Women in HVACR
A DREAM AROUND WOMEN
IN HVACR BECOMING A REALITY
By Samkelwa Xaba
Since entering the sector in 2018 , I have developed both personally and professionally – finding ways to tick off items on my checklist of ‘ to dos ’. Now is the time to take the next leap of faith in making my visions a reality .
To my mind , having the opportunity to present an article in the
RACA Journal was something I considered only a fairy-tale , but as my journey progresses I realise more and more how how everything has fallen into place , and things are just meant to be . Giving up my established career in bio-technology , having obtained my diploma and completing many successful years of work was not an easy decision . However , I realised that the HVACR sector has many opportunities for women to participate and so I took my first leap of faith into the sector by again entering the arena of learning and becoming an apprentice in what is widely considered a man ’ s world .
My story started back in 2017 when my interest was ignited through another female technician who introduced me to the industry – which until then I had not even known existed . After some research , I tried to work out the industry dynamics and in particular , how women fit in . My research and engagements showed me that you don ’ t find much on women in the sector in South Africa , in fact , to my knowledge , there is no committee , organisation or body catering to women in HVACR .
Now , because we already have established official bodies in South Africa that specifically focus on HVACR , my vision is to establish ( hopefully with their assistance ) a body or sub-division where representation for women can be made , and grown for the sector . We already have access to experienced professionals , and it would be a practical solution to use the existing base .
Historically , trade occupations have , generally speaking , been seen as ‘ a man ’ s work ’ and women are often overlooked . But in many recent drives – and in many industries – positions for women in the trade sectors have increased , although progress is a bit slow . Taking a closer look at this , you have to consider all of the reasons why this is , starting from the fact that trades are pecieved to have a lower appeal , not to mention the fact that most young people don ’ t even know what HVACR is .
You may , for example , want to consider why the medical field is so popular and attractive for people to get into – it is always promoted well and looks like a ‘ fancy industry ’, and well-presented . Why are trades not promoted like this in South Africa as desperately needed skills ? The medical field also has lower spectrum
Samkelwa Xaba
Samkelwa Xaba has a vision to initiate an organisation dedicated to women in HVACR .
employment but on the surface , no one sees this because of the way it ’ s continually promoted .
Trades on the other hand are the opposite – they are always perceived to be the bottom end of the spectrum because you never get to see the shiny and beautiful installations of a plant room that has been completed to perfection , or see what technology goes into developing heating and cooling technology – which is becoming a major factor globally . The HVACR sector probably has as much technology as the medical field and is also responsible for so many elements no one even considers – this is all installed and maintained by the technician .
The current landscape in our country is that while women are intellectually strong and generally hard workers and committed to their jobs , one persisting element is the lack of a community of other women with which to share , be guided by and get advice from . It is no secret that in this country , women continue to battle inequality and have limited opportunities . I personally have never met a woman who has many complaints , and when a woman decides to do something , she does it for the love of it and is dedicated to the end .
The idea or vision behind establishing an organisation dedicated to women in HVACR is to : recognise and promote women ’ s participation in the sector , create positive movement through regular engagements , provide guidance as to how to handle ourselves in the industry , deal with challenges , work with and
www . hvacronline . co . za RACA Journal I November 2020 49