Online Reporter
Mashudu Mambo
As we continue to celebrate the International Women’s month, we celebrate Cynthia Grace Benson who is thriving in the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning sector (RAC).
The International Women’s month celebration is also run under the theme “Accelerate Action” for gender equality which calls for an increased momentum and urgency in addressing the systemic barriers and biases that women face.
According to the International Institute of Refrigeration (2022), women are highly under-represented in the RAC sector and this has seen about six percent of women in the national refrigeration associations.
Benson is the Chief Communications Officer of the Heating, Energy, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Association of Zimbabwe. She draws her inspiration from her father who was a technician.
“I was born in a family of four and my father had a vast experience in the electrical field. I was inspired by his skills as he was always hands on different appliances and installations.
“My parents gave me a feasible choice to learn and earn so that l save money and go to university. I applied for an apprenticeship at Shabani Mine in Zvishavane and commenced my training from 2007 to 2011.
“I furthered my studies and attained a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with the Midlands State University,” she said.
Benson stated that she managed to get a job while she was on attachment.
“I was offered a job during my attachment and I specialised in automobile air conditioning and maintenance, air-conditioning repairs, maintenance and installations. I was the only female technician with relevant qualifications and a driver’s licence, this subjected me to a lot of sabotage and tension,” she said.
She indicated that she faced a number of challenges in the RAC sector which prompted her to work harder.
“There are a number of challenges that I faced in the RAC sector and these included intimidation and ill-treatment which were aimed at crushing my spirit. This intimidation motivated me to work hard and Ihad an urge to prove that a woman can also thrive in a male dominated industry. I realised that when people see your potential, you automatically become a threat to them,” she said.
Benson indicated that she has worked on a number of projects and she continues to soar higher in her trade.
“I have worked on a number of projects and these include the installation of a Four-Cylinder Compressor system used to cool electronic cards of a fourteen-floor plant, the manufacture of a 7,2 Metres Centre Island Freezer and 3,6 Metres High Back Chiller, TN Bank Air Conditioners and Ceiling Cassettes Installation amongst many other projects,” she said.
She urged women with an interest in thriving in a male-dominated field to believe in themselves and chase their goals.
“I encourage women to take on leadership roles and opportunities presented to them. Do not succumb to the traditional approach of patriarchy in industrial structures. We are more than the social construction of being confined in domestic spaces,” she said.
