A Castle Hill sparkie has been unveiled as the New South Wales Master Electrician of the Year by the peak electrical industry body.

At an awards ceremony today, Master Electricians Australia (MEA) announced that Adrian Cassin, owner of Laser Electrical Castle Hill, had won the state’s top gong and will now compete for the national title in November this year.

Mr Cassin began his business in 2010 operating out of a garage before the business quickly expanded to one that today covers Domestic, Solar, Commercial, Retail and Service work.

Awards were also given for the best commercial and residential projects, Apprentice of the Year, Women in Contracting and Electrician of the Year.

The Residential Project of the Year was taken out by Jason Brown from Brownies Electrical who built a new home consisting of an underground garage, hidden wine cellar and a lift to the main living floor.

MEA CEO Malcolm Richards congratulated all the award winners and recognised the high calibre of entries in 2018 for New South Wales.

“Each and every one of these NSW winners has upheld the extremely high standards with regards to quality, safety and integrity that is expected from all Master Electricians,” Mr Richards said.

“MEA has been astounded by the high calibre of entries received from NSW in 2018 and it is testament to the professionalism of many inpiduals in the industry, as well as the innovative electrical projects that are currently taking place.

“These winners will help lift the bar even higher for all Master Electricians members, and the wider electrical contracting industry. And it’s their customers – whether businesses or private inpiduals – who reap the benefits of an electrical contracting industry that is constantly striving for excellence.”

The national finals will be held in Brisbane on November 24.

Malcolm Richards is available for interview. Please phone SAS Group on (07) 3221 9222 or 0467 792 013.

The full list of winners from the Master Electricians Australia NSW Excellence Awards

Category: Master Electrician of the Year Winner: Adrian Cassin – Laser Electrical Castle Hill What the judges said: It was a pleasure to consider the candidates for Master Electrician of the year. This year we had high quality nominations and the judging was close. Ultimately the judging was extremely difficult to separate. The judges considered numerous personal traits that have impact on their work life and contribution to the industry and it’s as a whole. It took considerable post interview deliberation and discussion to separate the finalists and ultimately came down to 1-point difference.

Category: Commercial Project of the Year Winner: Boris Samardzioski – Alland Group What the judges said: A complex mix between design, integration, trades, a continuously running club, and a unique high-quality finish. The project required Alland to not only be the contractor, but also use their skills and knowledge to work with the lighting consultants to achieve the end result. A well finished job with a great impact and result for the client, Alland overcame multiple challenges and maintained a high-standard.

Category: Electrician of the Year Winner: Tim Marsh – Alland Group What the judges said: It was a pleasure to judge the electrician of the year this year. Seeing the passion and enthusiasm from electricians who are shaping the future of the industry by providing a huge range of technical skills in areas from construction and service through to building automation and complex networks that provide the technology that we rely on to do our jobs daily. We can feel confident that our industry is quick to respond to technical demands of industry by providing the skills and expertise needed. We can be confident that the industry will continue to grow through the efforts of people like our candidates for this award. Tim decided to become an electrician because he has always been interested in the way things work, especially electronics. As a kid he would always be pulling things apart to see how they worked and then put them back together. He completed his apprenticeship with Electro Group and after coming first in his TAFE classes in both practical and theory and having zero absentee days for his apprenticeship at work & TAFE, he was granted early completion, he was also the KLM Group apprentice of the year in 2009. He had intended to work in the mines after he finished his apprenticeship and was waiting for paperwork to be finalised when I had a catch up with Boris, and as they say, the rest is history. He says Alland Group is more like a family than an employer. His future plan within Alland Group is to move into a Project Management, while maintaining existing customer relationships and developing new relationships.

Category: Residential Project of the Year Winner: Jason Brown – Brownies Electrical What the judges said: Jason took on the job as a view to future possibilities and opportunities to other work, rather than just any other standard job. The project required a high-level attention to detail, with a high-quality finish, whilst meeting the expectations of the home owner. It also presented an opportunity to showcase their skills and has created belief within the team and opened up a series of new business ventures.

Category: Apprentice of the Year Winner: Callum Tolhurst – Alland Group What the judges said: This winner demonstrated numerous competencies within his role and also within the business. He is a responsible, approachable and eager young man. He admits he has challenges but has worked through them and learnt along the way. He is very eager to learn new concepts and grow both as a tradesman and a person. He displays a great work ethic and attitude towards getting the job done. His passion for the trade is evident and he shows great promise in being a valued team member for the long term.

Category: Women in Contracting Winner: Tracey McKibben – GB Electrical What the judges said: Tracey is the Administration Manager of GB Electrical Contractors, a diverse contracting business with over 80 employees. Tracey has been instrumental in leading and managing the administrative functions of the business through rapid growth over the past 9 years. Tracey demonstrates her passion for business and process improvement, continually developing and implementing strategies to support the company growth. Tracey is also a passionate leader, investing in the mentoring and development of young people in the business.