Elvira Musaevna Vagizova is a woman technician in the refrigeration and air conditioning sector. She is an engineer. At the moment she is working as a Site Master of Commercial and Technological Equipment. Elvira and her team maintain, repair, install and commission refrigeration equipment so that it operates correctly in order to prevent the unintentional release of ozone-depleting substances into the atmosphere and to protect the Earth's ozone layer. 

What motivated you to work in this field? How did it happen?

I loved and knew mathematics very well, so I chose a technical university. I honed my skills and knowledge in the walls of my alma-mater "Tashkent Polytechnic Institute", specialty - engineer from 1983 to 1988. After graduating from the Institute, under the quota program of specialists, I was assigned to the Laboratory of superconducting metals at the scientific production association "Physics - Sun". Apparently, a lot depends on a personality. 

I started thinking more and more about whether I am in the right place. After working for a while, I realized that sitting simply and making charts was not my call.

In those days there were a lot of factories and industrial facilities, which, gradually, sparked my curiosity about how machinery works. At that time, graduates of our university were already working at the largest enterprise "Uzkhladotorgmontaj" in Uzbekistan, where refrigeration units, compressors, electric motors and many other products were repaired and assembled. As they talked about their jobs, I was inspired and finally decided to go where I envisioned my career to be - the refrigeration and air conditioning industry.

Yes, when I came to work, certainly, there were some talks behind such as "girl, with higher education, and works as a storekeeper", however my interest in this technical field was so big that neither other people's opinions nor my position as a storekeeper could not stop me from reaching my goal. Although, it may be crucial to start from the entry positions to understand and practically learn all the nuances of how everything works in this area.  

How do you feel about the stereotype that “technical professions are purely for men"?

When I studied at the institute, there were a lot of girls, but several years after graduation there were only two or three girls who worked in this area.  However, during my studies, I did not come across this "stereotype" that women are not meant to be in the technical field. Any profession could be obtained depending on what you choose to be. I think stereotypes such as – "after you graduate, you have to get married," or "only men are good at engineering science" are not justified. For example, after I had worked for some time and fulfilled tasks and requirements in a timely manner, there were no longer any questions among my colleagues that I, as a girl, could keep up with the work in the technical field.

I would strongly advise girls and women who plan to work in this field - not to be afraid and pursue their vocation.

What kind of challenges did you face in your job? What helped you continue working in this field?  

Over time, with the transition to a market economy, the activities of the enterprise began to decline. Specialists left the enterprise, opening their own small businesses and stores. As they say, going with the times and new realities, since 2001 I started working as a Site Master of commercial and technological equipment. Since the competition in the market is big, it requires the ability and skill to perform several things simultaneously, like from drawing up contracts to travel to the sites, and checking commissioning works of my teammates. There are many nuances in our work, however if the team works in harmony and mutual understanding, both men and women can act as one. Probably due to these qualities, we still continue to work together, because customers, who appreciate professionalism and quality work, still approach experienced and qualified professionals.

How does refrigeration and air conditioning technology positively affect the environment, the ecology and improve people's living conditions?

All of us can contribute to the protection of the environment. For example, there are some ozone-depleting substances, also commonly referred to as “freons”. In everyday life they are used in refrigerators and air conditioners. Therefore, we need to do check-ups of refrigerators and air conditioners on a regular basis, because due to their malfunction, chemicals can leak into the atmosphere. Moreover, if refrigerators or air conditioners need to be repaired, it is necessary to ask the technician to extract the gas (freon) from the equipment and after repairing, infuse the gas back into the device. That’s the correct way and safe for the environment. Not only will it help protect the ozone layer, but it will save your money of a full refill of a refrigerator or air conditioner.

We have to admit that in Uzbekistan, as well as globally, the consequences of climate change are increasingly evident - the last few years we have seen the record of high and prolonged temperatures, at the same time the demand for refrigerators and air conditioners are constantly increasing. Therefore, highly qualified technicians are becoming more and more popular among the consumers of such household appliances and technological equipment, which provide people with more comfortable and favorable conditions for their health and life in general.  

How do you balance your personal priorities with your work commitments?

With this kind of work dynamics, it is very important to plan, particularly, to note down the schedule of the week, even of the day. Therefore, I try to make a plan for almost every day, and follow it to manage my time. 

How to attract girls and women into this field, what benefits may they get?

I also wondered why so few women are employed in this field. What could attract them? Maybe the salary, interest, or career growth. From my experience, I realized that the most important thing is the will to work with technical equipment. If there is a will, there will be interest, and most importantly, there will be a successful career with a decent income. Moreover, I heard that at mono-centers "Ishga Markhamat" in Uzbekistan, training courses are now available on professional development for refrigeration and air conditioning sector workers. This is a good opportunity to involve more girls into this area.