Developing NSW’s Future Safety Leaders

Garry Kelly, Principal Consultant

As many of you may know, Zenergy has a long-standing tradition of working with seasoned safety professionals to encourage the growth and development of younger safety professionals and recent graduates.

Let’s take a look at a few ways Zenergy is helping shape Australia’s future safety leadership.

A collegiate partnership: University of Wollongong and Zenergy

Zenergy recently partnered with the University of Wollongong (UoW) to work on a variety of industry related projects and one in particular; to assist in upskilling future safety professionals. UoW course directors, including Leanne Treadwell, Course Coordinator WHS Risk work with Zenergy and participate in industry forums and lunches where collectively we look to improve opportunities to transition new graduates into organisations across Australia. Zenergy act as a soundboard offering thoughts, advice and information gathered from entry level and current safety professionals that may prove valuable to the UoW.

This kind of partnership helps to ensure that WHS students are well-positioned to enter the labour market and excel in whatever position they take on.

Young Safety Professionals, better known as YSP, is a collaboration of forward-thinking industry professionals that currently hold key roles in New South Wales and Australia wide. Each member of the group has a deep investment in the next generation of safety

professionals and together, we work to facilitate events that help develop the leaders of tomorrow. Zenergy work closely with the Safety Institute of Australia, Naomi Kemp, recently elected to the board of the SIA and convenor of YSP in Queensland and Wade Needham, Head of HSE at Serco and convenor of YSP in NSW. Wade has led YSP in NSW and believes;

The pace of change within industry is driving greater demand for those within Safety and Health to play a greater enabling roles in the success of teams within organisations. YSP fulfils a niche where growth orientated and experience hungry young safety professionals (and others who think they would benefit – YSP is inclusive in nature) can come together to hear proven ways to level up in the chosen topic for the session. It attempts to balance networking, experience sharing, and importantly a psychological safe space where attendees can not only learn from, but challenge industry leaders, as to how and what they are doing within their organisations.

Meeting monthly at different locations across Sydney, collectively we leverage our various network contacts to host panels and events covering topics that benefit new / entry and existing level safety professionals. Zenergy have worked closely with our own client base to put on new sessions and pinpoint open venues – recently we have staged events at Westpac’s corporate headquarters in Barangaroo as well as Lendlease’s head offices where HSE leaders have spoken on a range of topics including the importance of business acumen as key requirements for safety management professionals providing invaluable insight for YSP’s.

September events: Zenergy involvement

On September 20th 2017 Zenergy participated on a panel covering the topic of: “Surviving the Interview for the Role You Really Want.” A crucial skill for all safety professionals, the panel consisted of a discussion where attendees heard what potential employers are looking for in resumes and candidates as a whole. The discussion also covered what sort of interview techniques or questions professionals might encounter.

During our various YSP sessions, we’ve found that many young leaders are looking to build up skills that allow them to take career progression into their own hands. As such, the YSP team made up of Cameron Cox and Louise Howard from Sydney Metro, Campbell Warren, John Holland and Cameron Butler, Sydney Light Rail have to now played an integral role in shaping the thought process of our future leaders.

If you would like to become involved, please get in touch.

Garry Kelly

P +61 2 9003 2729

E Garry.Kelly@172.16.0.160

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