ASSOCIATIONS 9

By

Rory Macnamara

This is the final in the Strategy 2025 , a joint initiative between IOPSA and PIRB , project . One that sets out not to only raise standards but the industry . And there has been great progress thus far .

Plumbing Africa spoke to to Brendan Reynolds , Executive Director of the Institute of Plumbing SA ( IOPSA ) to find out what progress has been made since the launch of this project .

A summary of the main topics covered thus far : 1 . Restoring growth , trust , quality , professionalism , and pride to plumbing 2 . Increasing industry participation 3 . A Governance Gold Standard

It is appropriate to look at the Mission statement :

Within the next five years , we aim for the plumbing industry to be a coordinated ecosystem , with every stakeholder and activity collaborating toward growth and prosperity . We aim for plumbing training to be at the pinnacle of training ; producing employable plumbers of a high standards that are leaders in the industry . All stakeholders in the industry will be engaged and committed to upliftment . We will work towards legislation and policy that empowers and supports efficiency and growth . We aim to foster an inclusive environment that engages the informal sector . The industry will be future-focused and seen as relevant and key to the national discussions . Additionally , we will develop a sector that is growing , expanding , and well supported . Plumbing will be a benchmark for corporate and industry governance in the trade ecosystem , which effectively translates value created to members . Trust and pride will be restored to the plumbing profession .

We asked Brendan a few questions before arriving at the last pillar , ‘ an empowering legislative environment ,’

When was the strategy implemented ? October 2020 .

What drove this strategy in terms of coming to finality ? The steering committee ( formed mid 2019 ) was very good at keeping the focus . We employed the services of Blulever Education to assist

© Plumbing Africa | Rory Macnamara

us in the development of the strategy and they were very helpful in keeping everyone on track and on time .

What message to plumbers who are qualified , been working hard and according to standards ( both IOPSA and non IOPSA members ) who may well ask , who says we are not professional ? The plumbing industry is a professional industry and becoming more so every day , other trades are beginning to view plumbers as a model . If we want to be paid as professionals , we need to be professional , act professionally and be seen to be professional . You cannot just say it , you must live it . Strategy 2025 is exactly that : by showing that we have a plan , and we know what we want to achieve and by when , we , as an industry , show our professionalism .

What message to unqualified / informal people who may feel they are being left behind , and what are the options or opportunities for them ? We have put a lot of effort into ensuring that inclusivity is a foundation of the strategy . The aim is to bring everyone together , not to leave people out in the cold . It is important that we acknowledge the informal sector and that we find ways to assist them in growing to become fully recognised and compliant businesses .

What has Strategy 2025 achieved so far ? What projects have commenced , and what is in the pipeline ?

• Coordinating the ecosystem : e-learning platform and Learner Management system ; Stakeholder Relationship Manager , Training Forum ;

• Growth for future : research taking place ;

• Proud to be professional : introducing ‘ probationary ’ IOPSA membership for informal sector – first cohort of mentors trained ; and

Brendan Reynolds , Executive Director , IOPSA .

June 2021 Volume 27 I Number 4 www . plumbingafrica . co . za