INDUSTRY MATTERS 55
Get involved now
It is a thorn in my side when people complain but they do not put in any effort to empower themselves , to take ownership , or to get involved in a community or an industry they serve .
By
Brendan Reynolds , executive director at IOPSA
People constantly complain about government or associations and they focus on what is wrong in the industry they serve or work in , but they seldom apply any effort to make a difference .
As an example , IOPSA recently had bursaries available for eight people in the industry to study plumbing . We sent out invitations to our members in that region — and received three responses . That frustrates me . Something is offered to the members on a silver platter ; yet , they do not get involved . The plumbing company just has to release an employee for a couple of months at no cost , and the associated results would be of great benefit to the company and the industry at large . Yet , the response was disappointing .
Continuing professional development ( CPD ) is another prime example . Plumbers must earn a certain number of points annually , as set out by the PIRB . Most of the options available to earn CPD points are free of charge and require minimal effort , but many individuals still continue to complain about CPD rather than looking at the benefits of continuously developing themselves .
All professionals need to keep abreast of the latest trends , otherwise they are going to be left behind . The technology and methodology they are using are going to be outdated . Attending plumbers evenings , a webinar , or a training session , or filling out a questionnaire in Plumbing Africa and submitting it , are easy ways you can add to your CPD points .
Making an effort to earn your CPD points is one way to improve yourself ; at the same time , your business stays current and you stay at the cutting edge by keeping abreast of the latest changes regarding legislation , regulations , and trends in the market . But instead of seeing this as personal growth and putting their business in a better position , many plumbers perceive CPD as a burden . If one takes a look at almost all successful businesses in the world , continuous development is a key component of success .
At the IOPSA meetings , we address topical issues . When load-shedding became a problem , we were
Brendan Reynolds conquering Everest Base Camp in May .
caught with our pants down . Nobody expected the power debacle and suddenly , the country needed solar power but there was hardly anybody that could do it .
A hot topic now is harvesting rainwater and grey water . The reality is , there will never be enough water for all of us . We cannot continue to abuse our natural resources and right now , we are seeing the effects of water shortages in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth . Very few plumbers are preparing themselves for what is coming in this space . It is inevitable that South Africa will need grey water and rainwater harvesting on a massive scale . Get involved now , so that when the regulations or legislation is laid on the table for public participation , we as plumbers and plumbing companies can comment constructively and benefit from a huge market shift . Water harvesting is the future .
I recently travelled to Nepal to trek up to Everest Base Camp . The people in Nepal are extremely poor and there is very little infrastructure and even fewer municipal services . Yet , the streets are clean and the roads are in good repair because ordinary people stand up and get involved . They still hold the government accountable and they certainly do complain , but they also get involved by cleaning and sweeping the street in front of their home or shop every single morning . We can learn a great lesson from this . Rather than standing on the outside and complaining about things you believe are wrong in the industry , join IOPSA or register with PIRB and be actively involved . Be the change you want to see in the industry ! PA
Brendan Reynolds www . plumbingafrica . co . za July 2018 Volume 24 I Number 5