A Message From Weld Australia’s Chair

RECONNECTING WELD AUSTRALIA’S BOARD WITH MEMBERS

David Lake (Chair, Weld Australia).

Over the last two years, many of the grass roots activities, for which Weld Australia is known, weren’t possible in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While our online webinars proved very popular during the pandemic, face-to-face member events help us deliver on one of our core functions: facilitating collaboration and fostering industry networking for welders.

Time and again, members tell us that, more than anything, they value the networking opportunities that our events deliver. In our last member survey, an overwhelming number of respondents indicated that they’re eager to return to face-to-face events.

Many of our members tell us that the network, or community, aspect of membership is one of the key reasons they joined Weld Australia, or renew every year. Membership provides opportunities to meet people from all walks of life – people you would be unlikely to cross paths with otherwise, but all of whom share interest (and even a love) for welding.

That is why I am committed to reinvigorating our grass roots activities.

I am very keen to reconnect Weld Australia’s Board of Directors with the membership. It is extremely important that we are aware of the views of members across a whole range of issues, and that we understand the challenges that members are facing. In this way, we will be better placed to serve the interests of all members. As a member, your opinions are sought after and appreciated – we really do value member feedback and refer to it regularly in the planning and development of services, programs and events.

We are reinvigorating our local State Committees and have already increased the number of technical events being held. We are also in the process of running smaller member events more often by establishing Regional Committees. Our newest Regional Committee is in Mackay, and has already held its first face-toface event. If you would like to help Weld Australia establish a Regional Committee in your local area, contact membership@weldaustralia.com.au.

David Choudry, our newly appointed and very enthusiastic Membership Manager, is working on a range of new ideas and initiatives to help foster member networking and connection more than ever before. I’d like to welcome David to the Weld Australia team.

If you have any ideas on how we can best reinvigorate our grass roots activities, including face-to-face events, feel free to reach out.

I am looking forward to once again meeting with members in-person, learning about their operations, and hearing about their challenges, so that Weld Australia can continue to serve the industry.

“As a member, your opinions are sought after and appreciated – we really do value member feedback and refer to it regularly in the planning and development of services, programs and events.”