Presidential view Working well
As he approaches the end of his term as ECA president, PAUL MCNAUGHTON refl ects on what’s been a busy but hugely fulfi lling year
I
t’s hard to believe that already I’m writing my fi nal Presidential View column for ECA Today. What an absolute pleasure and honour it has been for me to serve this fantastic association, to represent the electrical contracting industry, and to help ensure
that the ECA continues to off er its members the very best in support and services for their businesses. Since my inauguration as ECA president last year,
I have been fortunate enough to visit every ECA region. I’ve been aff orded a warm welcome by each one, and it has been wonderful to hear the views of members at the functions and events I’ve attended. As electrical contractors, we all share exactly the same concerns and face similar issues in our businesses.
Sharing experiences Representing the association at the AIE (European Association of Electrical Contractors) Annual Conference in Helsinki, Finland, was another illuminating and enjoyable experience, and an excellent opportunity to speak with our European colleagues and share common experiences. I was also pleased to have been able to meet and
work with our partners within the wider UK electrical and building services sector and extend relationships at a variety of events. These included the Electrical Distributors Association Scottish Function, the SELECT annual dinner, plus functions held by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) and the Electrical and Electronics Industries Benevolent Association (EEIBA), the electrical industry charity. On the topic of industry cooperation, perhaps
the most signifi cant event of my presidential term was the signing of the partnership agreement with the Electrical Safety Council (ESC) last year. This has facilitated the creation of the Electrical Safety Register – a landmark step forward for the industry – which brings together the ECA, ELECSA and NICEIC certifi cation bodies under one umbrella. However, as the largest electrical industry
trade association in the UK, the ECA’s role remains fundamentally important to the industry, and I’m extremely proud of the expertise, fi rst-class services and support that the association delivers to members. It was, therefore, pleasing to see a fantastic response from members to The Big Survey, last year’s ECA research project. It was great to see how highly regarded by members the services the ECA provides are, and how much the association is valued. While
18 ECA Today March 2013
I would urge all members to make the most of the fabulous array of services that the association off ers
our joint venture partnership unites our certifi cation activity, the ECA is so much more than certifi cation, and I would urge all members to make the most of the fabulous array of services that the association off ers, whether you’re trying to get paid on time or get advice on the latest cutting-edge technology. In these challenging times, the ECA is also focusing on helping members to identify and maximise new business opportunities. Here, despite some hiccups, the sustainability agenda continues to present some great opportunities. What’s more, the skills, knowledge and expertise of electrical contractors are exactly what’s required to deliver a wide variety of energy solutions in both commercial and domestic environments. As the agenda moves on, electrical contractors will fi nd their role increasingly becoming that of energy solutions providers, ideally placed to off er clients trusted advice and recommendations. However, to be able to deliver, it is critical that the
About the author
Paul McNaughton is president of the ECA and managing director of electrical contractors Darke and Taylor. He has 39 years’ experience working in the electrical industry, and is an active member of the ECA’s Education and Training and Employee Relations committees. He also sits on the national board of the JIB, and is the chair of the London, South East and Southern RJIB.
UK addresses the potential looming skills crisis in the sector. Many contractors recognise the importance of apprenticeships and training to deliver the highly-skilled staff that our companies – and the UK economy – need. We must continue to invest here, because without investment in apprenticeships – in both time and money – there will be no operatives to grasp future opportunities. The ECA continues to work extremely hard on this issue. And as someone who has worked their way up from apprentice to managing director of the same company, I keenly appreciate how valuable this kind of investment is.
Moving forward Like many in the industry, I’m delighted that the ECA is launching The Electric Event this summer (www.
electricevent.co.uk). Staged at the ICC Birmingham from 20-22 June, it brings together the annual ECA Electrical Industry Conference with a new Meet the Suppliers exhibition, Technology Live workshop sessions, plus the ECA Gala Dinner and Annual Awards. It’s exactly what the electrical industry has been looking for. If you’re going, I hope to see you there. Finally, I would like to thank everyone at the ECA,
from the excellent staff to our fantastic members, for their support in my term as president. It’s been a wonderful experience. Being a member of a trade association off ers many important benefi ts, but the ECA delivers much more to help your business get through the hard times – and to thrive.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64