Quarry Supervisor at Holcim Australia and Young Member Network (YMN) coordinator for New South Wales, Shane Andersen, talks about the benefits of joining the YMN and how the group has benefits for interacting with the wider quarrying industry.
What are the main benefits of joining the YMN and engaging with others in the industry?
The biggest one for me since I’ve been involved, is the networking part of the YMN. You can sometimes be in your own world in your position and the company that you work for, so being able to connect with people in a similar situation, especially as a young person can be really beneficial.
Having the ability to build connections enables you to check in with someone that works elsewhere in the same role and a lot of the time we’re dealing with the same challenges, so those connections really go a long way to making life easier.
A lot of the knowledge for the industry can be hard to access through conventional means, you really learn how to do specific things within the industry by talking to other people and being taught by other people and the YMN is such a great way to connect with people to that end.
How do the courses and training from the IQA help to grow the knowledge of members?
The IQA is always doing their best to make it easy to access events, I do both remote courses for online learning and face-to-face where possible.
A lot of these courses are mandatory for state and national requirements, especially if you are in a supervisor or above position and working with IQA really helps to make a lot of these courses easily accessible.
Getting people who are working at the face most of the day to connect with these courses is really important, as the IQA’s training is relevant for day-to-day operations.
How can people facilitate long term connections with others in the
industry through the IQA?
There’s a lot of companies within the quarry industry, you’ve got the big four Boral, Adbri, Hansons and Holicm, but there’s also a lot of smaller companies that work with and around these companies.
By putting yourself out there and getting around to these training events or conferences, your name is likely to pop up in these networking events and from there it’s pretty easy to further build your skill set and advance your career.
It’s kind of an employee’s market so there’s plenty of benefit and ease of access to both educational, networking and career progression throughout the industry at the moment.
Is there anything you would like to share to help people join the YMN?
I’ve been involved for over two and a half years at this point and I encourage any young person entering the quarrying industry to join, because it really does broaden your horizons in terms of other companies knowing who you are and as mentioned earlier, the networking and help that can be offered along the way.
Just as important also, is a general camaraderie between local industries and different companies, the IQA and the quarrying industry is built by it’s people so it’s vital that we all stay connected and engaged.
IQA’s Young Member Network
The IQA’s Young Member Network (YMN) has been established to provide our young members and those interested in the quarry industry with guidance, support and an opportunity to develop successful careers within the industry. Our national network has been established so like-minded young people can get to know their peers, share ideas and experiences, build key industry contacts and perhaps develop new friendships. The IQA’s Young Member Network is open to any IQA member 35 years old or younger.
What does the YMN provide for its young members?
Support and assistance in your current role by having a network you can turn to.
Forums and events at state and national levels targeted at young members, providing essential industry workshops as well as social interactions.
Guidance and advice on career paths with options for career development.
Assistance for those taking their first step towards professional recognition via the range of professional development opportunities on offer.
For further information regarding the activities of the IQA’s Young Member Network, please contact the IQA on admin@quarry.com.au