FROM THE CEO The return to in-person events MEGAN FLOWER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, LANDSCAPING VICTORIA MASTER LANDSCAPERS
As you will see from our MIFGS wrap up on pages 26-27 industry folk were keen to get together to reconnect after weathering the challenges presented by the pandemic, with record numbers joining us in the Carlton Gardens to celebrate the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show. Hopefully that type of success serves as a bellwether for the remaining calendar of events scheduled for this year, including the Backyard
This extended recently to the ‘Trades Fit’ event promoting careers in trades to young women in years 9-10. We were delighted to welcome to our stand several young female apprentices from our Member businesses who were thoroughly engaged in their task of sharing their stories and encouraging school-age girls to consider a landscaping career. I was thrilled with their enthusiasm and can’t wait to see how successful they all become in the future. Participating in this careers expo, and others like it slated later in the year, is just one way LVML is trying to address the critical staff shortage that Members tell us they are experiencing.
"Participating in this careers expo, and other like it slated later in the year, is just one way LVML is trying to address the critical staff shortage that Members tell us they are experiencing." & Garden Show, and our very own tradefocused Landscape Show. After spending the last two years sitting behind computer screens, in-person events are not only a welcome change, but they form the backbone of our Association, providing the much-needed connection and networking that is critical to support the success of our Members’ businesses. LVML’s participation and deep involvement in these consumer events is supported by many Members who generously volunteer their time and expertise to help raise the awareness and importance of professionalism in landscaping to the visiting public.
There is no magical ‘fix’ we can offer, but through our work with our TAFE partners and several government groups we are involved with, we continue to develop ways we can effect change to pull trades into more focus at a school level. Driven by a key strategic goal of the Association to advocate for and promote this industry, we are always looking for ways to influence and elevate the standing of the landscaping industry and inspire the next generation of landscaping professionals.
In April, we achieved a major strategic milestone with the announcement of a $1.29 million grant from the Victorian government’s Workplace Innovation and Training Fund to deliver a new Advanced Landscape Design and Construction course-in. Read more about that on page 9. Another Government Grant has also been successfully applied for and we will soon be announcing a new well-being program to support all Members. Although always on our agenda to assist our Members, it has been identified as a high priority by the Board that we raise our efforts in the mental health space with so many staff and business owners feeling the pressures of life in 2022. One positive that has come out of the last two years is the heightened awareness of the value of landscapes, and their importance in safeguarding the health and wellbeing of not only individuals, but the community as a whole. With this renewed public enthusiasm, it has never been a better time to be part of LVML and I would encourage anyone who has not yet joined to consider the benefits of membership with this supportive an inclusive community. I would like to thank the LVML Board, the enthusiastic and hard-working Executive team of Bianca, Darren, Colleen, Youna and Nicole, and of course our members and valued partners - the on-going work and support you all gave over recent challenging times has been invaluable, as it will continue to be as we face future challenges together.
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The winds of change have blown hard since our last edition of Earthstyle was published and we find ourselves in a very different position to that which we were in at that time. With the lifting of restrictions, gone are the necessities of online events and we have seen a return to in-person events which has been a wonderful highlight.
