced in Italy by De Rigo Refrigeration and are of exceptional quality. They look great and they work great!

 

ONYX SV

The Onyx SV is our signature low height “grab & go” convenience food case. Available in M1, M2 & H ratings the Onyx SV can display anything from meats to dairy to produce. This makes it the perfect solution for ready meals. The Onyx SV is part of the Coolphase environmentally friendly R290 range, a range that boasts higher energy efficiency with greater piece of mind.

ONYX SV Display Fridge featured

To make the most of your “grab & go” meals and embrace the new trend contact Coolphase and we’ll help make your great products sell!

Clio Saves Rainbow

Clio on R290 is the pot of Freezer Gold at the end of the Rainbow!

 

The Town of Rainbow

 

If you head North west from Melbourne and drive for about 5 hours, you’ll come to a little town called Rainbow in Country Victoria. It’s a pretty little town and when you finally get there, you’ll find Ian’s Rainbow IGA Store. The heartbeat of the town providing everyone from the locals to the local Pub with their goods, produce and liquor and according to Ian (the store owner).

“It’s the best looking IGA store in Australia”!

“Do you want to know why?…  The town cenotaph is right at the door of the store and the whole bed is ringed with roses – so I’m the only bloke who can stand at the front of his shop and look at a rose bed”.

But even the beautiful rose bed at the front of Ian’s store could not stop the big black clouds from forming over the Rainbow.

Unfortunately, Ian and his store had coped a few too many knocks recently. One blow after another and then another… The tired old remote store freezer finally packed it in, and it seemed this could be the straw that broke the camel’s back.

 

Rainbow was in trouble…

 

“The freezer went out the day before I went to hospital so probably a week and a half to two weeks at least” without Frozen storage. “The people went without frozen goods; some went out of  town. Most of them would have gone to Horsham which is probably 110-115km away or Hopetoun or Warracknabeal…Whatever way they go (about an hour on average), so a 2-hour turnaround” justto get their frozen goods”.

“Small businesses can’t afford this”

“If you die, the town die’s… that’s the way a lot of country towns work”.

 

Help

 

Ian enlisted the help of his Victorian Area Manager, Scott McCurdy, who Ian says, “really stepped forward when I took crook”.

Scott got right to it and called out to Coolphase for help… He needed a case that was quick to install, had big capacity, was energy efficient to help with the financial blow and a case that was environmentally friendly to compliment the beautiful town of Rainbow.

We had just the thing!

CLIO 2.0:

  • Low Temperature Multideck Freezer with Built-in Unit
  • One of the Largest Displays on the Market
  • Integrated LED lighting
  • 2 and 3 Door Units Available
  • Multiplexable to Create a Continuous Run
  • R290 Green Energy Natural Gas with a GWP of 3
  • High Energy Efficiency
  • Thermal Break Frame and Low Emission Doors
  • Saving the Environment and Your Pocket.
Freezer

 

Clio to the Rescue

 

It seems the new freezer Clio 2.0 offered a lot more to Ian and the people of Rainbow… the black cloud has really disappeared!

Everything has started to turn around. It’s now been a good year all round, I’ve got new freezers and we’re starting to pay our bills. I didn’t know if I’d still be here at the end of the year, and now we’re going to come out of it smelling like roses. We’re hoping for good things”.

At Coolphase, we are especially proud of the Refrigeration cases and service we can provide. We strive to go the extra mile with a large team of people who are exceptionally talented at their craft. We do the whole job with excellence or we don’t do it all!

To boot, we have backed it up with an amazing partner in our Italian Refrigeration case supplier, De Rigo Refrigeration, who wowed us from the get-go… De Rigo Refrigeration cabinets are some of the best produced in the world. They are elegant, stylish and manufactured to an awesomely high standard. De Rigo takes awesome to another level with their ability to provide environmentally friendly and energy efficient cases.

We at Coolphase have been dealing with refrigeration display cabinets for a long, long time, and it takes a lot for us to be impressed. But beyond impressed is what we are with De Rigo Refrigeration, and now when we get the call up to offer a solution, we jump right to it!

Checkout our website at www.coolphase.com.au

 

Final note

 

Rainbow is special to all of us at Coolphase and we thank Ian, Scott and their teams for allowing Coolphase to play a part of their successful comeback!

Coolphase Electrical Services

Coolphase Electrical Services, our commercial refrigeration electrical team is practical, professional and perfect!

This week we celebrated the individuality of one of the most important parts of Coolphase, our commercial refrigeration electrical team. Finally Coolphase Electrical Services, has officially formed its own identity. Ultimately by being practical, professional and committed to craftsmanship, our electrical team now stands proudly on its own three phases.

Our electrical company is lead by Wayne Watson. Wayne’s reputation is synonymous with greatness within the refrigeration electrical industry. Therefore his knowledge and experience has given him a great platform to build an excellent electrical group. Consequently it’s group full of enthusiastic young tradesmen. Our whole electrical team embodies Wayne’s spirit and by taking pride in their work. And they embrace every new challenge with a “we can do anything” attitude.

Our services include, but are not limited to: Refrigeration Electrical Installations, Refrigeration Electrical Breakdown Services and HVAC (air conditioning) Electrical Installations.

As with everything Coolphase, apprentices are at our core. As a result we employ apprentices across every year level. So, this not only ensures our depth of talent going forward, but also provides stability for the refrigeration electrical industry. As can be seen, we are proud of our young people, we are proud of their commitment and mounting achievements.

Coolphase Electrical Services has been a long time in the making. There’s been hard times and exciting times, but now it’s time to shine. We want to continue our growth and share our world of talent with you.

Euroshop 2020

We were at EuroShop purely and simply to support our case supply partner De Rigo Refrigeration, their first attendance in twenty years.

 

THAT’S A WRAP!

 

Overwhelming – check

Lots of stuff to look at – check

Sore feet – check

Lack of sleep (due to networking) – check

 

This was probably our longest trade show visit ever. We were at EuroShop purely and simply to support our case supply partner De Rigo Refrigeration, their first attendance at EuroShop in twenty years. They did a fantastic job, the displays were “Awesome”, their marketing team, sales staff and commitment even better. We congratulate them on a great show and look forward to the next one in 3 years!

 

Factory Visit

 

Prior to the show, we travelled to the De Rigo factory Belluno to view new products and learn more about the LEAD production process. While in Belluno we were also lucky enough to visit a recent transcritical Co2 installation. The Installation was at a local Kangaru store (appropriate for an Aussie visit) and included a De Rigo Enex Co2 plant and De Rigo Refrigeration cases. De Rigo’s lead installation engineer was present to discuss the detailed installation process and control of the transcritical system. We look forward to the day when we have our first opportunity to install a project like this.

Back to the show. Making new friends and reuniting with old is a great part of industry trade shows. I’m sure my dancing, drinking games and larrakin antics have made a lasting impression… Wayne got to catch up with nearly everyone he used to work with in the UK, it was good to see him reminiscing about old times.

 

The Show

 

With almost 128,000 square meters of refrigeration which mostly comprised of refrigeration cabinets. Conservatively, picking the difference was hard. Arneg, Epta and Carrier had the biggest presence and biggest crowds. One of our favourites was the Hauser stand, apart from the company, the cabinets were “mint”. I was too scared to ask about pricing as the cases were obviously manufactured to a very expensive standard. A huge thank you to Brian Edkins from City, who took time out of his busy schedule to visit the De Rigo Refrigeration stand. We understand that this a very hectic time for the guys from City and every minute is precious. But Brian shared some of that great commodity to listen and show interest, this was certainly appreciated by the De Rigo/Coolphase team.

With thousands of cabinets to see, that are all energy efficient, that all work, that are all good looking, that all vary in price, how do you choose? What makes the De Rigo Refrigeration / Coolphase partnership stand apart? It’s simple, it’s our ability to serve our customers through being honest and responsive.

R290 Refrigerant – What’s the Big Deal?

Unless you’re a hardcore refrigeration fanatic, it’s highly unlikely you’ve laid awake at night wondering if the refrigerant (gas) in your commercial fridge or refrigeration system is the most energy efficient option, what it’s Global Warming Potential (GWP) is or how it is affecting our environment. But it’s actually something you should consider. I’m not saying toss and turn and lose sleep with the weight of the world’s changing climate on your shoulders… but something as seemingly insignificant as your refrigerant can actually be a bigger factor than you would think and knowing some basics on refrigerants can save your pocket and the planet. 

 

There is heaps of information out there on refrigerants; natural and synthetic; so, I won’t make this blog an information overload, but I have included some links at the end if you’d like to know more. 

 

In January 2018, the Australian Government, in line with an International agreement started the phase down of synthetic gases including hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).  

“HFCs (and sometimes PFCs) are used as refrigerants in industrial, commercial and domestic refrigeration and air conditioning equipment.”

If you have older commercial refrigeration equipment, chances are it is still charged with HFCs such as R-404A (GWP 3922) or HFC-134A (GWP 1430); even some of the newer equipment on the market are charged with high Global Warming Potential refrigerants. The implications of using these gases with high global warming potential is that over the next 10 to 15 years as Australia (and the world) continue to phase down and phase out these synthetic gases, the gases will not be readily available on the market and the cost to recharge your equipment will rise exponentially. Right now, the cost of these synthetic gases are already more expensive per kilo than R290 and as the phase out continues the gap will only continue to grow! 

 

The current rate for R290 is around $46.55/kg + GST. Compare this to R134a at $50/kg + GST, R404A at $50.50 + GST, R410A at $55.95/kg + GST and the whopper R22 at $275/kg + GST! Not to mention the effect these synthetic gases have on the environment.

 

There are a number of natural gases now available on the market, although they are not always readily available, and there are limited refrigeration contractors certified to work with them. (Australia is well behind the times when it comes to Natural Refrigeration Solutions, check out our blog Transcritical is Not a Dirty Word) 

R290 is a refrigerant that is becoming more readily available in the refrigeration world; and with the associated benefits, it is easy to see why. 

R290 has a global warming potential of 3, making it well below the global threshold of 150 GWP, placing it in an elite class of refrigerants with minimal environmental impact. 

R290 boasts a 40% reduction in refrigerant charge; not only is this gas cheaper in the long run with the phase out of HFCs but refrigeration systems are using less gas for the same system. 

The excellent thermodynamic properties of R290 also leads to higher energy efficiency. 

 

There are risks around R290 so it is important to do your research:

 

Due to its flammable nature R290 requires different charging, recovery procedures and equipment. In Queensland, fridges and freezers charged with R290 must be tested for compliance and technicians working on systems with R290 must be licensed to do so. If you are buying a fridge or installing a refrigeration system that is charged with R290 be sure to ask your contractor if they are licensed to work with R290 and that the equipment you are purchasing is certified. Currently, Queensland has a certification process that must be followed in order to sell any refrigeration charged with R290.

For more information be sure to check out https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/mining-energy-water/resources/safety-health/petroleum-gas/gas-work-devices/guidelines/hydrocarbon-refrigerants 

Other links:

MORE INFORMATION

Wanting more information on what you’ve read? Contact Us

Wow; That Was AWESOME!

Our first real Metcash Expo experience was full of excitement and surprises. We made friends, sampled great products and proved to ourselves that we belonged. So, the countless hours of planning and the meticulous budgeting has paid off.

And sure enough this next part may be a little cliché, but it needs to be said… “No one ever really knows what goes on behind the scenes. From the turmoil of making the initial financial commitment to the last crucial piece of artwork. It all takes dedication, inspiration and a will to be the best. We are fortunate at Coolphase to have that perfect team. The symmetric balance of conflict, creativity and expertise to get the job done right.

Amazing Partners

However, this all wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our fantastic partners, De Rigo RefrigerationBeijer Ref and Embraco

De Rigo Refrigeration our product partner has been instrumental in providing us with financial support. And most importantly cabinets that Australia can love and rely on. Andrea Lacedelli the De Rigo export manager has never waivered with his faith. He believes in our ability to represent the De Rigo Refrigeration brand. Andrea also spent every minute with us on the stand, which we truly appreciate, thanks Andrea.

The partnership with Beijer Ref and Embraco was born from our desire to display a full natural refrigerant solution.  Representing our continued commitment to our community and environment. An idea that we presented to Beijer Ref who embraced the concept with both hands and presented us with an introduction to our new friends at Embraco! A “Plug and Cool” unit was supplied for our Unicel cold room and bam, the final natural piece of the puzzle was in place!

To all of the people that worked tireless hours, to our friends that came to visit, to our partners that risked financial commitment, (to anyone that we have forgotten) and to Metcash for providing us with the opportunity, we thank you and look forward to being even bigger and better next year!