The following stories from Myamar are extracts from the booklet 'Women in the Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Industry."
KYI KYI PYONE
I graduated from Rangoon Institute of Technology in 19n6, obtaining a Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) in Mechanical Engineering. I obtained a Master’s of Engineering (M.E.) in Mechanical Engineering in 2000. Then, I became a lecturer at West Yangon Technological University (WYTU), teaching RAC systems as one part of the Mechanical Engineering subjects and supervising the theses of fifth year B.E and M.E students. I later joined the public sector, as I had got a government job. In 2001, I was appointed the head of the Mechatronics and Mechanical Engineering Department of Hmawbi Technological University, a government university attached to the Ministry of Science and Technology. I was then transferred to WYTU in 2011, where I still work as a lecturer. I have now taught for over 17 years. During that time, I’ve taught mechanical engineering subjects and supervised the theses of fifth year B.E. and M.E. students specializing in mechanics. Many subjects and projects are on RAC, and other subjects are linked to the government and private sector.
In 2017, I participated in a survey and collected data on the applications of ozone depleting substances (ODS) and alternative refrigerants in our country to establish the current consumption of ODS alternatives and provide future projections of growth patterns by substance. Before conducting the survey on ODS alternatives, a working committee was formed, gathering the representatives of all stakeholders from both government departments and the private sector. The parties involved were the Ministry of Commerce, Department of Trade, Customs Department, Ministry of Industry, Department of Research and Innovation, Environmental Conservation Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, Ministry of Transport and Myanmar Engineering Society (MES) and other private sector organizations for the importers and distributors of chemicals (ODS & ODS alternatives) and RAC equipment and their respective service companies and end-users.
Without continuous efforts by the members of MES and all the stakeholders, it would have been difficult to conduct the survey and obtain the required information.
- “The knowledge and experience I have gained in my training courses, workshops and seminars enable me to provide students with valuable knowledge about working in a real industrial environment ”
Training was provided through case studies of similar projects carried out by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This was very useful for the survey and analysis. However, due to a lack of time, we didn’t reach the goal as we had expected, although we did our best and completed the survey.
I wrote an article entitled “Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) Alternatives Survey in Myanmar», which was accepted for publication by the International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications (IJSRP) and included in Volume 8, Issue 9, of the September 2018 edition. Another paper, “ACMV in Myanmar corresponding to Green Technology”, was published at Pyay Technological University on 23 August 2018.
In order to share knowledge, the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technical Division arranged training programmes at MES. Courses were completed and a total of 300 participants attended. I also supervised UP2 College, Chindwin TU International College Engineering Exam & Project Presentation. I developed questions for the Professional Engineering Exam (Air Conditioning and Refrigeration subjects and the fundamental engineering topic), the AAE Examination (Association of Southeast Asian Associations – ASEAN), the Inventor award (Ministry of Industry) and so on.
In conclusion, my regular duty and responsibility are to teach engineering students. However, the knowledge and experience I have gained in my training courses, workshops and seminars enable me to provide students with valuable knowledge about working in a real industrial environment and teach them to work as a team to solve technical and management problems. I do this by sharing my experiences and giving guidance on their projects. Moreover, I volunteer in MES as Joint General Secretary and Secretary of the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technical Division. I support the Myanmar National Ozone Unit (NOU) in solving challenges. I may participate in training programmes to strengthen the capacities of RAC technicians in following good practices and properly follow and uphold best practices.
MIE MIE NYO WIN
As a woman in the field of engineering, it was not a very trying, but rather challenging, experience to enter the mechanical engineering workforce. My mother worked hard as a civil engineer and she has been very successful. She has greatly inspired me and helped me pursue my career. She also showed me a very good example of how to live and struggle within a challenging culture – that of the engineering field when you are a woman.
As a lecturer, I am currently working at the Singapore-Myanmar Vocational Training Institute (SMVTI), Yangon, Myanmar. In the School of Facilities Management, we teach courses in Building Fixtures and Equipment and Residential Air-Conditioning. The latter is my subject of interest, because air conditioning has become essential in our country and it needs a great deal of advanced technology and skillful technicians. I would like to take part in training such technicians with a view to filling these gaps in my country’s development. Thus, I chose the Residential Air-Conditioning course, which includes four modules: Air Conditioning Wiring, Air Conditioning Controls, Unitary Air-Conditioning System and Split Air-Conditioning System.
Previously, I worked as a mechanical engineering lecturer in three different technological universities. After hearing about SMVTI, which is a joint project between the Governments of Singapore and Myanmar that aims to support the vocational sector of Myanmar’s youth and adults, I was interested and joined the institute to train and produce the skillful workers and technicians who will be able to seize the job opportunities offered by Myanmar’s different industries. These people are essential for the development of our country. I believe that vocational institutes support the need for human resources, so, I want to play this role as a teacher.
- “ I have a strong desire to collaborate widely with many industries and organizations in the RAC sector to strengthen our teaching methods and produce skillful workers and technicians ...”
Regarding education and training, I have completed the pedagogical and technical training (Train the Trainer-TTT) conducted by trainers from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), Singapore. Furthermore, I attended the TTT Workshop on Good Servicing Practices for the Longer-term, Low-GWP Refrigerants in the RAC Sector provided by UNEP, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Conservation (MONREC) and the Myanmar Engineering Society (MES) in Yangon, Myanmar. Recently, I participated in technical training on the Installation, Servicing and Troubleshooting of Residential Air-Conditioning Systems conducted by Peace Myanmar Electric Holding (PMEH) Company Limited and DAIKIN Air Conditioning Company Limited. I also attended a training course on insulation provided by Cool City Zone Company Limited.
From time to time, I prepare lesson plans with detailed schedules. I give my lectures using PowerPoint presentations with pictures and videos. I train students in the areas of AC installation, maintenance, troubleshooting and servicing. Moreover, I teach students about the installation of wiring systems so they can use that knowledge for air conditioners and other electronic devices. I also train students to work high up using sample scaffolding so they know how to work with heights and how to safely use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The first session of the course focuses on safety awareness.
At the beginning of every workshop session, students must participate in the toolbox meeting, in which I give a short briefing to introduce the topic, safety guidelines and how to prepare the materials. Then, I give students their job sheets with the instructions on what to do, and the explanation of the instructions. A video is shown if necessary.
Occasionally, we invite experts from the RAC industry to share their knowledge about AC tasks such as maintenance, troubleshooting, servicing, insulation and so on. Teachers and students gain more knowledge and good experience from these extremely valuable sessions. Moreover, we visit industries and workshops to discover and learn about the real working world and ask questions.
Students have to take theoretical and practical exams. In their theoretical assessment, their knowledge of the theory is tested with multiple-choice questions. In their practical assessment, for the split AC unit module, each student has to install an air conditioner, purge the air, check for refrigerant leakages, run the system, measure the operating current, refrigerant pressure and air temperature and tidy up. For the AC wiring module, each student has to draw the wiring diagramme, install the wiring system, check the continuity, polarity and current leakage and tidy up. I have to assess and score students’ activities as they carry them out. After the exam, maybe on the next day, an overall tidying and cleaning operation is performed by students and teachers. This is also our good culture in our institute.
After school, some graduates get a job and work at different industries in the RAC sector. We invite them to come to the school to share their working experiences with the students to motivate them and give them the opportunity to ask the new employees about their working life. We are very proud of their achievements. We collect feedback from both graduates and industries to know graduates’ competence and, where appropriate, how much more training they would need to have the necessary work skills. By analysing that feedback, we can adjust our training by preparing the curriculum to align with the industries’ needs. Thus, lecturers do not only teach students, they also follow up with students after graduation to improve the standard of teaching.
Even in the educational environment, I have faced some challenges by virtue of being a woman in the RAC sector. Since air conditioning is a male-dominated weld in my country, it is difficult for me, as a woman, to train students on AC activities such as servicing, installation and handling and dealing with the machines and accessories such as recovery units, vacuum pumps, gas cylinders, drilling machines, brazing torch sets and so on. However, I try my best. I also have to be more energetic in developing students’ skills.
I have also faced some problems when units, tools and equipment are damaged during training due to frequent handling and usage. When that occurs, we service the units and change the tools and equipment. Sometimes, students can service units themselves under my guidance. Sometimes, I call outside service technicians to repair them. On those occasions, I can check and study their work. This is also a type of learning from others. Learning is endless for us. That’s why we are continuously studying, so that we will be able to teach our students with confidence.
Another challenge is that some graduates work with different applications to those they studied at school. For example, although students are trained on only basic residential air-conditioning systems at school, sometimes they have to work with commercial air-conditioning systems. That’s why we are trying to develop the level of competencies in the curriculum to keep abreast with the industries. For this issue, we need to invite the experts from the RAC sector and discuss the development of the curriculum. We are also currently trying to collaborate with the National Skill Standards Authority (NSSA) to enhance the skills of both students and teachers.
In conclusion, I have a strong desire to collaborate widely with many industries and organizations in the RAC sector to strengthen our teaching methods and produce skillful workers and technicians whose skills are essential to developing our country. As a woman, I would like to encourage other women to enthusiastically work in the RAC sector in the future.
MYAT WUT YI
I am a trainer in residential air conditioning at the School of Facilities Management, SMVTI Vocational Training Institute. I have been working for the school since the Institute was established. I now have over three years’ working experience in this school.
Before I worked at SMVTI, I was a lecturer at three different technological universities in Myanmar, each located in a different city. During my time working as a lecturer, I also obtained a Master’s degree in mechanical engineering at Yangon Technological University. When SMVTI started recruiting its staff, I applied for a job. At the time, I was interested in providing practical training to students who could not attend the university. I also wanted to train them to become skillful workers and enable them to find a job easily. And then, I was also interested in studying the RAC sector. That’s why I chose to train students in RAC at a vocational institute.
Before opening the Institute, we prepared the things we needed. First, I attended pedagogical training. Then I participated in technical training, both in Singapore and Myanmar. The trainers were Singaporean. During the training, I studied the basics of RAC with my colleagues in the RAC team. I then prepared documents such as lesson notes, lesson plans, PowerPoints and module schedules. I studied so many things to improve myself.
- “I was interested in providing practical training to students who could not attend the university. I also wanted to train them to become skillful workers and enable them to find a job easily.”
After starting at the Institute, I participated in school events such as orientation for students and parents, interviews to select the students, the orientation programmes, industrial visits and graduation ceremonies. At our school, all training courses take six months. RAC is consequently also a six month course. There are four modules in the RAC course:
Module 1: AC Wiring
Module 2: AC Control
Module 3: Unitary AC
Module 4: Split AC.
Until now, I have taught module 3, unitary AC, in the first three months of the course, and I also teach as a co-trainer in module 2, AC control, in the last three months of the course. Although the name of module 3 is Unitary AC, it is mostly about refrigeration systems. It includes five chapters:
• refrigeration piping systems,
• refrigeration systems,
• leak testing, evacuation, charging and recovery,
• installation of unitary air conditioners,
• selector switches in window units and starting electrical components of compressors.
During training periods, I teach the theoretical background knowledge using pedagogy and then train students in the practical activities with job sheets. First, I instruct them to fabricate the refrigeration piping one by one. Then, I have students form groups of two for the practical activities on refrigeration systems, refrigeration processes and AC installation.
On the first day of training, I introduce the tools and equipment to the new students. I also train them in clearing up. In the next days, I train them in each step of setting up copper piping systems such as flaring, swaging, bending and brazing. After they understand and can set up copper piping systems well, I let them install refrigeration circuits on their training boards. I guide them for the evaporator coil and capillary tube and then these are used in the piping circuit according to the job sheet. Then I train students in the refrigeration processes, step by step and repeatedly until they perform well. During training time, I always answer all the questions asked by students.
After that, I introduce air conditioning and the types of air conditioners. I then train them in the installation of window and casement units and also check how the students do test runs, record data and so on. I also teach them about the control components of window air conditioners such as selector switches, thermostats, capacitors, overload and how to find faults in them.
Part of my work is preparing teaching materials like lesson plans, PowerPoint presentations and so on, thinking up ideas on how to deliver lessons, preparing the tools, equipment and materials for the practical lessons, requesting material from our support staff and delivering the theoretical lessons and practical training. I also need to supervise students when they clean up and maintain the tools and equipment. Then I have to request the required materials for the next batch and condemn damaged tools. I have to do additional duties as instructed by the head of department and participate in school activities and events. I have also been a witness in an internal audit.
I have attended many training sessions supported by our school during vacation weeks. Thus, I am confident in how I improve my personal skills. Sometimes, I study RAC servicing from the technicians and experts of both MOU partner companies and other related areas.
I have faced some challenges because I am not skilled enough to repair RAC systems if there are errors in them - in the control system, for instance. Although I want to complete work experience in an industrial setting, I worry that I am not strong enough, not like a man. However, I believe that I can manage classes and also do well, not only as a trainer, but also as a learner in the RAC sector.
