Mark Vender
To celebrate World Refrigeration Day on June 26, Woolworths is throwing open the plant room doors at two of its most technically advanced supermarkets and inviting the public to look around.
The open day, supported by RACCA, AIRAH and RMIT, is open to anyone interested in getting a look at the inner workings of supermarket refrigeration and air conditioning system. As is often the case with HVAC&R, it’s a building that people visit all the time, but rarely think about what’s going on behind the scenes.
The event is being heavily promoted among schools, in the hopes of raising awareness among young people about the HVAC&R industry and the opportunities it offers.
“If you are practical and problem-solving is your forte, this career path will offer you the challenge and the financial stability that you crave,” says RACCA.
“Being a refrigeration and air conditioning apprentice gives you the chance to explore your options. The career pathway is to start as an apprentice. After completion you become a technician, which enables you to enjoy challenging work and good income. If you are skilled in maths and physics you can further your studies, which could lead you to becoming a mechanical engineer.
“Start your career early with an apprenticeship that pays you while you learn.”
The event will run on the afternoon of June 26 at one store in western Melbourne, and another in western Sydney.
Woolworths refrigeration and sustainable innovations engineer Dario Ferlin, M.AIRAH, notes that the equipment on display is some of the most advanced on the market.
“The selected stores are not ordinary stores. These have transcritical CO2 refrigeration systems and hence are 100 per cent HFC-free. These leading-edge refrigeration systems are paving the way for a direct-emission-free supermarket future.”
The afternoon will include:
- An overview of the HVAC&R trade and the industry as a whole
- A technician describing a day in the life of a fridgie
- Refrigeration and air conditioning educators talking about the training they do
- A tour of the coolroom, plant room and condenser deck.
Woolworths, RACCA, AIRAH and RMIT are encouraging others in the industry to help spread the word beyond the borders of the HVAC&R sector.
Leave a Reply