Associations related courses , through either an experiential exposure or informational awareness of the link between sustainability themes and the profession .
Adding a South African perspective to these findings , Nematangari says : “ HVAC & R is not seen as natural for women – for instance , for a long time people thought me choosing this path was something of a fad that would pass and I would become a nurse . Only when they saw my determination to qualify did they change their mind – but none of my fellow women learners felt the same inclination for technical work .
“ I believe in time interest will grow , because the sector gives women opportunities and when women get opportunities we excel , ending in supervisor and management positions . What SARACCA offers to members is a 50 % discount on training when one is in the workplace . My role at SARACCA will be to encourage more training for more people to get qualified .
“ Companies that are not members of SARACCA are often not aware of the training benefits they get from membership . Apart from the work I will do to encourage greater training in HVAC & R , I believe that women will be motivated to greater heights just by seeing me elevated to this high position within SARACCA .
“ Among many women in the trades – whether plumbing , electrical or others – many do not remain in the same trade . Once they complete NQF 6 they are sometimes not motivated to go on and complete their trade test and wander off to other fields or the informal market . But in HVAC & R , even before they complete their training they are in great demand as artisans and consequently are more motivated .” The Women in Cooling report reinforced this by presenting a high retention rate of 47 % of women having remained in the sector for over 10 years .
“ Once trained in HVAC & R it is easy for an individual to start their own business – as I did . The NQF training teaches one all the skills necessary to manage projects , spec a job , do the bills of quantity and business skills .
“ But women , and men for that matter , are simply not aware of this – and my goal is to raise their awareness of HVAC & R and learn for themselves the opportunity that exists in HVAC & R . You don ’ t have to look for a job – it looks for you . One further obstacle in South Africa is that there are few training facilities for HVAC & R – in my home province of Limpopo there isn ’ t a single college and it is consequently one of my goals to remedy that . My love of HVAC & R is so great that I am researching the establishment of an HVAC & R training centre – a process that takes about five years for accreditation ,” says Nematangari .
“ TVETs do not do HVAC & R training , and therefore the trade is almost invisible to youngsters . Few enough of them choose a trade , never mind HVAC & R .
“ To raise the profile of HVAC & R I propose to first take my case to the Department of Education for permission to visit the high school network . I will then start close to home with the school I went to and then other schools in Limpopo – and branch out from there , also attending career guidance events .
“ Unfortunately , construction and HVAC & R companies do not take the lead in advancing gender equality , whether in the workplace , the market or community . They still believe women don ' t have the necessary physical strength to install the outdoor HVAC & R unit or carry the compressors . Nor are men helping women to break into the trade – they see it as a closed shop for men . The only reason the private sector does anything is to meet gender equality rules . It is mostly the three layers of government that take the lead . Where there are women training to be artisans or are qualified it is mostly the initiative of municipalities ,” says Nematangari .
The International Network of Women in Cooling ( INWIC ) is a networking , educational and mentoring platform to promote the role of women in the refrigeration , air-conditioning and heat pump industry . This recently launched initiative aims to connect women currently working in the sector , empowering them to progress in their career and to become visible role models , changing outdated perceptions and influencing the next generation of women engineers . INWIC is a joint initiative of UNEP OzonAction and WRD in cooperation with founding partners representing key professional HVAC & R associations from all regions . By bringing together women from all continents , INWIC enables the sharing of experiences and successful local policies and career opportunities , which would not be available otherwise . It provides an opportunity to learn from each other , understand how to bring positive change in each cultural context and promote the environmental aspect of the HVAC & R profession .
The report makes the following recommendations :
- There is a need to capture the challenges and issues of women working in the servicing and occupational areas of HVAC & R . Local or regional associations can better reach out to them through dedicated similar surveys that can even be designed in local languages as needed .
- Corporates and firms are encouraged to establish or update their social and HR policies to tackle many of the issues identified by women in HVAC & R , under this survey , such as work-life balance , training and career advancement opportunities as well as equal pay for work of equal value .
- With high attention of women to environmental and sustainability issues , as shown by the survey , there is a need to capitalise on such enthusiasm by bringing women in HVAC & R in the forefront of related programmes and activities .
- Focused campaigns should be organised to attract young people , including women , to enrol in educational and vocational training disciplines related to HVAC & R as well as facilitating their joining the HVAC & R workforce .
- Encourage and promote enrolment and engagement with INWIC that is offering multi-track opportunities for women in HVAC & R including , but not limited to , networking , mentoring , role-models , and internships . RACA
www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za RACA Journal I April 2023 17