Guest Blog:- Faye Gennard – World of Water
Water is our most precious resource and it may come as no surprise that when we search for life, what we are actually searching for is water. No living organism can live without it, but, as any water professional will tell you, humans can’t live with it easily either.
From rising sea levels, increased rainfall events leading to over capacitated drainage networks to the rapid expansion of our global population, effectively managing our relationship with water has never been more challenging – or let’s face it, more important.
If you have worked in the water industry for any length of time you will know just how amazing it is. Without the right support, resources and skill set, however, there is a risk that our future water professionals may struggle to solve the complex challenges that our future world faces… but could more collaboration on projects be the key?
In this blog, we are going to be looking at who we should be collaborating with, why it is important before finally showcasing a brand new initiative that is looking to take collaboration to the next level.
So, who needs to collaborate?
When we think of ‘our team’ it is easy to just think of the people we directly work with, whether that be in our individual companies or on a project basis.
In a typical project, for example…
- The client has an idea…
- They recruit the design team to manifest their vision, this can include architects, project managers, structural engineers, drainage specialists, sustainability consultants, and many more pulling together to draw up plans.
- Contractors then work with the design team to organise the build.
- Before sub-contractors assist the contractor in building the structure.
- Finally, the end-user occupies and then maintains the building at the end of the project.
If any of these individual organisations fail to effectively communicate or collaborate it could potentially spell disaster for the project. For example, if the client doesn’t have regular input with the design team, the result may not quite be what they are expecting and if the design team does not work with the contractor there is a risk that the design will not be able to be built.
Where it gets exciting, however, is when these teams come together to create something really special. Drawing on the latest technologies and developments across the industry to not only solve the clients immediate problem but ones that they were not even aware of.
This is where the wider team comes into play. People that are not directly involved in the project on a day to day basis, but whose knowledge is used to create innovative and creative solutions that push the industry forward.
Why it is important to always assemble you’re A-Team
On a basic level, working with a great team makes the job easier, from developing the right solutions to sharing vital resources. We rely on each other to bring specific expertise to the project.
Our fight against Covid is a great example of just how powerful a global team can be, as while there have been some truly awful times during this past year, one amazing thing is how the world has come together for one united collective goal…to kick Covid’s butt.
The challenges faced in the water industry, however, could be just as destructive and we need to ensure that our water professionals have access to the latest training, resources and support to ensure that they can meet these challenges head-on.
So how do we maintain that skillset?
The future of our industry relies on collaboration, particularly in mentoring and uplifting the next generation of water professionals.
By empowering and nurturing newly qualified graduates and students, we can all help to create an engaged, skilled pool of potential future collaborators all while up-skilling and diversifying our existing professionals too.
Introducing World of Water
World of Water aims to bring together a community of water professionals from across the industry in an exclusive space to connect, share knowledge, and grow. It is based on the idea that the power of a drop of water is not truly unleashed until it combines with others, at which point it becomes an unstoppable force that can shape the world.
By becoming a member, you will get access to a database of water-based CPD’s and products all in one place, maximising the time in which you have to learn. There will also be weekly blogs and you will be invited to join our private LinkedIn Community where you will be able to connect and collaborate with other like-minded water professionals.
Even better thanks to our collaboration with Green Blue Urban we are able to offer a limited number of free three-month trial spaces where you can access all the benefits World of Water has to offer with no commitment to join. All we will require is your feedback.
If you would like to know about how you could take advantage of this amazing offer email [email protected] to register your interest.
