By Engr. Javeria Asad
Mechanical Engineer | Chair, Women in ASHRAE Saudi Arabia Chapter | Author | Speaker | Trainer | Certified Optimism Coach
Engineering gave me a profession. Perseverance helped me remain in it. And connections helped me discover how much more I could contribute.
When I graduated in Mechanical Engineering from NED University of Engineering & Technology in Karachi in 2002, I imagined a future filled with engineering projects, technical challenges, and professional growth. I knew the HVAC industry was predominately male, but I believed there was a place for me in it.
In 2006, I moved from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia. I arrived with my qualifications, ambitions, and hopes of continuing my career. But the opportunities available to women in engineering were limited, and finding a clear professional path was far more difficult than I had expected.
There is a particular kind of disappointment that comes when you have worked hard to become an engineer, yet cannot find enough opportunities to use your knowledge. I experienced that frustration. I was building a new life, caring for my family, and trying to hold on to a professional identity that mattered deeply to me.
But I refused to let limited opportunities become the end of my story.
Instead of waiting for the perfect full-time position, I took part-time assignments in HVAC design and construction-related work. Every drawing, calculation, coordination task, and site discussion helped me stay connected to engineering. Some assignments were small, but they carried enormous meaning: they reminded me that I was still an engineer, still learning, and still moving forward.
At the same time, I began developing parts of myself that a conventional engineering job might never have revealed. I invested in communication, leadership, writing, and training. I became an author, speaker, trainer, Distinguished Toastmaster, and certified optimism coach. These were not separate identities competing with engineering. They became strengths that made me a more confident engineer and a better communicator.
My career did not move in a straight line. There were pauses, uncertainties, and moments when progress felt slower than I wanted. Yet each chapter taught me that success is not always about how quickly we reach a destination. Sometimes it is about finding the courage to keep our dreams alive when the road is unclear.
As my HVAC experience grew, I worked across design, estimation, technical coordination, construction interfaces, and project management. I learned from consultants, contractors, suppliers, and site teams. Technical conversations opened my mind to new solutions, while professional relationships helped me see possibilities beyond the roles I had previously imagined.
That is why connections mean so much to me. A connection is not merely a contact saved on a phone. It is the colleague who shares knowledge instead of guarding it, the professional who makes an introduction, or the person who listens when someone is questioning their next step.
Joining ASHRAE gave me a wider professional community and a platform to contribute. Today, as Chair of Women in ASHRAE Saudi Arabia Chapter, I work to connect women engineers with technical conversations, professional networks, and leadership opportunities. I have also had the privilege of moderating industry discussions on HVAC design, installation, building operations, sustainability, and women in engineering.
Sometimes, standing on a conference stage, I think about the young engineer who arrived in Saudi Arabia years ago, wondering whether she would find her place. She could not have imagined that one day she would be facilitating conversations among industry leaders and encouraging other women to speak with confidence.
I am proud that my journey brings together hands-on HVAC experience, technical communication, industry leadership, authorship, speaking, and training. I do not see these as unrelated achievements. Together, they allow me to connect technical expertise with people, ideas, and possibilities.
But I also know what it feels like to search for an opportunity and to need someone to open a door. That memory keeps me grounded. It reminds me that even experienced professionals need support, and that we should never judge someone’s potential by the opportunities currently available to them.
Through mentoring and community work, I try to offer others the encouragement that can make a difficult journey feel less lonely. Sometimes a young woman needs technical advice. Sometimes she needs an introduction. And sometimes she simply needs to hear, from someone who understands, that her ambitions are worth pursuing.
During Global HVACR Women Week, my hope is that our conversations continue beyond the celebrations. Let us share knowledge, recommend talented women, create room at technical tables, and stay connected when the event ends.
If I could speak to the younger version of myself, I would tell her: your path may look different from the one you imagined, but do not give up on it.
Engineering gave me a profession. Perseverance helped me remain in it. And connections helped me discover how much more I could contribute.
Now I want to help other women discover that possibility too.
Local voices. Global connections. One HVACR community.
This article was contributed by Engr. Javeria Asad for Global HVACR Women Week 2026, taking place from 25–31 October.
It forms part of our Local Voices series, in which women share their experiences of working in HVACR and the connections that have made a difference along the way. By sharing these stories, we hope to help others find people they can learn from, exchange ideas with and support.
What connection has made a difference to you? We welcome contributions from women across HVACR, wherever you work and whatever stage of your career you have reached. Your story does not need to be long or polished—a simple experience could help someone else take their next step.
To share your story or find ways to take part, visit globalhvacrwomenweek.com.
