Nick Johns-Wickberg
Jennah Halley took the scenic route to a career in HVAC&R, but since being named Apprentice of the Year in 2022, the Cairns-based refrigeration technician has made up for lost time.
Halley took the time to speak to HVAC&R News about her journey, the challenges she has encountered along the way, and how she sees the future for female tradies in Australia.
HVAC&R News: You said in a video interview that you wish you’d got into refrigeration 20 years ago. What were you doing before you became a fridgie? Had you ever considered trades at that point?
Jennah Halley: I do wish I’d found this earlier. My older brother started his refrigeration apprenticeship in high school, but I never knew what I wanted. Prior to this I was a stay-at-home mum of four kids, and before that I was a cabinet maker for six years. I’ve always loved figuring things out and making things work, so I knew I wanted my career to be in trades, I just never knew which one. I grew up on a farm being taught to fix things, not throw them away, so I’ve always been handy and curious.
What did you find most challenging during your training and apprenticeship, and what was most rewarding?
For me personally, the most challenging thing was juggling work and kids. Single parenting and parent guilt is hard. I wanted to learn as much as possible, so I put my hand up for everything, which meant sacrificing certain things. The most rewarding thing would be hearing my kids talk about me now and how far we’ve come. It makes all the hard yards worth it. I know I’ve shown them what hard work and passion looks like.
What did it mean to you to be recognised as the 2022 Australian Apprentice of the Year?
Oh man, honoured! I just found a job to support my family and ended up loving every part of it. I’m still humbled that someone recognised something in me! The best thing to come out of it is the opportunities I’ve had to inspire others by literally talking about something I love doing.
What are the specific challenges of refrigeration in tropical climates like Cairns? What kinds of problems are caused by the ambient heat and humidity, and how do you deal with those problems?
A lot of things are just not engineered to be exposed to these elements for such long periods. Add in the ocean air and we have the perfect storm. High pressures, sweating and mould are some of the problems. Honestly, like every area, we are conditioned to what we know, so I guess for us it’s normal. Knowing your customers’ needs when planning, designing and maintaining are priority. When things do go wrong, it is also more time sensitive due to the extremes in temperatures. Knowing your sites and maintaining equipment is crucial.
What does your current role involve and what do you love about it?
I am a service technician in mainly reactive works. I love the changing environments and the constant learning.
Do you think opportunities for women in trades – and specifically HVAC&R – are expanding? What advice would you offer to women who are either starting their journey in trades or considering going down that career path?
I definitely do. Even HVAC is gaining interest up here. During my entire apprenticeship, I was the only female in Cairns. We now have a few more apprentices coming up.
My advice has always been to find something you love doing, then find the trade that grows that interest. If you don’t know what that is, ask or offer work experience days. Research. It’s a lot easier to find information now than ever. There are so many elements to most trades. If that’s what you truly want to do, make it happen!
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