Maintenance matters s

PROMISES EXCITING NEW ERA

IF THE catch cry for 2020 is a new decade and a new era, the Maintenance Engineering Society (MESNZ) is on point with its new evolution of the National Maintenance Engineering Conference (NMEC). The 2020 version, to be held at the Novotel Lakeside in Rotorua on October 13-15 sports a fresh look and feel, building on the feedback and needs of its members and previous attendees, promises event director, Craig Carlyle.

MESNZ is a non-profit society of passionate engineers totally focused on the support and professional development of their engineering peers, regardless of their qualifications, position or role in industry, states Carlyle adding the organization’s work with industry and government is well recognised as is its role in bringing together engineers to share experiences and solutions.

Working closely with its 500+ membership base, MESNZ has developed NMEC over 18 years to address the evolving needs of engineers whilst still retaining the ethos of the ‘personable and friendly group’. With the theme of 2020: The Future is NOW! Smart, Safe, Sustainable Engineering, this year’s event heralds a return to the more intimate feel of an accommodation-based event while further developing the conference streaming options, synergetic organisation involvement, pre-conference training and field trip activities, augurs Carlyle.

He says MESNZ takes a holistic approach to the needs of its members when setting out the conference papers, mixing pure maintenance topics with, contiguous technical interests such as materials and corrosion. MESNZ is committed to supporting associated organisations, providing streams and speaking opportunities to groups such as the Australasian Corrosion Association, the Stainless Steel Development Association, and the Vibration Association.

He notes that line management topics are always popular, bringing papers on health and safety, skills shortages, team management, mental health, emotional intelligence and employment law. The speaking team is currently laying out the general and specific speaking agenda’s and calling for papers to address the topics. One returning feature will be the forum based ‘Golden Nugget’ which seeks and then addresses the most common workplace issue of the group. Last year’s topic – ‘Skills Shortage’ – was a ‘major hit’, addressed succinctly by Nano Girl in her wrap up presentation, bringing much appreciated advice to the plenum.

As well as a new hotel-based venue, the 2020 event brings a date change from early November to early October, opening up availability to patrons traditionally restricted by the November date. The date change is bought about by operational requirements.

While the conference concept evolves to a 2020 version, old favourites will remain. Preconference elective training workshops, field trip and a casual get together will keep early arrivals well occupied before the two-day conference plenum kicks off on the Wednesday.

Carlyle says the non-profit society has once again kept its participation prices well below the commercial par, including early bird and multi-attendee specials. Check https://www.mesnz.org.nz/ for conference, pricing and registration details. If you have something to share or something to learn, the National Maintenance Engineering Conference is the place to be in 2020.

CRAIG CARLYLE