e-News Edition #30

Date: 24-Aug-2024

Hot Topics

1. Irrigation Australia Conference & Exhibition - new discount dinner tickets and tour seats still available

2. Commonwealth - Seeking views on a Future National Water Agreement

3. Australian Farm Waste Portal - a tool for on-farm waste actions, and new Solving Plastic Waste CRC

4. Upcoming Training Courses - Secure your Spot Now!

5. Mental Health Article - Balancing Comfort and Challenge: A guide for young irrigation professionals

6. Job Opportunity - Chief Executive Officer for Tasmanian Irrigation

1. Irrigation Australia Conference & Exhibition - new discount dinner tickets and tour seats still available

Although general registrations are now closed, we’re excited to offer you exclusive access to two key events: the Conference and Awards Dinner being held on the evening of Tuesday 3rd September and three different Technical Tours to choose from.

The Conference Dinner (sponsored by Davey) provides an opportunity to connect with industry leaders and peers over an incredible meal and growing your network in a relaxed setting. All of the awards have been judged and there will be eight (8) presented on the evening – come and cheer on your industry peers!

We have pre-purchased a number of dinner tickets to give late registrants the opportunity to attend.

Offer 1 - If you have 3 or more paid delegates attending the conference, conference dinner tickets are now available for AUD$151.25 including GST – that’s 50% off full price!
Offer 2 – All other dinner tickets including tables of 10, now AUD$220 including GST per seat, email irrigation2024@theeventgap.com.au to secure your spot!

Our Technical Tours will take you behind the scenes to explore innovative irrigation technologies and practices, offering a variety of learning experiences.

These events are designed to provide both social and educational benefits. Whether you are looking to grow your industry knowledge or create new connections, these events are your way to achieving those goals.

We look forward to seeing you there!

2. Commonwealth - Seeking views on a Future National Water Agreement

DCCEEW has published a draft discussion paper for public consultation which marks the commencement of phase 3 in the National Water Initiative renewal.

The consultation document is available at https://consult.dcceew.gov.au/help-shape-a-new-national-water-agreement.

Irrigation Australia members and stakeholders are invited to provide feedback on the proposed principles that will form the body of the draft agreement; either directly or to dave.cameron@irrigation.org.au. The deadline for feedback to Irrigation Australia is 9 September with direct submissions due 12 September.

Yet again, there is a short consultation timeframe and the proximity of our major conference will mean limitations to what we can submit, however this is an important piece of national policy and we are keen to ensure member views are considered.

You can find the DCCEEW Discussion Paper via this weblink here: Help shape a new National Water Agreement - Climate (dcceew.gov.au)

3. Australian Farm Waste Portal - a tool for on-farm waste actions, and new Solving Plastic Waste CRC

The Australian Farm Waste Portal is a starting point for farmers interested in tackling on-farm waste issues. It provides key information and links to build, knowledge and awareness that can support long-term actions on waste management.The easy-to-navigate portal has a wide range of resources and outlines many practical solutions that can assist in managing on-farm organic, plastic and workshop wastes.The portal also includes reports from the pre-farm gate waste program that cover a wide range of topics, from optimal solutions for workshop waste to innovative solutions to recycle and re-purpose existing farm gate waste.An interactive part of the portal is the collaborative dashboard, which is currently being developed to explore the organic, plastic and workshop waste generation across the agriculture, forestry and fishery sectors in Australia.

Solving Plastic Waste CRC was launched last month as a 10-year cooperative research centre to assist in Australia’s plastic waste pollution challenge. The new plastic waste’s CRC body is charged with ensuring that focused, industry-driven collaboration occurs between the research sector, governments and the entire plastics value chain.The aim of the CRC is to transform the way plastic products are designed, manufactured, used, recovered and recycled and how microplastic soil pollution is remediated. Learn more here about Solving Plastic Waste CRC.

4. Upcoming Training Courses - Secure your spot now!

Don't miss your chance to enhance your skills and career opportunities in the rapidly growing field of irrigation! Our highly sought-after training courses are filling up fast for the rest of the year, so act quickly to secure your spot!

Why Choose Our Courses?

Expert Instructors: Learn from industry-leading experts with years of hands-on experience.
Practical Knowledge: Gain real-world, practical skills that are in high demand in the agriculture and landscaping sectors.
Cutting-Edge Techniques: Stay up-to-date with the latest irrigation technologies and methods.
Career Advancement: Boost your resume and open doors to exciting career opportunities.

Limited Spaces: Hurry, our courses are in high demand, and spaces are filling up fast!

Whether you're new to irrigation or looking to refine your existing skills, our courses cater to all levels. Don't delay your journey to success - enrol now and secure your place in our upcoming irrigation training courses before they're fully booked!

Meter Installation & Validation - 3 Full Day Sessions – SA - Meter Installation & Validation - Face-to-Face - SA (irrigationaustralia.com.au)

Meter Installation & Validation - 3 Full Day Sessions – Dubbo – Meter Installation & Validation - Face-to-Face - DUBBO (irrigationaustralia.com.au)

Certificate III in Irrigation Course - Block 1 of 4 - OCTOBER 2024 WA INTAKE - Certificate III in Irrigation Technology AHC32422 WA (irrigationaustralia.com.au)

Meter Installation & Validation - 3 Full Day Sessions – Paterson NSW - Meter Installation & Validation - Face-to-Face - Paterson (irrigationaustralia.com.au)

Irrigation Pumps and Systems - 3 full Face to Face – WA - Irrigation Pumps & Systems - WA (irrigationaustralia.com.au)

Meter Installation & Validation - 3 Full Day Sessions – BNE - Meter Installation & Validation - Face-to-Face - QLD (irrigationaustralia.com.au)

There are funding opportunities available, click here to see if you are eligible! Need further clarification or answers to questions, email training@irrigation.org.au.

5. Mental Health Article - Balancing Comfort and Challenge: A guide for young irrigation professionals

As a young professional, or new entrant in the irrigation industry, finding the balance between staying within your comfort zone and embracing new challenges is crucial for your personal growth and development. This balance not only enhances your skills but also keeps you motivated and engaged in your work. The business will grow and develop around you and provide further opportunities for personal growth.

Training is always an option, whether it be accredited training or non-accredited training, the benefits provided is endless.

Here’s how you can maintain this balance effectively.

Set Clear Goals

Start by setting clear, achievable goals. Short-term goals help you take those small steps outside your comfort zone, while long-term goals will give you a vision or a target to strive for. Break down your long-term goals into manageable steps, this will help create balance and avoid that feeling of feeling overwhelmed.

Exposure to Challenges – Small steps

Approach new challenges step-by-step. Instead of diving in headfirst, take gradual steps that progressively push your boundaries. This method ensures steady growth without unnecessary stress.

Reflect and Assess

Self-reflection regularly helps you understand your comfort zone and identify areas for growth or further revision. Journaling is a popular way for tracking your progress, fears, and achievements.

Seek out your Support Network

Don’t hesitate to seek guidance from mentors or peers. Their support will provide valuable insights and encouragement along the way, making it easier to step out of your comfort zone.

Balance Rest and Activity

Ensure you take regular breaks away from your workplace challenges to recharge. Engaging in self-care practices promotes both mental and physical well-being, which is essential for maintaining balance.

You may be inspired to take on challenges away from work that you never thought you could.

Scenario-Based Examples

Here are two scenario-based examples that will help you on the way to discovering new comfort levels and challenge opportunities.

Scenario 1: Taking on New Responsibilities

Imagine you’ve been working as an irrigation installer for a few months, and you’ve become quite comfortable with the routine tasks. One day, your supervisor asks if you’d like to take the lead on a small project. Your mind starts racing, you are confused – why me? Those strong feelings of fear and nervousness start doing their thing. You say yes! Your supervisor says he’ll get back to you. Now, you start avoiding contact with your supervisor – just in case he asks you again. Your heart is beating out of your chest – you want to take on the role, but you just don’t know where to start.

When you get to the project opportunity –

Step 1: Set a clear goal for the project and understand the scope of works that need to be undertaken. Setting goals such as completing it within the required timeline is a good place to start.
Step 2: Gradually expose yourself to the challenge, start with planning each step and gradually moving toward the project start date. Your supervisor will be a great mentor at this point. Another good resource will be yourself – How many times have you already worked on similar projects? What needs to be done? Dig a little and you’ll surprise yourself with what you know.
Step 3: Reflect on your progress regularly and seek feedback from your supervisor. Set project milestones and share them with team members. Those daily pre-start meetings are a great help for this.
Step 4: Take breaks and practice self-care to manage your stress. Stress is normal so accept it and work with it. All projects have their challenges, some will be expected, others just seem to come from nowhere but need to be managed. That feeling of being overwhelmed returns, but a walk away to gather your thoughts will get you back on track.

By breaking down the new responsibility into manageable steps and seeking support, you can confidently take on the challenge without feeling overwhelmed. It’s worthwhile setting up your support network before you start the project.

Scenario 2: Learning a New Skill

As a retail worker in the irrigation industry, you might feel comfortable with customer interactions but less so with technical knowledge about the products you sell. Your manager suggests you learn about the technical aspects to provide better customer service.

Step 1: Set a goal to learn about one new product each week. You will find endless information is available from suppliers and manufacturers, you will also find video libraries on platforms such as YouTube.
Step 2: Gradually increase the complexity of the products you study. Consider talking about products with the manufacturer reps that visit the retail outlet. Non-accredited training opportunities can be freely available, leading into accredited courses with a recognised qualification at graduation.
Step 3: Reflect on your learning progress and seek feedback from colleagues or customers. Others will notice that your knowledge and skills are developing, use this feedback to set new goals and move onto new challenges.
Step 4: Balance your study sessions with breaks to avoid burnout. It’s easy to get caught up so remember to balance your sessions with other activities. Reach out for support and set up your network of mentors.

By setting clear goals and gradually increasing the difficulty, you can expand your technical knowledge without stepping too far outside your comfort zone. Push the boundaries a little at a time. Demonstrate your knowledge in the workplace by sharing at Toolbox Talks or other in-house information sharing events. One day you may be asked to manage a specific area of the business, or go to site and quote on projects, and someday you might be asked to manage the store!

TIACS – 0488 846 988, https://www.tiacs.org/

Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 https://www.beyondblue.org.au

Lifeline Australia 13 11 14, https://www.lifeline.org.au/