Know A Remarkable Woman In HVACR? Tell Us About Her!

This contest is near and dear to my heart, as I have written about HVACR issues for more than 30 years, and I love this industry. When I first started at The NEWS, I knew absolutely nothing about HVACR, and I was terrified to conduct my first interviews with those contractors and engineers who had so much experience. But what I found, without exception, was a generous group of professionals who were more than willing to explain the ins and outs of the issues with me (and they still are!).

I found the same to be true at industry events, where as a female, I was definitely in the minority. But I never felt left out or intimidated. In fact, one of the benefits of being one of the handful of women attending a conference is that the line to the bathroom is always significantly shorter than that of the men. In recent years, I’ve noticed the women’s line is getting longer, though, which is a good thing. It means that more women are recognizing the HVACR industry as being a wonderful career choice.

Indeed, one female contractor once told me that she has never felt out of place in the male-dominated HVACR industry, noting “This industry has been really good to me, and I just love it. It’s so interesting, and there are new things happening all the time. And I have the privilege of helping people be comfortable and save money every day. It's wonderful to be part of an industry that literally improves lives.”

Besides the warm and generous people in this industry, the field of HVACR is just plain exciting, with new products and technologies being introduced all the time. Then there are the ever-changing regulations, codes, and standards, which are more than enough to keep everyone on their toes.

And another thing that’s great about the HVACR industry is that there are so many different career paths that people can take. You can work for a contractor or a distributor or a manufacturer in any number of fields, from controls to dispatch to service and installation. As another woman in the industry I interviewed several years ago said, “This trade is multi-faceted. You can diversify and specialize in so many different areas. It really comes down to awareness, both about the industry, and the fact that women are more than capable of being successful in HVACR.”

So, if you know a woman who is successful in HVACR, be sure to tell us about her by August 15. When you fill out the nomination form, please share as much information as possible – we want to hear all the reasons why she’s special. Those chosen for our first-ever list will be featured in the October 4 issue of The NEWS, with both a picture and a write-up.

Women are making a difference in the HVACR industry, and I encourage you to nominate those you know who are working hard in this field. What better way to share the great news about pursuing a career in HVACR than by profiling successful females who are providing a path for other women to follow.

Want more HVAC industry news and information? Join The NEWS on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn today!

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 2 percent of HVACR employees are women. That is certainly a tiny fraction of the industry, but that number is starting to grow as more women are beginning to see the benefits of pursuing a career in HVACR.

Here at The NEWS, we would like to celebrate those women who are excelling in the trade by highlighting them in our first-ever Recognizing Women in the HVACR Industry issue this fall. But we need your help! If you know a deserving woman working in the HVACR industry, please take a moment and let us know about her accomplishments at www.achrnews.com/women-in-hvac-contest. I promise, it will take just a few minutes of your time.

This contest is near and dear to my heart, as I have written about HVACR issues for more than 30 years, and I love this industry. When I first started at The NEWS, I knew absolutely nothing about HVACR, and I was terrified to conduct my first interviews with those contractors and engineers who had so much experience. But what I found, without exception, was a generous group of professionals who were more than willing to explain the ins and outs of the issues with me (and they still are!).

I found the same to be true at industry events, where as a female, I was definitely in the minority. But I never felt left out or intimidated. In fact, one of the benefits of being one of the handful of women attending a conference is that the line to the bathroom is always significantly shorter than that of the men. In recent years, I’ve noticed the women’s line is getting longer, though, which is a good thing. It means that more women are recognizing the HVACR industry as being a wonderful career choice.

Indeed, one female contractor once told me that she has never felt out of place in the male-dominated HVACR industry, noting “This industry has been really good to me, and I just love it. It’s so interesting, and there are new things happening all the time. And I have the privilege of helping people be comfortable and save money every day. It's wonderful to be part of an industry that literally improves lives.”

Besides the warm and generous people in this industry, the field of HVACR is just plain exciting, with new products and technologies being introduced all the time. Then there are the ever-changing regulations, codes, and standards, which are more than enough to keep everyone on their toes.

And another thing that’s great about the HVACR industry is that there are so many different career paths that people can take. You can work for a contractor or a distributor or a manufacturer in any number of fields, from controls to dispatch to service and installation. As another woman in the industry I interviewed several years ago said, “This trade is multi-faceted. You can diversify and specialize in so many different areas. It really comes down to awareness, both about the industry, and the fact that women are more than capable of being successful in HVACR.”

So, if you know a woman who is successful in HVACR, be sure to tell us about her by August 15. When you fill out the nomination form, please share as much information as possible – we want to hear all the reasons why she’s special. Those chosen for our first-ever list will be featured in the October 4 issue of The NEWS, with both a picture and a write-up.

Women are making a difference in the HVACR industry, and I encourage you to nominate those you know who are working hard in this field. What better way to share the great news about pursuing a career in HVACR than by profiling successful females who are providing a path for other women to follow.

Want more HVAC industry news and information? Join The NEWS on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn today!

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 2 percent of HVACR employees are women. That is certainly a tiny fraction of the industry, but that number is starting to grow as more women are beginning to see the benefits of pursuing a career in HVACR.

Here at The NEWS, we would like to celebrate those women who are excelling in the trade by highlighting them in our first-ever Recognizing Women in the HVACR Industry issue this fall. But we need your help! If you know a deserving woman working in the HVACR industry, please take a moment and let us know about her accomplishments at www.achrnews.com/women-in-hvac-contest. I promise, it will take just a few minutes of your time.

This contest is near and dear to my heart, as I have written about HVACR issues for more than 30 years, and I love this industry. When I first started at The NEWS, I knew absolutely nothing about HVACR, and I was terrified to conduct my first interviews with those contractors and engineers who had so much experience. But what I found, without exception, was a generous group of professionals who were more than willing to explain the ins and outs of the issues with me (and they still are!).

I found the same to be true at industry events, where as a female, I was definitely in the minority. But I never felt left out or intimidated. In fact, one of the benefits of being one of the handful of women attending a conference is that the line to the bathroom is always significantly shorter than that of the men. In recent years, I’ve noticed the women’s line is getting longer, though, which is a good thing. It means that more women are recognizing the HVACR industry as being a wonderful career choice.

Indeed, one female contractor once told me that she has never felt out of place in the male-dominated HVACR industry, noting “This industry has been really good to me, and I just love it. It’s so interesting, and there are new things happening all the time. And I have the privilege of helping people be comfortable and save money every day. It's wonderful to be part of an industry that literally improves lives.”

Besides the warm and generous people in this industry, the field of HVACR is just plain exciting, with new products and technologies being introduced all the time. Then there are the ever-changing regulations, codes, and standards, which are more than enough to keep everyone on their toes.

And another thing that’s great about the HVACR industry is that there are so many different career paths that people can take. You can work for a contractor or a distributor or a manufacturer in any number of fields, from controls to dispatch to service and installation. As another woman in the industry I interviewed several years ago said, “This trade is multi-faceted. You can diversify and specialize in so many different areas. It really comes down to awareness, both about the industry, and the fact that women are more than capable of being successful in HVACR.”

So, if you know a woman who is successful in HVACR, be sure to tell us about her by August 15. When you fill out the nomination form, please share as much information as possible – we want to hear all the reasons why she’s special. Those chosen for our first-ever list will be featured in the October 4 issue of The NEWS, with both a picture and a write-up.

Women are making a difference in the HVACR industry, and I encourage you to nominate those you know who are working hard in this field. What better way to share the great news about pursuing a career in HVACR than by profiling successful females who are providing a path for other women to follow.

Want more HVAC industry news and information? Join The NEWS on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn today!