AIRAH unites women in HVACR

AUSTRALIA: The AIRAH has established a new group for women to help promote diversity, representation and inclusion within the HVACR industry.

Established in late 2016 and recently ratified by the board, the Women of AIRAH (WOA) group will work to develop AIRAH’s strategy for supporting women and increasing their participation in both AIRAH and the HVACR industry at large.

“It is of great importance that the women within our industry are both acknowledged and supported,” said AIRAH CEO Tony Gleeson.

“AIRAH understands that women are underrepresented in HVAC&R, and we believe that the creation of the Women of AIRAH group is an important step forward if this is to change. Women of AIRAH will not only provide women in the industry with a forum to voice issues of concern, but will also work to make HVAC&R an attractive prospect for those looking to take the next step in their career.”

The Women of AIRAH group will work with local AIRAH divisions to run events, networking sessions, mentoring, support and other initiatives.

“The Women of AIRAH group is about improving diversity and the representation of women in the industry,” said Ura Sarfejoo, who has been elected as the inaugural WOA Chair. “It’s important for women to feel included. For the sake of the profession, engineering needs more women to get involved, so this AIRAH initiative is incredibly exciting.”