Securing success through collaboration and partnership

I begin my first IQ President’s column of 2025 by acknowledging just a few of our Institute’s accomplishments from last year, achieved as a result of a member-centric approach, branch co-ordination and regional relationships.

From the success of the CPD events hosted by local branches and welcoming the Heavy Clay Technology Association (HCTA) to the IQ community, to embarking on the final design phase of the National Stone Centre (NSC) project, each triumph of 2024 was realized through collaboration and partnership.

At Hillhead we endorsed and launched the Strategic Safety Forum, bringing key industry bodies together as ‘one voice’ on safety, whilst through the Quarries National Joint Advisory Committee (QNJAC) we improved communication channels with WhatsApp, a new website, Quarry Management, and our committed working groups.

2024 also saw the introduction and industry acceptance of the MPQC MP Connect card – which will be a key tool for our industry and the Institute in the future – and, most recognizably for me, we delivered the Level 5 Diploma in Surface Mining Explosives Engineering to its first cohort of students. This achievement, in particular, reflected a clear demonstration of successful collaboration between an industry partner, The Centre for Mineral Products, University of Derby, and the Institute.

The feats of 2024 will pave the way for further successes in 2025, where a commitment to safety, lifelong learning, and the efficacy of purposeful networking will serve to continue improving operations, competencies, and sustainability, whilst creating new strategic opportunities with a global reach.

At the International Presidents’ meeting and the Institute of Quarrying Australia conference in Adelaide, held last September, leaders made a strategic commitment to collaboratively address some of the key global challenges we face in the industry today. My view is that the most prominent day-to-day challenge affecting us all revolves around people and our struggle to attract, recruit and retain the diverse talent needed in the post-Covid landscape.

We must make our industry more attractive and relevant to the employees of the future, and I want 2025 to be a year when the groundwork invested last year and before – through communications, collaborations, and education programmes – shows signs of fruition. 

In relation to this goal, during 2025 we will share our IQ Board and Council strategic review with the membership. This will provide an update of our strategy and its aims and objectives for the next five years. Each objective has been designed to ensure our Institute is fit for the future and can deliver a value proposition to members; embracing new technologies, ensuring sustainability and, consequently, attracting the new talent needed.

I believe there is much to feel optimistic about and I look forward to discussing our Institute’s agendas and priorities at events throughout the year. Until then, I wish you a safe and successful start to 2025.

Ben Williams