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Michael Snook, Affil.AIRAHWinner of Student of the Year – Trade at the AIRAH Awards 2016, Michael Snook, Affil.AIRAH, is a valued member of the WA division committee.
Starting out as a refrigeration mechanic, he went on to spend four years as a commissioning technician. This experience exposed him to the more technical side of the HVAC&R industry, and an interest in project management. Snook is undertaking a cadetship as a junior project manager at Centigrade under the tutelage of Greg Grundy, M.AIRAH; Brad Chugg, Affil.AIRAH; and Stephen Hayward. |
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What brought you to the HVAC&R industry? When I left high school, I immediately started a university degree in commerce. Although I didn’t mind the study and concepts, at the time it just wasn’t for me. While saving up for a holiday, I did some work experience with a fridgie I met at the boxing gym I trained at. I enjoyed the mixture of physics theory and the hands-on nature of the trade so much – I spent a lot of time in my father’s automotive workshop as a kid. It inspired me to switch from university studies to an apprenticeship instead. What's your favourite HVAC&R-related memory? My favourite memory so far has definitely been the times I had at TAFE, learning from lecturers that had a wealth of experience from being in the industry. It’s good to see the next generation of Western Australian fridgies are being taught by the right people. |
How long have you been a member of AIRAH? Five years this June. What's something everyone should know about you, your work, or the HVAC&R industry? There are just so many pathways you can go down. There really is something for everyone in the HVAC&R industry. How do you see the HVAC&R industry developing over the next 100 years? With the indisputable evidence of climate change, the HVAC&R industry really needs to step up and be leaders in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Given that HVAC&R accounts for so much energy consumption, we really are in a unique position to change the future of our world. New technologies, married with the optimisation of existing ways of heating and cooling, need to be brought to the fore and championed. Australia in particular is so wasteful with energy. We still have CAV hot/cold duct systems in some of our largest institutions! Given our standing in the world, we should be doing a great deal more. The implementation of standards – alongside the education of our next generation of engineers and tradespeople – needs to be made a priority. |