Ana María García Gascó (CONAIF): Talent and training are essential for generational relief
“Young talent and training in the air-conditioning and refrigeration installation sector are essential for our installation companies to be able to rely on skilled workers and successfully manage the generational transition.”
Ana María García Gascó, Director General of the National Confederation of Installers and Fluids Associations (CONAIF), explains how participation at C&R 2025 helped to highlight the importance of air-conditioning and refrigeration systems.
How important is young talent and training in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration sector?
These are two key factors that will enable our installation companies to ensure a supply of skilled workers, both now and into the near future, and to successfully manage the generational transition. Without young people entering the sector through specialist training, it is just not possible to ensure the relief of professionals in our companies in the short to medium term.
What steps need to be taken to ensure this generational transition within the sector?
All initiatives that manage to attract young people to the sector, enabling them to learn the trade and take over from veteran installers in companies who are reaching retirement age. To achieve this, we need to be able to reach out to them and put our message across: our facilities offer jobs for those with the right qualifications, competitive salaries and the opportunity to build a career in a sector that is at the forefront of the energy transition.
It would also be important to secure the cooperation of educational institutions and the various levels of government – central, regional and local authorities – by launching information and promotional campaigns targeting young people who are at the stage of deciding their career path. Education, awareness-raising and information campaigns can be extremely useful in attracting young talent to air-conditioning and refrigeration installation companies.
What are the special features of heating, cooling and air-conditioning installations?
Heating and air-conditioning units are regulated by the Spanish Thermal Installation in Buildings Regulation (RITE) and cooling units by the Regulation on the Safety of Refrigeration Installations (RSIF). These facilities tend to increasingly focus on sustainability and environmental protection, using innovative and eco-friendly refrigerants. Smart control systems, home automation and artificial intelligence are enhancing comfort in homes and industrial settings, as well as improving the efficiency of such facilities.
How did CONAIF’s participation at C&R 2025, organised by IFEMA MADRID, help highlight the importance of air-conditioning and refrigeration systems?
A number of CONAIF representatives participated in the technical conference programme, ForoClima, and also in the ‘Ágora de Regulación y Control’ forum, delivering presentations highlighting the value of these types of facilities and the various solutions it offers. Our secretary, Antonio Pantoja, took part in a conference on decarbonisation in air-conditioning and refrigeration systems, presenting a success story involving hybridisation in the commercial sector, using an LPG condensing boiler and a heat pump, managed under an Energy Saving Certificate (CAE). And Mario Rial, Head of the Technical Area, gave a presentation on the changes introduced to regulation and control by the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), comparing them with the current RITE regulations governing air-conditioning systems.
We also chose the C&R Exhibition to host a meeting of the managers, directors and general secretaries of the CONAIF associations, encouraging a large number of air-conditioning and refrigeration professionals from our sector to attend. And, in the run-up to the event, we took part in the various committees of which CONAIF is a member: the technical, marketing and organising committees, as well as the Innovation Gallery.