Centenary Celebrations and Global Vision
This year the Institute of Quarrying celebrates a century of service supporting people working in the mineral extractives industry. That’s a major landmark for any organization to achieve. On a personal level, it’s an honour to preside over what promises to be an extraordinary year of celebrations that will raise the positive profile of our industry, in the UK and internationally.
The environment that the sector works in today is very different to that of 100 years ago. We’ve taken giant steps forward in every facet of our industry – from operational efficiencies and environmental responsibility, to the way we invest in the development of our people and enhance our local communities.
IQ too has come a long way from its humble origins and the first meeting of the Association of Quarry Managers in Caernarfon in 1917. Today we have approximately 5,200 members working around the world and a network of affiliate offices in Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand and South Africa. Looking ahead, we’re now experiencing growth in the USA and the Middle East, with opportunities and responsibilities even further afield.
A new, global vision
That’s why we need a vision for the future that reflects our ambition. That new vision is about raising global standards of quarrying practice, regardless of location, and reinforcing IQ as the international home for quarrying professionals. Achieving this means aligning our network under a truly global set of standards and practices. The benefits of this are many.
We want IQ qualifications to be recognized as the global standard of professional excellence. Looking ahead, membership of the Institute will be both a qualification and an ongoing commitment to lifelong learning and to the high standards of professional integrity that are enshrined within our Codes of Practice. It will provide an international career passport for all of our members, rigorously applying the highest standards of professional practice, so that quarrying is a sustainable, safe and profitable activity all around the world.
Chartered status
Looking to the future, it is our vision that all individual members will belong to a ‘chartered’ Institute of Quarrying. Whilst this is currently an ambition, it is an aspired status that we aim to achieve. This will enable us to apply our rigorous criteria for entry to membership and maintenance of professional qualifications.
This will ensure that, although subscribed to the same global standards of professional efficacy, our members will receive benefits that are applicable and relevant to them in their home setting. These benefits include membership magazines, networking and learning events, and access to learning materials in a range of languages.
These are the headline aspirations that we have for an IQ fit for purpose as a global membership and standards organization. There are many details to be agreed but it’s important that we are visionary as an organization and ambitious as an industry. Our centenary year could see the foundations laid for the success of the Institute for the next 100 years and beyond.
Miles Watkins,
President