INWIC in Birmingham

On June 24, Ina Colombo, secretary of the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) working group CaRe,  and Colleen Keyworth (INWIC president), attended the IOR WOMEN IN RACHP event held at Carter Thermal Industries in Birmingham, England. Here, they were joined by many other women in the sector in a training event to celebrate women in engineering day (INWED 2024). The event focused on the design of cold stores and cabinets, as well as a tour of the facilities. This was a great opportunity to gain knowledge on the role design plays in achieving energy reduction and to examine global standards as well as gain hands-on experience.

A few days later, on June 27, they both attended the InstallerSHOW in Birmingham, an event that showcases the latest trends and innovations in the heat, water, air, and energy sectors. They joined Jess Shanahan (moderator) for their presentation on empowering women in the RACHP/HVACR sector.

The presentation by Colleen Keyworth, with contributions from Ina Colombo, highlighted the results of the survey of women working in the RACHP field, featured statistical data from across the world, in North and Latin America, revealing that women constitute only 34% of the workforce in Asia, 33% in Europe, and 4% in Oceania. The challenges faced by women in this industry were also highlighted, including managing a healthy work-life balance, lack of career advancement opportunities, and facing several stereotypes from clients and customers. As an illustration of the disparities faced by women in the field, 55% of women worldwide feel underpaid compared to their male colleagues, and 47% lack role models. As a consequence, key strategies to support women in the industry were presented, including mentorship, creating inclusive workplace cultures, and promoting diversity training. Finally, testimonials from women in the industry, like Haley Yancey and Jennifer Espinoza, underscored the positive impact of these initiatives, highlighting the benefits of networking and learning from diverse perspectives. Click here to see the whole presentation.

Read more about the events on Colleen’s and Ina’s LinkedIn pages.