CANZ CEO Sarah Toase provides an association-wide update.
At the time of writing I’ve just returned home from a trip to Nelson. I met with our new virtual support team On Cue and I took the opportunity to swing by the “Adam’s Crane” yard.
I was first in touch with Adam Gausel in his previous role at a development/construction company. Adam informed me that he was about to buy a crane to start up his own business and would, in time, join the Crane Association of New Zealand as a member in his own right.
So it was great to roll up to the yard and see the fantastic yellow Grove in all its glory, after watching the business get up and running over the past couple of years.
This word “partnership” features in the Adam’s Crane logo. It also features in the way he does business.
So when I sat down to review this second instalment of the “New Zealand Feature” and saw his article that follows in this section, the idea of partnership once again came to mind.
Not just an ideal
Partnership and collaboration are easy words to throw around, but the success the Crane Association of New Zealand (CANZ) has enjoyed over the past few years, wouldn’t be possible without holding tight to these two ideals.
Partnership is what has made this New Zealand Feature possible. The team at the Cranes and Lifting publication have put in an incredible amount of work to make this a possibility.
The association has limited resources so by coming to me with an idea and the resources to make it happen, together we have been able to partner to create this feature. In return we’ve provided our knowledge of industry and stories of the great work being done across the motu (country/land/nation) and the connection with the incredible people who are making it all happen. That’s you!
This feature highlights the passion, innovation and success of our members. CANZ is the voice of the industry, and through this partnership with Cranes and Lifting we’ve been able to use that voice to highlight your businesses and your success.
Biggest partnership in our history
We work closely with other associations to identify common streams of work where we can share ideas and resources to create a partnership that benefits both industries.
The perfect example of this is when the Port Industry Association and CANZ sat down over a drink in January 2021. In looking to re-establish the relationship between the two associations we identified that both industries with feeling underserved by the new vocational education framework promised by the Reform of Vocational Education (RoVE). We quickly realised that there was an opportunity for our industries to create a partnership. One which would provide high quality industry training and remove the bureaucracy which would place our niche industries under the behemoth of the post-RoVE model.
We spoke about our vision of creating better outcomes for learners, employers and industry.
This partnership has now come to fruition with the registration of the PTE to be known as PCANZ being confirmed in May 2023.
The success of the PTE is going to require even further partnership as we navigate a once-in-a-generation change to the vocational education sector in New Zealand.
We may need to traverse some rocky water with current providers, trainers and assessors in our industry as we all find our place in the post-RoVE world.
I am confident that because we share a vision of an industry which is better served by quality training, we will be able to work through whatever challenges arise.
We will need to rely on that shared vision to create a strong partnership that we can lean on when the waters get a little rough. However, nothing great comes from staying exactly where you are. I know that by moving forward and moving forward together we will be able to achieve CANZ’s vision to ‘provide world class-training in our own backyard’.
Conference a celebration of partnership
You may well be reading this at the annual CANZ conference being held at the fabulous Te Pae Convention Centre in Ōtautahi, Christchurch. Let me assure you that this once-a-year coming together of the New Zealand crane industry would not be possible without partnership at every level.
Our loyal sponsors partner with CANZ to showcase their products and services and by doing so make this conference the premier event for the Kiwi crane industry.
Our delegates are leaning on partnerships both at home and at work to be here and indeed the company owners who allow their staff to attend the conference are showing true industry partnership.
I look forward to celebrating partnership at the gala awards dinner taking place on the final night of our conference. This sees our members, who are often fierce competitors, coming together to nominate each other or to nominate a project collaboration for one of the awards.
Suppliers coming to the partnership party
As I mentioned earlier, CANZ does have limited resources – but through supplier partnerships we are able to deliver for our members.
I have been so grateful of the support of our suppliers as we work to genuinely increase the benefits to our members and to the wider industry.
Our supplier partnerships are mutually beneficial. An example of this is the printed material you see here at the conference is which sponsored by our printing partner Excel Digital. They print and deliver all of the products that are available in the Crane Training NZ shop.
Another example is how invested our consultant has become in the success of our PTE. The incredible team at SAARA were so invested in getting our registration across the line that when they could see the billable hours mounting up, one of their staff members chose to do work in his own time.
Those two examples demonstrate how vital it is to develop and maintain partnerships with the right people and this is something that the association has focused on. This helps us to achieve our purpose and work towards our vision, not just with suppliers, but with all key stakeholders.
Our key partners of course are our members – the people the crane association is here to serve. There is such a rich history in our industry and so many of your stories are woven together in tales of partnerships (past, present and most certainly – future.)
Adam, of Adam’s Crane shared with me yesterday that two of the association’s life members have (each independently) supported him to get his business off the ground and make it a success.
I can’t think of a better example of partnership, for the success of the kiwi crane industry, than that.