IQ Unveils New ‘Skills Wheel’ at Hillhead 2016

Raising personal and operational performance standards in the quarry sector is now simpler than ever following investment by The Institute of Quarrying (IQ) in its innovative new ‘Skills Wheel’, which will be unveiled at Hillhead in June on Stand H3.

The Skills Wheel is designed to help individuals and operators make informed decisions about investing in relevant industry-specific and vocational skills development. The ambition is to deliver better skilled employees working in the minerals, quarrying and extractives industries, as well as encouraging operators to achieve sector recognition for the highest operational standards.

Phil James, Chief Executive of IQ says: “We recognise that people working in today’s modern site operations need a range of expertise in order to be effective beyond the basics of the job itself. We also know that those businesses that continually develop their staff have a more motivated and valued workforce that will deliver better operational performance.

“As the international professional body for quarrying, construction and related extractive and processing industries, we want to make identifying opportunities for potential skills and professional development as straightforward as possible. We’ve identified four broad development headings for our customers, which should help signpost them to relevant courses and programmes.”

The four ‘spokes’ of the Skills Wheel are:

  • Knowledge & Innovation
  • Standards & Professionalism
  • Engagement, Influence & Impact
  • Personal Effectiveness.

Knowledge & Innovation focuses on all areas of site operational issues, as well as general management advice. Standards & Professionalism addresses the key regulations and standards that affect the quarrying and mineral extractives industries. The Engagement, Influence & Impact area of the Skills Wheel considers how quarrying and mineral extractives professionals work within teams and the wider community and networks, Personal Effectiveness examines how to evaluate personal strengths and weaknesses and identifies how to use them in the most effective way.

James continues: “The IQ Skills Wheel reflects the core skills and areas of knowledge that all members of IQ should aim to develop as part of their commitment to lifelong learning. But it’s not just our members who should invest in CPD - businesses and individuals working in this sector should see continuous professional development not as a ‘nice to have’ but as an essential investment for future success.”

For further information about courses and programmes available from IQ see quarrying.org">www.quarrying.org