YOU INSPIRE US – “THE PLUMBER TEACHER”, ANDERS PARGELL!
2026-08-18
Anders Pargell dreamed of becoming an electrician, but found his way into the HVAC industry.
Anders Pargell’s career path is one that many in the industry can relate to. After twelve years as a plumber, his body had taken its toll. His shoulders, knees, and back gave out in his early 30s, and a complete u-turn was needed. After a stint as a youth recreation leader (where he actually managed to play pool with Avicii himself!), he finally landed a teaching job at Järfälla Gymnasium. The rest is, as they say, HVAC history.
Anders is passionate about raising the status of plumbing education. When he first entered the school system, he was shocked by the reality he faced: despite the HVAC industry being highly technical and vital to society, learning materials were virtually non-existent.
- I got a shock when I started as a teacher and discovered that there was absolutely nothing. The material available at upper secondary school level today is disastrous, says Anders, without mincing his words.
In teaching, repetition is a core foundation, but Anders soon realized the limitations of explaining the same step twenty times per class – only to start all over again when a new school year began. Out of the frustration of seeing students standing around waiting for instructions, the idea of filming his walkthroughs was born.
Today, he has created over 100 instructional videos. At their workbench, students can now scan a QR code and get started right away.
- It doesn't replace me as a teacher, but it's a tool that allows the student to move forward instead of sitting and waiting, he explains.
His commitment has turned him into somewhat of a national resource for Swedish HVAC education – a title he carries with both pride and a touch of humble performance anxiety.
- To be called a national resource... it's almost a heavy burden to carry. Who the hell am I? But at the same time, it is incredibly rewarding that what I do can help others, because I know exactly what it's like to stand there without any materials.
In his teaching, he often uses ESBE valves (especially the VRG series) to make the abstract physical.
- I use ESBE valves in my teaching because they are so pedagogical. You can take them apart, turn the scale and actually see how the ports open and close.
What is the most important skill for an aspiring installer today?
- Curiosity! You have to want to understand why you're doing a certain thing in this 'pipes-in-the-wall' jungle. Many old-timers are conservative and afraid of new things, but we must dare to ask questions. You don't get worse grades or lower pay just because you ask a thousand times. On the contrary, that's how you develop.
Kannst du uns einen klassischen „Installateur-Fehler“ verraten, den du selbst gemacht hast?
— Oh ja! Am Anfang war ich so verdammt cool und dachte, ich wüsste alles. Aber einmal, als ich in einem Nobelgeschäft ein Sprinklerrohr demontierte und alles mit Plastikfolie abgedeckt hatte – bis auf einen winzigen Bereich –, passierte es. Natürlich stolperte ich, und Liter von schwarzem, stehendem Sprinklerwasser flogen im hohen Bogen direkt auf einen handgeknüpften Eingangsteppich. Er war völlig ruiniert. Danach hatte ich bei der Arbeit eine Zeit lang den Spitznamen „Der Teppich“. Man lernt auf die harte Tour, dass man niemals ausgelernt hat.
Mit seiner ansteckenden Neugier zeigt Anders, dass wahre fachliche Kompetenz nicht darin liegt, alles zu wissen, sondern darin, niemals aufzuhören, Fragen zu stellen. Wir sind inspiriert und beeindruckt – vielen Dank für das Gespräch, Anders 😊