Cold Link Africa Jul/Aug 2016 Vol 1 No 6 | Page 27

EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN

WorldSkills sponsorship
appeal to industry
By John Ackermann
#WorldSkills17

As the time fast approaches for South Africa to compete
in the 2017 Abu Dhabi WorldSkills competition, industry
is urged to do their part in sponsoring material and
consumables for the national competition.

T

hus far eight young artisans,
who will be under the age of
22 on 31 December 2017, have
entered the national competition to
compete for the spot as South Africa’s
contestant in the trade of refrigeration
and air conditioning at the 2017
WorldSkills Olympia.
These eight contestants — together
with those for the other trades like
welding, beauty therapy, motor
body repair, website design, health
care, hairdressing and so forth — will
compete in the national competition
to be held in Durban in January 2017.
At the national competition, the
hand skills in piping; the use of hand
tools; the task of measurement,
installation and commissioning of an
air conditioner or air-conditioning
system; adherence to workplace
safety; and the safe-handling of
refrigerants, will be put to the test.

Throughout the two and a half days
of the competition, contestants —
each at their own partitioned work
station — will be under the watchful
eye of the judges and passing
spectators. Time management
and planning are put to the test as
contestants put their shoulder to the
wheel to complete each given task
within the allotted time.
For the past five WorldSkills
competitions, South Africa’s team has
been privileged to have Bob Vuletic
as its technical refrigeration expert
and judge in the same trade. His
technical expertise and enthusiasm
have gained the respect of the
HVAC&R judges from many of the
other competing countries around
the world. On average there are 13
contestants in the HVAC&R trade
and each competing country is also
required to provide a judge.

1

The refrigeration industry has been
fortunate to have had the enthusiastic
support of Bob Vuletic in co-ordinating
all the equipment and consumables
that are required for the national skills
competition. For the competition held
in the Cape Town Convention Centre
in January 2015 (ahead of the 2015
WorldSkills in Brazil), Multistage Cooling
built and provided four stainless steel
work stations. Many wholesalers,
refrigerant suppliers, tool suppliers
and importers generously sponsored
components, piping, compressors,
fittings and consumables, all in the
interest of uplifting the level of skills
in the HAVC&R industry of South
Africa. The careers exhibition in the
competition hall attracted many
visitors from the public, schools,
colleges and training providers, and
provided valuable exposure to the
competition sponsors.
An appeal is again directed to
industry to sponsor material and
consumables for the 2017 national skills
competition. Sponsorship could be in
the form of prizes for the contestants
or a tool kit for the winner that will go
onto the WorldSkills competition in
Abu Dhabi.
Willing sponsors are asked to
contact Bob Vuletic at Multistage
Cooling on 0027 (0)11 791 3168
for further information or offers of
sponsorship.

2

WorldSkills contestants are fortunate to
have all of their international expenses
paid by WorldSkills South Africa, which
gets partial funding from the Setas.
But we need industry’s assistance for
the materials intended for the national
competition. CLA

1. Forming the word ‘cool’ in
copper tubing and getting it
covered in a layer of ice from
a small refrigeration system with
hermetic compressor and heat
recovery, tested the hand skills of
contestants at the 2015 national
competition held in Cape Town.
2. The eye-catching display
of colleges at the 2015 skills
competition showcased the
many careers on offer for young
South Africans.
COLD LINK AFRICA • July | August 2016

www.coldlinkafrica.co.za

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