Paul Brisson

President, Cantwell Air
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic –
Class of 2011

Paul Brisson is passionate about everything to do with heating and air conditioning, those essentials of a comfortable life at home and on the job. He is fascinated by the range of products available, the problems that occasionally occur with their complex mechanisms and the search for solutions. And he is dedicated to the people who work in the industry and the apprentices vying to join their ranks.

He loves it all so much, he bought a company. Today Brisson, who graduated from Algonquin College as a Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic, Class of 2011, is president of Cantwell Air Conditioning in Ottawa.

He began his work in the trades as a plumber. “It was something I thought I’d like,” he says, “but it turned out the plumbing world wasn’t for me.” His uncle, who owned a large plumbing and heating company, had a practical solution to his change of heart: Go into heating. Brisson gave it some thought and discovered he liked the work available to people who specialized in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC).

“It was more attractive. You do a little plumbing, a little bit of electrical, a little bit of sheet metal and troubleshooting, all in one trade. That’s when I started pursuing it seriously.”

The commitment required of someone who wants to become a refrigeration mechanic is considerable. It takes 8,280 hours of on-the-job work experience and 720 hours of classroom training to acquire Red Seal trade qualifications and refrigeration mechanic certification. Brisson recalls his own class time at Algonquin as being rewarding on both a professional and personal level.

“It did a lot for me. I got to meet a lot of great people and make great connections throughout the industry. The teachers at Algonquin were terrific mentors. They were approachable and ready to share what they knew. The theory was one thing, but talking to them about the trade itself and the experience they’ve had, it opened up my eyes to so much more.”

What impressed him then, and continues to interest him to this day, is the sheer diversity of the work. One day he might be working on an industrial site. Another day, it could be at a private home, a supermarket or Parliament.

The work calls on a wide range of skills in addition to the essential mechanical ones. “This is a whole bigger world than being able to work with your hands,” Brisson says. Some aptitude with computers or hand-held devices is required: Cantwell’s new dispatch software will be paperless, for instance. The company’s service call history will be online. Nothing is written by hand; everything is done by phone. Computer technology is playing an increasingly important role, and it makes the field attractive to young people choosing a career.

Social skills are also essential, he says. “You can have all the technical skills, but you need to be a good person, too. Technicians are dealing with customers all day. They need to be personable.”

It’s a lesson some of them might learn from Brisson himself. He speaks enthusiastically and often about the personal element of his business: the pleasure of meeting new people, of building a great team and developing trust with clients. He followed that path for five years as general manager of the largest mechanical contractor in Eastern Ontario, and he continues to do so at the head of his own company.

Brisson has a high regard for the young people entering apprenticeship programs today. As a businessman, and as an apprentice-intake interviewer for the Ontario College of Trades, he regularly sees the merits of workers who moving into a career in the trades, including those following his own path through Algonquin’s program.

Right at the start, apprentices need hand skills, he says. They have to be able to use a drill or a hammer or wrench, and know what the sizes of tools are. “The advantage of Algonquin is they have a good facility with all the equipment, and their people come out with more experience. It gives their students an edge.”

Was there anything he learned during his college years that gave him an edge in this competitive field? Brisson answers without hesitation: “Never say no to work. I heard that a lot — a teacher at Algonquin said it all the time. If you say no all the time, you’ll never get that call for more work. It’s great advice. I’ve always remembered it and acted accordingly.”