December 18, 2025 in News
Celebrating Excellence at the 2025 AMCA National Indust...
A.G. Coombs is proud to announce that six of our team members have been recognised at the 2025 AMCA National Industry Excellence Awards, held in Melbo...
November 22, 2024
A.G. Coombs Melbourne-based Project Manager Michael Roberts has been awarded the prestigious AMCA Australia Managing for Profit Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded annually to the person who has successfully completed their Diploma of Project Management (BSB50820) accreditation and exhibited excellence across their course work, participation and assessments throughout the year.
The Air Conditioning and Mechanical Contractors Association of Australia Limited (AMCA) is a nationwide industry body and Registered Training Organisation (RTO ID 5139) that represents businesses operating in the HVAC sector. Together with its National Industry Excellence Awards – which will be held later this month with six A.G. Coombs finalists – the scholarship is one of the most highly coveted prizes in the industry. As the recipient. Michael will be travelling to Austin, Texas in January 2025 to undertake the Advanced Institute of Project Management program alongside industry colleagues from around the world.
The Advanced Institute of Project Management at University of Texas
The AMCA Australia Managing for Profit Scholarship in made possible thanks to the close partnership that AMCA has with its U.S. counterpart, the Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA). The one-week, intensive Advanced Institute of Project Management program provides in-depth project management training at a highly advanced level that also covers productivity and change order management. Its participants are predominantly general managers and managing directors of large mechanical contractor companies, with a maximum of 15 accepted per intake.
“Being awarded the AMCA Australia Managing for Profit Scholarship is a major stepping stone to further accelerating a project management career. On behalf of AMCA Australia, I want to congratulate Michael as our 2024 scholarship winner,” remarked John Castillo, National Training Manager at AMCA Australia.
“This will be an amazing opportunity for Michael to refine his skills, bring that enhanced knowledge back to his own role and knowledge share with his colleagues at A.G. Coombs and AMCA Australia,” he added.
A 17-year career journey at A.G. Coombs
For Michael, being acknowledged for his achievements and being awarded the AMCA Australia 2024 scholarship is a highlight of his nearly two decades with the A.G. Coombs Group.
Commencing as a draftsperson after completing his drafting apprenticeship, Michael transitioned into the estimating side of the business within two years, gaining extensive skills in financial management before further progressing to project management.
Following successive promotions, for the past eight years he has been working as a project manager on major projects including Victorian Big Build initiatives, commercial towers, hospitals and institutions.
A continual focus on learning and development
Throughout Michael’s journey along the A.G. Coombs pathway, he has benefitted from multiple training and upskilling opportunities. All A.G. Coombs project managers have set training objectives and completing the AMCA Diploma of Project Management is mandatory for A.G. Coombs project managers at a certain level of seniority.
Michael credits his success to date on the support of the Learning & Development team and the structure of the A.G. Coombs’ Learning & Development Programs.
“The A.G. Coombs Career Pathways is the most fulfilling thing I’ve ever done from a work perspective. The journey that I’m on is my greatest achievement. The variety of courses, constant skill development and opportunities to continually learn, have given me the confidence to excel and know that what I’m doing is correct,” said Michael.
“Working with mentors and completing the AMCA Diploma of Project Management have allowed me to identify my strengths and weaknesses and to understand the importance of self-assessment. I feel humbled and lucky to work for a company like A.G. Coombs,” he added.
A well-deserved accolade
“The significance of receiving the AMCA Australia Managing for Profit Scholarship is that it will provide Michael with valuable exposure, formally recognising him as one of the highly rated project managers in the industry and in our business,” commented A.G. Coombs Operations Manager, Imran Khan.
“Michael is constantly looking for ways to improve the business at a broader level, over and above his own projects. He is a great ambassador for both A.G. Coombs and AMCA,” he added.
“Thank you to AMCA Australia and A.G. Coombs. I am really looking forward to the U.S. experience and learning a lot. I’m particularly keen to gain more advanced practical and theoretical knowledge, take site tours and network with international colleagues,” Michael concluded.
