Presently it is a male-dominated field, but that is slowly changing. Some women in the last few years have discovered the wonderful opportunities provided by this industry. The HVAC-R industry is as wide open to women as it is to men. This industry is using computers at an ever-increasing rate. It started with basic programmable thermostats.
Computers now control entire buildings systems.
A computer can perform all aspects of indoor climate control. The equipment that provides warm or cool and clean air to our homes and businesses is out of sight. We never think about it until it breaks down. Consequently, few people ever notice how large and important an industry it is. Almost every building in the USA has some type of HVAC-R units in it.