The year began with us feeling like we’re still at the height of the pandemic. Physically detached, with a significant number of us still working remotely through digital platforms. Vaccination drives are now well underway, and these efforts are certainly not in vain, as we see physical and hybrid meetings, events and conferences slowly resuming in the region with stringent safety protocols and social distancing measures in place.

While these are positive developments on the road to recovery from the effects of the pandemic, we shouldn’t let our guards down and become complacent. We’ve seen time and again what happens when we get too comfortable despite COVID-19, with several countries experiencing their second and third waves of infection. Now, more than ever, there is a need for education and awareness in the market on public health and safety. We, as the HVACR industry, have a significant role to play in educating the market on the best practices regarding technology, energy efficiency and sustainability.

As the market situation improves, so have the recruitment efforts for new talent. This year, World Refrigeration Day (WRD) which takes place annually on 26 June, announced the theme focused on ‘Cool Careers’ to encourage young professionals to consider careers in refrigeration and the wider HVAC field. Eurovent Middle East will host a webinar and panel discussion in the build-up to WRD, discussing hiring new talent in the region. The webinar aims to address the talent pool here in the region, but also highlight the challenges we face as an industry when it comes to the hiring process. Why are there still so few women in HVACR and how do we fix the gender imbalance?  What do we prioritise when we hire individuals, sales acumen, or technical skill? These are some of the topics we aim to understand during this event.

In the last edition of ‘MEssage’ my colleague, Markus Lattner, announced that Eurovent Middle East, in cooperation with its members, is working on an enhanced training and education programme which will strengthen capability and proficiency in the region. This is the best time for us to commit to empowering our workforces and industry professionals. The new generation are the leaders of tomorrow, and its only through education that we can foster competent leadership in the industry.

Kind greetings,

Nerissa Deoraj
Executive Director
Eurovent Middle East