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PLUMBING CONNECTION
WINTER 2016
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
F
or a number of years now, the Plumbing Industry
Climate Action Centre (PICAC) in Brunswick, Victoria,
has been providing integrated education and training
programs in advanced areas of plumbing and gasfitting.
PICAC’s facilities are second to none and include the Fire
Protection Centre of Excellence, the Occupational Health
and Safety Centre of Excellence, a demonstration Green
Plumbing House, world class reticulated water systems,
the newest technology in water and energy efficiency. By its
own admission, showcasing the world’s very best, leading
edge technology means PICAC is training the plumbers of
tomorrow, today.
Such has been the success of PICAC in Brunswick,
Victoria, that in November 2014 the Andrews Government
announced they would look to support the development of
two new PICACs in Geelong and Narre Warren in Melbourne’s
southeast. With the Geelong building now erect and at
the fit out stage, we were keen to learn more about the
space, the type of training on offer and the scope, if any, for
collaboration with local TAFEs.
“The construction itself is completed and is now at the
fit out phase. We estimate that we’ll be delivering training
in Geelong by mid-late this year,” chief executive officer
Shayne La Combre says.
Many lessons have been learnt while delivering training
at Brunswick which helped to shape the design process and
space requirements at the new building.
“One of our key learnings since we started is to create
teaching spaces that are as flexible as possible. By definition
we are a narrow specialist institute – narrow in the sense
that we really only focus on plumbing – but having said that,
plumbing is such a broad sphere; it includes everything from
drainage, with its below ground earthworks, through to high
end complex gas fitting with its serious risks. There’s a wide
array of specialisations in this industry and you can spend a
lot of time and money equipping large dedicated areas only
to have them sit unused for 85% of the time.”
Shayne acknowledges that much of PICACs learning’s
have come via its relationship with the US and watching how
they instruct in schools that are far bigger than PICAC,
WITH A VISION TO EXPAND ITS REACH AND TRAINING CAPABILITIES, TWO NEW PLUMBING INDUSTRY CLIMATE
ACTION CENTRES ARE ON THEIR WAY TO VICTORIA.
JUSTIN FELIX
CAUGHT UP WITH CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
SHAYNE LA COMBRE TO FIND OUT WHAT HAS BEEN PLANNED FOR THE TWO SITES.
TRAINING