Government data shows that there are around 29,300 air-conditioning and refrigeration mechanics within the country, with nearly a third present in New South Wales (29.8 percent) and an almost equal percentage present in Queensland (28.3 percent).
It leaves a worryingly uneven distribution in other states and territories with locations like Tasmania and the Northern Territory accounting for just 0.9 percent and 1.5 percent respectively of the national workforce of these mechanics.
It has led to HVAC companies taking it upon themselves to train and upskill the next generation of this sector’s workforce, so that they can have the required personnel to assemble, install, maintain and repair industrial, commercial and domestic systems.
Among them is Daikin Australia, which has rolled out its Apprentice Technician and Graduate Engineer programs.
Delivered through the company’s purpose-built training academies across Australia, the programs integrate formal trade learning with extensive in-house training led by Daikin-certified instructors.
Participants gain hands-on experience with the latest HVAC technologies, diagnostics tools and digitally-enabled systems, ensuring they develop mechanical foundation skills and digital know-how.
“Our focus is on developing exceptional tradespeople. As the industry rapidly changes, we need technicians that are as comfortable with data, controls and diagnostics as they are with tools,” Daikin’s director of Human Resources, Corporate Affairs and Service, Ian Hurley says.
By exposing apprentices to real-world systems in controlled training environments, the program helps bridge the gap between foundational learning and on-site application, supporting a smoother transition into the workforce.
With training programs embedded across the business, Daikin says that the pathways are designed to expose participants to the full breadth of the organisation.
“Skills development must be better aligned with the technologies that will define the next decade of work. This capability is essential to maintaining safety standards, meeting compliance obligations and delivering the level of performance customers increasingly expect,” Hurley says.
“Developing skilled people isn’t just a workforce issue, it’s an industry responsibility. As an industry leader, we have an obligation to contribute back and help shape the future of HVAC in Australia.”
In related developments, towards the end of last year, Daikin opened a $28.6 million local manufacturing facility in Chipping Norton, NSW. The new Factory 2 expands the company’s capability to produce customised air-handling units and rooftop packaged air-conditioners as part of its global ‘local products for local markets’ strategy.
Read more: Daikin opens $28 million manufacturing site in NSW
