Welcome to 2023 (…if we can remember what happened to January!)…
新年快乐 (gōng xǐ fā cái) – Happy Lunar New Year as well!
I can now only mildly recall the beautiful week of lazing on Carackalinga Beach, early swims, late breakfast, another swim….and the biggest decision of the day was what time cocktail hour needed to start…
I am sure most of us are now back at our desks and the year, from all accounts, is off to a crazy start. I trust you all had a bit of a break, and are recharged for the new year.
We’re off to a flying start for 2023 – the year of the Adelaide Festival of Landscape Architecture (I think we need that on our number plates)! Here is an update for you on the year ahead for us:
AILA SA Executive Planning Evening – 1 February
Your executive met over pizza to hear from CEO Ben Stockwin and to plan the year ahead, with revised Board priorities discussed. More on this soon. Clearly 2023 is going to be a big year, with a new Executive to be sworn in, our annual awards program (with new parts to it!), the Festival, and a new state government liaison group formed. It is clear our head of steam on advocacy is paying dividends (see next section)!
Built Environment Education Liaison Group (BEELG)
I was invited to join a new State Government committee, chaired by the Minister for Planning, Trade and Investment, the Hon Nick Champion, on the crisis facing the skills shortage in South Australia. With an initial 12 month remit, BEELG has been charged with addressing the skills shortage and limited tertiary pathways for the built environment professions including planning, land surveying, landscape architecture, valuation, conveyancing, and building surveying.
BEELG will investigate strategies to help address the skills shortages and tertiary pathways, establish and maintain clear pathways from school to uni and beyond, and investigate strategies to promote and protect established pathways.
The key part is that the built environment is a key focus of the Minister – he recognises that other professions are racing ahead and the shortages of our allied professions has been addressed and he is seeking a collaborative approach to ‘branding’, marketing and also the attraction of people back to SA. It’s a big task, and will greatly assist AILA and the University of Adelaide to bring more people into Landscape Architecture. Watch this space!
DIT Roundtable
As a result of our very productive meeting with key DIT staff regarding a range of issues, we are preparing a roundtable to discuss openly the issues we have raised with DIT leaders to attend, and for key members to form part of the discussion. More on this soon.
2023 Awards
Are you ready? Scrub up on your writing skills, check your project marketing materials and make sure you have decent pictures! Yes, it is that time of year again! The 2023 Awards will open on 7 February, with our fantastic new Water for Life Award, sponsored by our friends at SA Water. Watch out for all the details soon in your inbox.
A new Executive is coming in 2023
2023 is an election year, with nominations opening mid-year. Do you want to make a difference? Represent your profession? Elevate your career? Have a think about and be ready to nominate for the fabulous SA Executive!
Festival 2023 - Thursday 19 October - Sunday 22 October in Adelaide
Mark this in your practice diaries so you can all join this fantastic opportunity to connect with peers, obtain CPD points and celebrate the profession. Creative Directors and theme will be announced in the next few weeks! We look forward to working with our members and the Creative Directors to deliver an amazing Festival and to showcase South Australia to our colleagues from around Australia. AILA SA Executive aims to leverage off the advocacy and profiling work of the Chapter, strengthen connections with allied professionals in our State and look at ways to profile the profession through the Be A Landscape Architect program during the festival.
Have a great week, and as always, reach out if you want to discuss anything!
Cheers
DJB