On 19-21 November, IIR participated in the Interprofessional Refrigeration and its Applications Trade Show in Lyon, France, a premier event for commercial and industrial refrigeration, cold chain and air conditioning professionals.
The International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) participated in the French Interprofessional Refrigeration and its Applications Trade Show (SIFA), held from 19-21 November, 2024 at Eurexpo Lyon. With over 130 exhibitors, 30 conferences and technical workshops, 60 industry experts, and 3,800 attendees, SIFA continues to be a premier event for commercial and industrial refrigeration, cold chain and air conditioning professionals.
Ina Colombo, Secretary of IIR’s CaRe working group and 2025 President of the International Network of Women in Cooling (INWIC), spoke at a conference entitled “Training: the business of young people, men, and that’s it?”, organised by the French Practical Journal of Refrigeration (RPF). The conference addressed diversity issues in the refrigeration industry, highlighting the challenges and opportunities of including young people and women in this sector.
During the conference, Frédérique Sauer of SNEFCCA discussed the expansion of employment opportunities in the refrigeration sector, in response to growing demand. She outlined new career opportunities in refrigeration, air conditioning, heat pumps and sustainable energy solutions, particularly in sectors such as food, healthcare, industry, and green technologies. These developments are creating a wide range of career opportunities for technicians, engineers, and cold chain management specialists.
Daniel Garault, Director of the Lycée Raspail school, presented the job prospects offered to future refrigeration technicians trained at the school – professional baccalaureate and BTS (Diploma of Advanced Technician) programmes. He emphasised the high quality of the training and the professional opportunities awaiting graduates in the refrigeration sector.
Coralie Privet-Thieulin, Co-Delegate of the “Elles bougent” association, introduced an initiative aimed at encouraging young girls and women at middle school, high school and university levels to pursue careers in scientific, technical, technological and engineering fields. The initiative seeks to increase female participation in sectors in which women remain under-represented.
To conclude, Ina Colombo presented a survey conducted by INWIC which aimed to better understand the career paths, motivations, challenges and opportunities faced by women working in the industry. She also highlighted the role of the INWIC international network in promoting women’s involvement in the RACHP sector.
