ACR NEWS AWARDS
If you can see it, you can be it
The 2024 Alan Moore winner John Skelton takes our pop quiz and reveals the secrets to his success.
You have been very infl uential – how have you managed that? I’d like to think my passion for the industry has helped me infl uence the groups I’ve been involved in. I’m a reasonably good story teller and that’s the way I try to convince others to go on a journey with me and make us successful. Legislation changes have shaped my whole career since the Montreal Protocol in 1987. Ever since then I have been trying to infl uence businesses to move from one refrigerant to another.
The drive to natural refrigerants has had the biggest impact on our industry and the world in general in my career. I feel I’ve been able to learn and grow throughout my
career because I’m self-aware, I know every day’s a school day and I have a serious case of imposter syndrome.
Is there anything you would do diff erently if you had the chance again?
If I was starting my career again I would get more qualifi cations in a broader range of subjects.
What are the best and worst aspects of the industry? The people are defi nitely the best part of the industry. The
worst part trying to get all parts of the industry to work together to tackle our collective challenges.
How did you get into the industry?
I fell into the industry when I was 16 and started as an apprentice with Sainsbury’s Supermarkets. I was applying for apprenticeships in electronics when a friend of the family suggested I look at applying for a refrigeration apprenticeship.
Who has been your biggest infl uence? It would be very diffi cult to single out an individual from my
career as there are too many amazing individuals to mention. It’s defi nitely been the people that I’ve been lucky enough to meet and work with that sparked my passion and continue to keep me passionate about our industry.
What have been your biggest achievements and challenges? I’ve been fortunate to play a small part in the development
of a number of colleagues careers and that’s the thing I have been most proud of. I don’t believe I’ve had to face any obstacles that others
aren’t familiar with but I’ve always approached things in the same way, with honesty and integrity.
14 July 2024 •
www.acr-news.com
What do you think are the biggest challenges and opportunities ahead?
The biggest challenge we have as an industry is having a suitably trained workforce to capitalise on the opportunity ahead of us. Currently that opportunity is Carbon Net Zero.
How can we best encourage new people into the industry? The Institute of Refrigeration has some amazing initiatives to
encourage new people into our industry. I’m a real advocate
of ‘if you can see it, you can be it’ so I believe any initiatives that encourage us to talk directly to prospective engineers are the most eff ective.
What advice would you give to anyone about coming into the industry as a career? Keep asking questions and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Sport, team, and/or player? Footie, West Ham United and Bobby Moore.
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