It was that time again. Time for the 6th Annual BurkeAir Apprentice Championships!
As part of our belief of giving back to the industry, we once again had a record number of apprentices that competed in the event. Twenty three apprentices went busily through the fifteen events within a given two hour time frame.
As is tradition with the event, we did not only concentrate on the normal skills associated with being a refrigeration mechanic such as Refrigeration and basic electrical skills, but we include some “out of the norm” skill tests. These include tasks such as understanding and providing details from a mechanical drawing or the Client Relations task, in which the apprentice needs to present, clarify and get their service sheet signed by a customer. There was also the OH&S task in which they had to rescue a person by suiting up in a harness, climbing up an extension ladder, securing the “patient” and rappel down safely within the allocated time.
All this was done under the supervising eyes of the four directors and other qualified trades people. Not to mention the watchful eyes of some of the sponsors and other invited guests who came to look at the spectacle and enjoy the lamb and pig on the spit that had been cooking all afternoon!
The event is a great gauge for us and our apprentices on areas on which they excel and areas that they, or we, have to improve on.
The eventual winners were:
1st Steve Wood
2nd Luke Biancotti
3rd Andrew Brooks
The winners were given prizes consisting of tools, vouchers, electronic gifts etc, valued at approx $4000 for 1st, $1500 for 2nd and 600 for 3rd.
The day was a huge success and we can’t wait for next year!
