ELLIS TRAINING WORKS

F.Inst.R., F.I.Diag.E., LCG., Managing Director

A true industry pioneer, his influence as a trainer and industry adviser, nationally and internationally, continues to be profound.

John has served on many of the industry’s leading bodies, including being the longest serving President of the Institute of Refrigeration in recent years, Chairman of the Air Conditioning Refrigeration Industry Board as well as many education and training bodies, working with City & Guilds since the early 80’s.

He is the consultant to the Trailblazer team who have written the latest Apprenticeship qualification and it was John who took the F Gas Legislation document and translated  it, creating the F Gas qualification as we know it.

In 2008, John was awarded the prestigious RAC Gold Award for his campaigning work on standards for refrigerant handling, including his significant contribution to the setting up of the F Gas qualification.

Overseas, John was a key player in the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, travelling the world, training the trainers to ensure that developing countries had the relevant standards from which to train their own skilled workforce in safe handling of refrigerants and phase out of ODS.

John made the first steps in his trade while serving as a Refrigeration Engineer and later as trade instructor in the Corps of Royal Engineers. He then became a lecturer in Further Education, eventually becoming Head of School of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning at Willesden College of Technology (now the College of North West London).

After a brief stint in private industry, John and his wife Joy set up Ellis Training Works in 1991, initially offering peripatetic training to companies.

Working in accounts for many years followed by many more in insurance I soon discovered I had the right skills to bring to Ellis Training Works alongside Johns.  We have worked together now for 27 years, no mean feat for a husband and wife team!

I love my job, no two days are the same and I get to meet so many great people and relish in their success.

I completed a BEng Honours Degree in Mechanical Engineering and Diploma in Industrial Studies, then spent 9 years with a major national air conditioning manufacturer where I worked in a variety of technical roles, before joining the family firm (John is my father-in-law) in 2009 where I completed a number of technical courses including City & Guilds 2079 F Gas and 2081 Air Conditioning Installation & Commissioning.

I have since earned additional qualifications including a Professional Graduate Certificate of Education, Level 3 Diploma in RAC&HP and I am a qualified Assessor as well as Internal Verifier.

I met Ben while studying at Portsmouth University where I graduated with a BA in European Studies with Spanish and an MA in Business Law.

Having worked as Grants Officer and then in contracts and finance roles as Operations Manager within a large organisation has given me a wealth of experience to bring to my current position while bringing up the third generation of the Ellis Training workforce.

Curriculum Manager

Following in the family tradition and having qualified as a teacher back in 2004, I quickly moved into senior management roles which gave me plenty of experience to bring to Ellis Training in my current position.  Degree qualified, I am currently working towards my Internal Verifier qualification.

I am fascinated by refrigeration and intend to take my F Gas qualification when time allows.

I joined Ellis Training Works in 2015 having been in the industry since 2003.  During this time I established and successfully ran my own refrigeration and air conditioning company.  Having learnt my ‘knowledge’ while studying at Ellis Training as an apprentice I am determined to pass this knowledge on to other people within the industry.

I am continuing my professional development having qualified as an Assessor and gained my Certificate in Education and Training with the aim of becoming a better trainer than John!!

In January 2016 I joined Ellis Training Works as a member of the administrative team as Customer Services Coordinator.  Often the first point of contact, on the telephone, via email and face to face dealing with customer queries.

I also act as our Examinations Administrator and Invigilator for the online examinations, so you are very likely to see me in our testing room at some point where I will tell you to switch your phone off and be silent for the duration of the exam!

Ozzy, the company labradoodle, may give the impression he is not pulling his weight around the place, but he is a tenacious meeter and greeter and takes his guard duties very seriously.

Ozzy has a profound understanding of split air conditioning and brazing, but prefers to let his owners think they are in charge.

Read Ozzy’s Blog