Quarry talks to Greg Dressler about his time in the industry and the benefits of being an IQA member.
The Institute of Quarrying Australia (IQA) Ambassador program is well underway, and its members are helping to progress the IQA’s goal of enhancing member engagement by 2025.
The latest IQA Ambassador to share their story is Greg Dressler (FIQ). Dressler is the quarry manager for Heidelberg Materials Australia’s Kulnura Quarry, which is located off the New South Wales Central Coast near Gosford. He also serves as the chairperson for the IQA’s Hunter region sub-branch.
Quarry spoke to Dressler about his time in the quarrying industry and why he has remained an IQA member for more than two decades.
How long have you been an IQA member, and why did you join?
I joined the IQA around 21 years ago and was recently upgraded to Fellow, which was very satisfying to be recognised as a senior leader in the industry. I joined as I had started my first quarry manager role a couple of years prior. My quarry operations manager at the time suggested I join the IQA to continue expanding my knowledge base.
Why did you join the IQA Ambassador program?
I am very passionate about quarrying and the essential construction materials industry. This industry has allowed me to grow professionally and personally, and I want to give back to it.
Becoming an IQA Ambassador will provide a platform, alongside the various other roles I do within the IQA, to assist with steering the industry in a direction that is essential to make the sector more appealing to people who want to come into the industry and to help the community understand how essential it is to have the quarrying and construction materials industry. It will also provide a platform to showcase why it is a respected industry through the eyes of people currently employed in the industry,
What do you hope to achieve as an IQA Ambassador?
I want to help by continuing to grow the IQA’s member base. The industry is essential and a major contributor to the community through employment and infrastructure development.
It has a significant economic impact and is the foundation for supporting the construction industry. The IQA is the only industry association that can connect people in the industry as it offers great networking opportunities with other quarries and associated industry people. The ambassador role assists with engaging with people and spruiking the IQA’s benefits. The more members, the more the IQA can assist, and the more opinions and ideas that others bring to the table, the better for the whole Industry.
Why do you recommend becoming an IQA member?
The IQA offers everything required to assist people in the industry. Its ever-improving educational offerings are essential for industry professionals. The range of education on offer is ever-expanding and covers all industry roles, including safety, technical, environmental, operational, and quality. Whether you are an operator, a quarry supervisor, or a quarry manager, the range of training and how the training is delivered are high quality, whether face-to-face or online.
A saying I heard many years ago was, “You train your people and risk losing them, or you don’t train your people, and you risk keeping them”. We need competent, well-trained people in our industry, and the IQA is the only organisation that offers the required industry-specific training.
Another benefit of becoming an IQA Member is the networking opportunities. Being able to talk to others in the industry about wide and varied subjects like quarrying expertise from other quarry professionals to suppliers, contractors and consultants to the industry.
We have many very supportive suppliers, contractors, and consultants who support IQA. Networking dinner meetings, face-to-face training, webinars, and conferences open up many opportunities to meet other passionate people in the industry. Many people say that people within the quarrying industry are the “salt of the earth, “ which is so true. They have great integrity, are reliable and humble and contribute positively to the industry.
The IQA is currently working on updating its website and is also developing an app. It is also becoming increasingly more active on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook; this can only benefit the industry. The IQA is also investigating options to deliver an improved perception of the industry to the broader community, so watch this space.•
MEET OTHER IQA AMBASSADORS:
For more information, visit quarry.com.au
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