The Manitoba Home Builders' Association is celebrating 75 years.
Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/322578
## ##%#$ $# "!""# !# " ! ! !! !!! ! ! ! !!! ! )## ' ) #& ( " ' $ ! + % %% "("* IT WAS WHEN HE ENROLLED IN INDUS TRIAL ELECTRICAL COURSES THAT JEFF PODWYSOCKI BECAME INTERESTED IN THE TRADES. Jeff has now been in the refrigeration and air conditioningbusinessforover30years.Hestarted offworkingatarentalcompanywhereherepaired power tools and it was at this job he knew he wantedahands-oncareer. In 1985 he got a job as an installer with Lowe Mechanical Services Ltd. in the refrigeration and air conditioning trades, and he has been working withthemeversince. "Ihaveseenthecompanygrowfromsixemployees to90,"Podwysockisaid."Ilikemyjob,Ilikewhat Ido." Podwysocki said outstanding teachers mentored himthouroughthisapprenticeyears. "Phenomenal journeymen offered me their perspective and were very interested to take the timetoshowmehowtodomanythings,"hesaid. Podwysocki currently has three apprentices and lovesthathisworkofferssomethingdifferentevery day,whetherit'smeetingortrainingnewpeopleor workingatvaryinglocations. "People always ask me, 'Do you fix fridges?'" Podwysocki said. "I tell them I can, but it is more than that. I control the hot and cold air that is circulated throughout buildings.The work I do is a wide spectrum of trades – mechanical, electrical andsheet-metalwork.Youneedtobeaccustomed to the weather as we are always working outside, andmostlyonroofs." Podwysocki said he mostly does contract work for a public utility with numerous locations acrossManitoba. "Even as a supervisor I am still in the field every day," he said. "This job gives you the ability to travelandlearnnewthingseveryday.It'sallabout experience–youdon'tlearneverythinguntilyouare fullyresponsibleforyourownactions." Podwysockihas a few keyguidelinesforworking withapprentices. "Treat them fairly," he said. "You treat your apprentices how you would want to be treated. Theyneedtotaketheirtimelearning. "It is better to be a great journeyman then an averageone." Podwysocki describes himself as a shy man who prefers to be in the background, but said he's proud to be nominated for Urban Journeyperson oftheYear. "It's nice to feel appreciated," he said. "It's also goodforthebusiness." LastyearoneofPodwysocki'sthird-levelapprentic- esplacedthirdintheNationalSkillsCompetition. URBAN JOURNEYPERSON OF THE YEAR JEFFPODWYSOCKI F I N A L I S T JEFF PODWYSOCKI HAS BEEN IN THE REFRIGERATION AND AIR CONDITIONING BUSINESS FOR OVER 30 YEARS SUBMITTED PHOTO