Many who join an industry association realise very soon that there is much more to it than one had originally believed. Many businesses and individuals join these association in hopes of receiving one specific benefit or achieving one goal, only to find that the organisation has many more benefits and holds much more opportunity than it previously imagined.
Because it is important to get the most out of memberships and unlock all the benefits that these organisations, such as the FIA offer, it is important to understand exactly why businesses, workers and entrepreneurs join them in the first place.
While the motivation for joining the FIA may vary according to the needs of the member company or individual, here are some of the top benefits to membership in the FIA and how the most successful members are able to take advantage of all of them.
1. Training, Education, Certification & Accreditation
Continued education and development are crucial in the construction industry. The current lack of tickets and certification in the Australian Formwork industry provides some challenges and risks. It is therefore essential that training, education and certification are prioritised in formwork businesses immediately to improve safety and gain a competitive edge.
New legislation and working practices currently growing in the construction and formwork industry are putting pressure on formwork businesses to demonstrate the competencies and skills of their employees when putting together a proposal.
If your company is already a leader in the field, education is key to remaining on top.
As part of its member benefits, the FIA brings you workshops and learning events for your workers to improve knowledge, improve safety awareness and gain certification, accreditation and recognition of prior learning.
In addition to the usual training and education provided by the FIA and its partners, we are launching a new industry accreditation program that is only available to members. The new FIA Industry Accreditation program provides a level of prestige and reliability in the minds of clients and customers that is invaluable to our members. It provides easy to access online learning and a way for workers to manage their own training and skills competency, taking ownership of their career developments and skills acquisition. Accredited workers are trained, competent and skilled which means they are work safe and highly productive.
For the formwork company, being able to demonstrate the competency and skills of their workers, particularly through an industry recognised accreditation program, means a competitive advantage when quoting for work.
Construction companies, developers and the like recognise industry accreditation programs and support the work of the FIA and have agreed to favour those that can demonstrate their workers are part of the program.
2. Influence - Lobby on behalf of your industry to influence government policy and protect your interests.
One of the key benefits of joining a trade association is the ability to support the mission of the organization and possibly influence legislation that affects the industry. The combined resources of the members of an association can be used to lobby lawmakers and sway public opinion more positively towards the goals of the association. With the increased level of government regulation in the construction industry, this is an absolute necessity for the survival of all businesses in the formwork industry.
Our members have common issues that impact nearly all businesses that operate within the formwork space—including different laws, regulations and policies that may prevent your business from growing to its full potential.
Chances are, while you’re running your business you don’t have time (or adequate resources) to advocate for legislation on behalf of your business. Joining the FIA empowers you with representation by a group with the same interests, advocating for the formwork industries. Your business succeeds when your industry succeeds. Without the FIA you will have no one to advocate on your behalf and you will operate as a single voice.
By joining the FIA, you can become an active advocate for your industry and fight for what’s best for your business (or, at the very least, stay on top of what’s being advocated for on your behalf).
3. Access to FREE Information and Resources
Membership to the FIA means immediate access to any news or developments that affect your business and the industry. Outside of the usual communication of members to each other, the FIA provides newsletters, email updates and informative resources that help its members stay on top of recent developments in the field.
The FIA stays on top of the changes in safety regulation and compliance and breaks down how these changes apply specifically to your business.
4. Exchange of Ideas and a Network of Industry Leaders
Not only do members have access to information about updates to the industry, they can also play a large role in determining these changes. Trade associations, such as the FIA, provide a forum for members to share ideas and develop new ways to improve the industry. This allows for more experienced members to help newer ones grow and provides the opportunity for all members to share innovative ideas that can help the industry.
A trade association offers valuable industry networking. It’s important to have contacts in your field and a network of leaders in businesses that are similar to yours. With the insider benefits gained in your trade association, you are set to become an industry leader yourself, thereby growing your reputation and your business
For those members that become part of the FIA committees, they gain a competitive advantage of recognition by those in the construction industry, learning and understanding of issues that enable them to be ahead of the game and the ability to influence change, which puts them ahead of their non-member competitors.
5. Give Your Reputation a Lift Through Industry Associations
Reputation is everything in the business world. You want to be known as a company that’s committed to quality, growth and innovation. And joining an industry association is a great way to build that kind of reputation within your industry. When you become a member of an industry association, it sends a message. It says that you take your business seriously enough to invest your time, energy and resources outside of office hours into learning everything you can to build the most successful business possible.
In feedback received from our members we hear this message seriously resonates with their colleagues, their team, their prospects and their customers, giving them an edge over their competition.
Being an FIA member shows you are serious about your workers safety and the safety within the industry. It demonstrates your commitment, Formwork expertise and ethical standards to your future employees and of course to your clients and the principal contractors you work for. It further demonstrates your organisation’s commitment to continually building your own and workers safety expertise and that you take your business seriously.
6. Gain a Competitive Advantage
Any of the above points listed are reason enough to consider joining an industry association. But when you put them altogether, they culminate in what is arguably the most important and beneficial reason to join a professional organisation—and that’s the fact that your membership can help you gain a competitive advantage in your market.
These are just some of the most common benefits of membership in all trade associations. According to recent research, over 85 percent of businesses that fail are not members of a trade association. No matter the industry, trade associations give their members many advantages in a fast-paced, competitive world.
The FIA is working closely with the construction companies and principal contractors you work with to ensure that FIA members are favoured or preferred when proposals are received. With new products with skills and compliance scoring, industry accreditation programs, recognition of prior learning capabilities and a new education pathway, there has never been a better time to be part of the Formwork Industry Association.
Contact our CEO Michael Sugg for further information or follow this link to understand more on how FIA Membership can benefit you and your company.
Better still click here to JOIN NOW!
