NZ Trucking Association

Trucking mentoring programme launched

Hidden in the industry are passionate, successful It is all totally confidential for both parties unless they want to transport operators who have done the hard yards publish their experience. This new programme could be a game to develop and run their businesses. Developing and changer for the industry. growing a successful trucking business is not a walk in This is just one service that the New Zealand Trucking the park; it takes years of hard work, long hours, and sacrifices. Association offers to transport operators. The association is also It can be an isolated business due to location and the fact that getting ready to launch its transport operators business pack. long hours mean there is not much time for social interaction. After many years of work this is now coming together and

Low margins and being a highly regulated industry can will soon be available for members. It will include everything make it challenging at times. The long licensing process from the things you need to do to start a trucking business makes it difficult to employ truck to how to make the business drivers when you want to scale up profitable and sustainable, as well a business quickly, and the hours required for the job can make it A mentor can motivate and as ideas on how to improve the back office. It is all about offering difficult to retain truck drivers. empower the mentee to modules that members can use to People who run trucking businesses now or have done in the resolve difficult situations make things easier. It will include downloadable PDF templates and past have lots of knowledge that is or understand a new will include details of who to go to rarely shared. Making mistakes is how they have learned. Mostly if industry; it’s not about for information or help. The association cost models will you are lucky enough to connect expecting them to do it the be upgraded to include full working with a business owner, they are generally happy to share knowledge way that they did. cash flows and budgets. It will be a one-stop shop. As things change it and experiences. will be updated. Membership starts

Many industries have mentoring from $33 per month, which grants programmes, but transport has not until now. full use of all the assistance the association provides.

The New Zealand Trucking Association has launched a The association recently rebranded and will soon be formal mentoring programme. The purpose is to tap into launching a new website, so watch out for that. To join, go existing knowledge, skills and experience, and transfer that to to www.nztruckingassn.co.nz or email Rebecca Dinmore at other people in the industry. rebecca.dinmore@nztruckingassn.co.nz. 

For a mentee, it can be a sounding board when they need to discuss a sensitive issue or want verification that they are To register to become a mentor or mentee, contact doing the right thing. A mentor can motivate and empower carol.mcgeady@nztruckingassn.co.nz. the mentee to resolve difficult situations or understand a new industry; it’s not about expecting them to do it the way that they did.

Mentoring is a source of guidance whereby one person shares their knowledge, skills, and experience to assist others to learn, develop and progress. Mentoring is more than ‘giving advice’. Mentoring can be about meeting different needs for different positions, organisations, or individuals. It can range from motivating and empowering the other person to identify their own issues and goals, helping them to find ways of resolving difficult situations, or understanding a new industry. Most importantly, it is not about expecting a mentee to ‘do it the way I did it’, but by understanding and respecting different ways of working or looking at situations. Mentors can choose to be profiled on the association’s website or have a private profile that only the mentee is shown. NZ Trucking Association can be contacted on 0800 338 338 or info@nztruckingassn.co.nz By Carol McGeady, executive officer NZ Trucking Association