As we roll into the final quarter of 2024 the BIA can indeed reflect on what has been achieved, with several things ‘still’ to be delivered in the final quarter of the year. We are well set to launch into the new year with a strong and positive start for Members.
In recent months, we acquired the Marine Jobs brand from our industry partners, the Marina Industries Association and the Superyacht Group/ AIMEX. This acquisition forms part of creating a single approach to Jobs, Skills and Training for Industry. It supports our constitutional commitment in this area, it allows the brand to move forward on behalf of all Associations, showcasing jobs and careers in the wider marine industry.
Collectively, the three Associations have reached thousands of Job Seekers by way of Expo days in Cairns and the Gold Coast. BIA has also ramped up these efforts with careers days at marina facilities, Convention Centres and many High Schools. We have already gone out to High Schools and Government agencies in key States to lock in dates for such events in 2025. In one example, BIA is briefing the Executive of the Marine Teachers Association of NSW this Monday on such opportunities for the thousands of young people in the 180 High Schools they operate in NSW. While, in South Australia BIA is working closely with the RTO AIE to support marine careers such as marine craft construction and we are planning promotions of this activity at the 4WD and Adventure Show in SA in the coming weeks.
Our season in the Jobs and Skills space will conclude with an end-of-year event, being held by the Australian Industry Trade College (now known as the Industry School), as a graduation of their Year 12 school leavers. This is a great event for the partnership of BIA and Industry School in the Marine Industry Academy. The Academy Program now has some 60 young people involved and we expect to see new Academy locations announced in the coming months.
Our Summer 2024/ 2025 Discover Boating marketing campaign is set to launch mid November and will have a reach of Queensland, NSW, Victoria, NT and SA. The campaign is expanding, with estimated reach to millions of Australians. Our investment this year has increased and is growing year on year.
Discover Boating represents the interests of our entire marine industry; from designers, manufacturers, importers, brokers, insurers, retailers, charters, yacht and boat clubs, marinas, events, surveyors and trades from boat builders to riggers, and more… hence, it also links to promoting jobs and skills for our industry. We still have some sponsor positions available, please contact kim@bia.org.au and get on board with the program.
The key message is indeed: safe, responsible and enjoyable boating.
To find out more, check out our website discoverboating.com.au for some a host of information on the many aspects of boating.
Over the coming months in the lead up to Christmas, we have a solid calendar of industry events and industry actions. Please keep a note of key dates, which include:
- Council meetings from this week, where we exchange feedback with Council members, ensuring we are accountable to members with key activities
- 2025 Sydney International Boat Show with Government meetings being setup. We have received the Economic and Social Impact Report for the 2024 event which reveals our Show returns some $353m in total economic output. We shall keep Exhibitors informed of outcomes
- The Recreational Boating Statement working group continues to gather foundation data and survey feedback. This report will for the first time provide a more complete picture of the impact of boating in Australia including the economic and social impacts.
- End of Year Member meetings and gatherings to note:
- South Australia (Adelaide), 26 October, at the 4WD and Adventure Show
- Queensland (Coomera), 31 October, at Boat Works
- New South Wales (Mosman), 7 November at The Spit Marina
- Australian Chamber of Commerce Meetings (ACCI)
- Sydney, 16 October, with the Hon Katy Gallagher, Minister for Finance, Women and the Public Service. BIA is being represented by the Diversity / Women in Boating Committee
- Canberra, 6 November, an ACCI Annual Members Meeting and Conference, dinner with the Prime Minister and several Federal Ministers.
- Webinars, our new offering of Health and Safety begins with an introductory webinar today, these will be rolled out quarterly, and will form part of our accreditation programs. OH&S is a necessary part of any business and we shall be increasing our footprint in safety for Members in the coming months with the expansion of our Marine Card and Access Management products.
- The new CRM is a big task for the association. We have broken down the association into nine main categories of membership (yet to be published). The new CRM will assist in more effective and targeted messaging to members and general business messaging. It will allow us to manage the 10’s of thousands of contacts on our data bases, in one place and will be a benefit for our support of ongoing training needs under our safety and accreditation programs.
- Our 2025 membership renewals will be going out to members on 18 November 2025. There will be no changes to the base membership structure and no CPI implemented this year.
- The new Broker Accreditation program is nearing readiness to launch, this program will be inclusive of membership fees and marine card. More to follow on this in November.
The Melbourne Boat Show starts this Thursday at 3pm, we wish Scott O’Hare, Steve Walker and BIA Victoria Team all the very best for a successful Show, for more information, please head to melbourneinternationalboatshow.com.au.
See you on the water,
Andrew Scott
