QAA – Celebrating 30 years in 2022.
2022 marks thirty years since a simple, “yeah, let’s do it” on a phone call started the Queensland Arboricultural Association (QAA). We are excited to spend time throughout this year celebrating the people and events that have helped us get to where we are today, while also preparing for the next chapter.
As we move ahead, the Association is looking forward to providing more member benefits and working to increase awareness of significant trees, the environment, and the importance of hiring qualified arborists. The QAA is open to anyone involved in the tree industry. Our aim is to provide information that makes the industry safer and more efficient, all the while providing continual learning to improve skill sets and quality of work.
With this in mind, we have set a 12-month event calendar to help you better plan and organise your training and skills development. Moving forward the Association would love your thoughts on the things you as a member would like to see or benefit from. If there is a particular event you are passionate about, or you are just keen to lend a hand please reach out to us.
Approved Register Review has commenced
In December the QAA undertook a review of our approved register which includes our existing register members as well as multiple local Councils in Queensland and Northern NSW. We released a survey with the goal of seeking feedback from existing approved contractors and consultants about the effectiveness of the register. We also sought to open discussions with Councils on their tender process by requesting that it be mandatory for tender applicants to be on the QAA Approved Register. In addition, we offered to provide approved register members with appropriate tender documents to match the application requirements for Councils.
The QAA believes that by making it mandatory for Council tender applicants to be on the Approved Register, businesses who do not possess the required level of qualification, experience, and insurance will not be able to submit underpriced tender applications. As a result, these dangerous businesses will not be able to risk the safety of themselves, their staff and the public while completing council work. This, in turn, will make the industry safer for those working in it while also giving the general public confidence that work is being carried out by accredited and professional businesses.
We thank those who provided feedback during this process. Your input allows us to support the improvement and growth of the register for the future. We are currently collating the data from the survey and will report on the results in a future edition.
QAA Sponsorship Sales open in March
When we released our new sponsorship packages last year, we were amazed by the level of interest. Our available packages sold out, with some categories being taken within the first few hours.
Our sponsorship sales for 2022 open in March, and the good news is multiple places are available for new sponsors. As a sponsor of QAA you are helping us give back to our members in many ways, including through reduced ticket prices at events. This allows more members to attend, connect, learn new skills, gain valuable practical experience, and test their climbing ability against others in the industry.
We sincerely thank our 2021 sponsors for their support and look forward to working with you throughout 2022. If you are interested in becoming a QAA sponsor, you can request a Sponsorship Package by emailing office@qaa.net.au.
Industry Protection Zone (IPZ)
After the success of our inaugural Business Protection Zone event in 2020, we’re tackling another big issue on Friday 29 April.
Anyone who works within the arboricultural industry is familiar with the current skills gap. Training is expensive, Government funding is limited, and many employers are finding that even if someone has completed their qualifications, their practical experience does not equal the job requirements.
At this community event, we are bringing together people from all sides to discuss this topic. Employers, employees/contractors, registered training organisations and QAA Industry Support Partners (Fitzpatrick and Co. Insurance Brokers and Vermeer Australia).
There will be two streams of presentations. The first will be from our Industry Support Partners while the second will be from the IPZ Panel.
Some topics covered during the IPZ Panel will include:
• RTOs: Is there enough financial support offered to RTOs to deliver the qualifications appropriately?
• Students: What is it like to receive the training with the current funding and delivery methods?
• Employers: What additional costs are involved in hiring arb staff who do not possess the training and experience required to perform a job?
Rod Morris from the QLD Farmers Federation will be the IPZ Panel Leader. Rod is currently responsible for a project researching how to improve the support and delivery of all arborist qualifications in QLD.
The event will include a fabulous catered lunch and plenty of time for mingling and networking. For further information and to book tickets, visit the Events section on our website.
30 Year Gala Dinner
While we are looking forward to all our events in 2022, our 30-year Gala Dinner on November 19 is shaping up to be something special. This event will be the culmination of our 30-year celebrations and will also see the announcement of a new Lifetime Member. The voting process for this will be announced closer to the event.
Further details will be released as they’re confirmed so be sure to check our Facebook page for information. As an association we’re really excited to share this event with as many of you as possible.
For info call QAA on (07) 3821 1488, email: office@qaa.net.au, or you can go to www.qaa.net.au. Follow us on Facebook (QueenslandArboriculturalAssociation), Twitter (QLD_Arb_Assoc), Instagram (qaa_arborist), LinkedIn (queensland-arboricultural-association) or via the QAA App