JD COOLING | Events
- Name? Jodi Whitehead
Whilst at school, where did you think you would take your career? I thought I’d spend my life working with horses.- Was a career in engineering ever discussed with you at school? In the late 80’s in my school there was a definite divide between men’s’ and ladies’ vocations. Girls still had to take up sewing and typewriting!
- What was your first job? Working on a farm when I was 10 years old, just helping feed cattle and ‘buck thistle’, which was chopping the thistles in the grass paddocks.
- What is your current role and what does it involve? I am a business development executive for the JD Cooling Group, My main focuses are within the industrial refrigeration and HVAC cleanroom sectors. I also help support the marketing department.
- What job satisfaction do you have? My job satisfaction comes in several ways. I have great satisfaction finding new clients for the group but that is increased ‘tenfold’ when the customer is extremely satisfied and return for repeat business – that’s an amazing feeling!
- What excites/interests you about the Air Conditioning & Refrigeration (ACR) industry? Engineering excites me – the ever-changing technology that we adapt to within the diverse nature of our business. We could be looking after an air conditioning system for an office or a global food production factory.
- Is it usually male orientated? Does this have any bearing on your attitude to your job? As this is about promoting International Women’s Day, you may like to expand a bit on your views of working in an industry more often filled by men. This is a very male dominated environment, which I find incredibly fascinating. Turning up to a site can have its challenges as some people have a pre-conception to whether a lady can understand their requirements. It’s most satisfying when this barrier is overcome.
- Do you have a preference to working with men, women or a mix? I prefer a mixture of all genders, everyone person has ideas and reasons that bring the best kind of solutions, a total holistic approach.
- Which woman in history (past and present) inspires you the most? It must be the controversial Margaret Thatcher. I don’t necessarily agree with what she did but what an achievement to lead an absolutely male dominated environment, the head of our Country! The prejudices and her ability to rise above them to carry out her job to her best ability in an era that was very male dominated.
- What is one thing you think that you can do to help create a gender equal world (#EachforEqual.) between men and women? To be the best in my role that I can be, that will help a gender equal environment. Respect for the work I do irrespective of my gender.
- What is the best piece of advice you were ever given? You can be/do whatever you want to, but you must work hard, listen and respect everyone.
- Is there a little-known fact about yourself that would surprise other people (secret skill, unusual hobby etc)? I can rock and roll jive and ride my own motorbike!
Watch this space for more Q&As supporting #IWD2020 #EachforEqual