#IIWC2022 - Why it’s the best days work you’ll do this year!
The PCA has always organised conferences for its members and other stakeholders (90 years and counting). For those of you that have already booked your place for the '2022 Invasive Weed Conference', you probably don’t need reminding but we thought it's worth explaining why it’s a key event every year, for every sector (although we’re focusing on invasive weeds here!).
Indeed, the fact we haven’t been able to organise these events for three years ought to make you doubly (or triply?) sure to get to this one! Not just to have a ‘day out’ – the complete opposite in fact. Read on…..
Invasive weeds – Sector ‘Voice’
The PCA responded to an urgent need 10 years ago to give a voice to competent, diligent and responsible companies dealing with invasive weed management. The short-term benefits were significant (a guarantee/insurance scheme, codes of practice and professional qualifications). But this was just the start!
Conferences offer our members the opportunity to not only learn a lot, but to also have their voices heard and their concerns met by those who need to hear it - regulators, building professionals, landlords and estate managers etc. All these, yes, but you’ll meet research groups too (from UK and Europe) - don’t underestimate the value of talking to PhD students! But remember, it's your conference and if you’re not in the room we won’t hear your voice.
Social/Networking
A simple one this! Ask yourself... “why am I successful in business?” I’ll wager my house that it isn’t because you sat at home waiting for the phone to ring! Simply put...our annual conference is a once-a-year unique opportunity to meet your peers (competitors perhaps...but allies too), establish networks of contacts with industry leaders and share your experiences and opinions. In doing so, you’ll find that common experiences often lead to bonds of friendship that will last a lifetime.
New ideas & opportunities
The PCA works hard every year to make conference programmes that are relevant to members needs whilst also expanding your horizons. This year is no exception with speakers from within the sector sharing their practical know-how from universities and research groups (on a wide range of relevant i.e. practical subjects), and from Government on the future regulatory landscape.
You can view the full details on the conference page, but the overall ‘point’ of it all is to stimulate the grey matter – to get everyone thinking beyond the routine and perhaps stimulating innovation and collaboration. Talks over coffee can be very productive. Ones over a beer or a G&T – well...those too, sometimes!
Career progression
If you already run your own business, skip to the next bit! BUT, for all you early-career boys and girls, the above comment about ‘not sitting next to your ‘phone if you want to be successful’ applies to you too!
You cannot fail to make useful and productive connections and/or build on existing ones if you come to the conference. Talking works! It could get you a job or potentially, the next ‘big move’!
Career development
Just to be clear, I’m not encouraging ‘poaching’ here! In fact, bringing your staff to a conference is one of the best ways of making training and CPD a ‘real’ experience (to supplement the wonderful PCA on-line modules).
If you are BASIS qualified, you can also claim 6 CPD points! This benefit (CPD) is perhaps one that is most difficult to quantify for a business owner. All I will say is...if your surveyors aren’t in the room joining-in with the debate, they can’t discuss these matters with authority when face-to-face with their clients.
I hope I’ve conveyed my own personal enthusiasm for conferences! Some as old as me may recall late nights at St Cat’s in Cambridge in the 80s/90’s, and the fact that I still have vivid (and very fond) memories of those events perhaps speaks louder than any of the above.
Life is essentially a sequence of relationships and experiences over time. Lets make the 24th of November 2022 one of those ‘days to remember’.
More about the conference >>