Queensland’s largest trade and technical training provider, TAFE Queensland SkillsTech is home to a dedicated refrigeration teaching team of nine boasting more than 132 years of teaching experience between them.
Coincidentally, TAFE Queensland has also just recently celebrated 133 years of training Queenslanders for jobs, which shows the depth of knowledge and skill in its teaching team.
With a focus on natural refrigerants training at SkillsTech’s north- and south-side training centres, the trade-qualified teachers deliver nationally recognised qualifications from Certificate II right through to Diploma level, as well as short courses to upskill for licensing purposes.
TAFE Queensland SkillsTech Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Leading Vocational Teacher Carl Balke said the TAFE has developed a two-day course for qualified refrigeration mechanics or appliance servicing tradespeople to assist them in gaining their very own hydrocarbon handling licence.
“This is for a licence in Queensland and to work with hydrocarbon refrigerants; students can train at our Acacia Ridge (south) or Bracken Ridge (north) training centres for this course,” Balke said.
“In the CO2 space, we have conducted courses for qualified tradespeople, in which the supermarket standard fridge operating on CO2 and ammonia will be utilised with students as far away as Perth and New Zealand attending.
“At Bracken Ridge students looking to further enhance their knowledge of control process and applications of Direct Digital Controllers (DDC) in the HVAC and Building Management System (BMS) sector, can undertake a two-day course.
“The nationally accredited course is available for qualified tradespeople to gain these valuable skills with a HVAC and BMS Controls module that will provide the student with a Statement of Attainment (UEENEEI157A).
“It really is our industry partnerships that ensure we are up-to-date with any industry trends and industry standard equipment.”
Local employer, Refrigeration House of Queensland, recently sent SkillsTech five qualified tradespeople, including the co-owner to upskill students with a two-day hydrocarbon course.
Co-owner of the company, Angus Mathers, said staff have been using the TAFE for decades.
“We have continued to choose to train all of our apprentices and upskill our tradespeople at TAFE since 1996,” Mathers said.
“It really helps to have student support on-hand to help our apprentices when they need a little extra assistance – I don’t know any other training organisation that does that. We have no reason to go anywhere else.”
Apprentice, Ezra Finch, believes teachers at SkillsTech TAFE deserve a lot of respect. “I applaud the teachers as their patience and understanding throughout my lessons was really commendable,” she said.
“I was able to tap into their knowledge and learn through real-life examples. The refrigeration teachers care about the industry and work hard to prepare us for what we can expect during our working lives.”