18 WPC
Keynote address( Part 2)
We conclude the keynote address that was presented during the 11th World Plumbing Conference.
By
Shayne La Combre, chair of the World Plumbing Council
Water is life
The way forward All three of these components are important separate ingredients of the solution:
• Educating a plumbing workforce capable of taking advantage of contemporary products, technologies and techniques;
• Harnessing industry capacity and connections all around the world; and
• Designing effective and efficient regulatory frameworks that adequately reflect the safety requirements and facilitate investment.
Importantly, all are also co-dependent. Each element relies upon the others to be successful. For example,“ Regulations for sustainable plumbing”— the very theme of this conference— is not in and of itself achievable in a meaningful way without the support of the relevant local industry and without the education facilities and capacity to ensure standards can be met.
Education Education needs to be supported by industry to ensure training is fit for purpose and effective. An industry can only grow and be sustainable in the long term in a wellregulated context and with a skilled workforce.
We need to continue to develop skills from the ground up if we are going to grow the global skills base. We need to look at growing models of success in terms of co-operative efforts.
Most Diepsloot residents rely on communal toilets, many of which are inadequate or not operating.
February 2017 Volume 22 I Number 12 www. plumbingafrica. co. za