Yes over the half way mark for 2022 and the outlook ahead is a little foggy! We can positively look back a couple of weeks to reflect on the engagement with many of you face to face at the Safetree and FICA Conferences in Queenstown.
It was truly a milestone that demonstrated that the industry has missed the personal gatherings, the chance to network and to travel too. Despite some coming home with more than the photographs, I believe no one regretted taking a day or two to finally feel the sense of normality.
However the overall current environment is still being challenged in what has become a extra ordinary situation. We know the industry has a reputation of cyclic ups and downs but this has been exceptional with one thing after another and FICA acknowledges this.
We are staying abreast of anything that will make that more bearable for our sector but a lot has to do with the relationship between contractor and principle and the nest egg you may have put away for a raining day although I can imagine that has been eroded over the last few years.
We completed and launched our new revised Strategic Plan at the Conference and so our focus for the next couple of years is on Education – upskilling our sector, assisting them with maximising their businesses and Promotion – there are loads of positive stories out there, good things going on and plenty of innovative initiatives which need to consider putting in an application for Brionny Hoopers Microinnovation Funding Programme that comes out mid-July.
This week we have just come off the back of a FRAG workshop in Wellington which I have to say was very successful, creating those relationships with the ROVE entities, discussing the ideal state of industry training andLearning what might be possible and what needs to be further tested.
The support for on the job training and apprenticeships is high priority which is good news for us but we do need to maximise with a clear strategy of what we want.
The webinar series has completed its final fourth session and as they have been so well received we plan to extend this forum across the next few months with more webinars based around your suggestions. Get yourself registered for the next one:July 20 Wednesday– Louise Foley : Le Pine & Co Employment agreements – "what should be in them and why" and finally I am really excited about the new website for FICA which has created a site with a far greater presence, more information, more accessible and it will be continually updated. Thanks to Frank Communications, grahics will roll out to all our other collateral, face book, magazine pages and the general look and feel of FICA with a spit and polish!
