VATIS UPDATE Article

Women in Pacific Island are confidently entering the traditionally male-dominated refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) servicing profession, supporting national and global efforts to protect planetary and human health. “If we want to do anything, we should follow our dreams and aim high. We should follow our heart and our passion no matter what the challenges are so that we can reach our goal, recalling how she herself ‘climbed the way up’ from a technician to becoming a lecturer,” said Ms. Akanisi Varani, at the Fiji National University.

Varani was one of women participants who attended the train-the trainer workshop on “Good Servicing Practices for Longer-term, Low-Global Warming Potential Alternatives in Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Sector”, which took place Fiji. The workshop co-organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) OzonAction, in collaboration with the Ministry of Fiji, European Commission, Fiji National University and Bundesfachschule Kälte-Klima-Technik (BFS) brought together 49 RAC technicians from 14 Pacific Islands.

Considering that ozone-depleting substances (ODS) are being phased out under the universally ratified Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the Ozone Layer, the workshop focused on strengthening the capacity of the technicians to adopt and safely manage ozone- climate-friendly and energy-efficient alternatives. Although Varani has only a few female in students in her air-conditioning and refrigeration course in Fiji National University, more young women are take up engineering courses in the Pacific.