Building a Team Environment. Inspired to enter plumbing after watching an episode of The Block, Ryan Aquilina, Managing Director of Rytec Plumbing & Drainage, had gone on to create a great business with a highly professional team.
How did your career in plumbing begin? While watching the first season of The Block, there was a plumber called Paul; after watching him working on the show I thought this is something I want to pursue, so I started a first-year apprenticeship with George Dimech at G&J Plumbing in January 2004.
Were you destined to work in the plumbing industry from an early age? I always had a good mind for problem solving, so naturally plumbing was a perfect fit.
Have you worked in any industries apart from plumbing? No.
Have you had many mentors throughout your career? I have had many mentors over the years, but the standouts are Ken Eurell – a true master plumber. His attention to detail and work ethic have taught me a lot. And Grant Raynor, who is a very business-minded and helped me develop the skills of estimating and business development.
Would you describe yourself as a ‘people person’? Yes, being true to who you are and keeping your word still goes a long way.
What have been the most significant changes in the industry throughout your career? The banning of Natural Gas. Governments around Australia now wanting to ban gas, and with the changes in the new gas code 5601, you can see they are now making it harder and more costly for gas to be installed in new homes. At the end of the day it is only going to hurt consumers by not giving them a choice to choose how they want to cook their food or heat their home.
What has been your most challenging assignment or project? Building two concrete OSD tanks onsite at Dundas Valley, as we had to run the outlet 20m down the street in gal piping, exposing water/gas and Telstra mains.
What has been your greatest achievement? Building a great team environment.
How important has your family been to your career? Running my own business gives me the freedom to help with my young family, as we have two young boys, and being there at a young age helps.
Will technology ever fix all plumbing problems? No, I don’t think you will always need a pair of multi’s.
Have you noticed any changes to the way society regards plumbers? Yes, we need to change the way people think about plumbers, as there have been quite a few bad apples giving us plumbers a bad name by overcharging customers.
Is plumbing the best career in the world? Yes, definitely I believe it’s one of the best careers to travel overseas, as Australian plumbing standards are some of the best in the world.
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Master Plumbers NSW Member Since:Â June 2018
Find-a-Master Plumber: Rytec Plumbing
