With the business climate not as bright as it was and a tank of petrol worth nearly as much as our old car, it’s tempting to get maudlin. But last week, I and the other members of the judging panel for the TTJ Career Development Award got a bit of lift.
Obviously, the cricket helped our mood, but the main morale boosters were the standard of the entrants and their enthusiasm.
This Award was previously for the ‘Trainee of the Year’, but this year after discussion with Rob Simpson, of sponsor SCA Timber Supply, and the other judges, Jim Lumsden of the Institute of Wood Science and Geoff Rhodes of Weyerhaeuser Products, we decided to reinvent it to recognise the achievement not just of newcomers to the trade, but also older employees who have undertaken continuing professional development training.
All the entrants impressed with their accomplishments in either external or in-house training programmes. And it was also heartening to see the support they are getting from their employers. Training costs time and money and the payback may not be instantaneous, so it’s good news that so many companies are taking a long-term view of the benefits.
What also really struck the judging panel, perhaps more this year than ever, was the hugely positive attitude of the entrants. Of course, they were never going to be downbeat, but taking that on board, their remarks still made an impact. They saw a bright future for the industry and for themselves within it. In particular, they commented on how much they’d got out of training and how much it had improved their business skills and boosted their confidence – all of which must enhance their value to their employers.
Again, you have to factor in the cricket-induced emotion, but it’s not going too far to say that we judges were quite inspired!
By the time you read this, the winner of the Career Development Award will have been announced, but deciding between such high-calibre candidates was tough – and that has to be a lift for the trade as a whole.
