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Water jetting body strengthens governance to promote aims

The Water Jetting Association has made significant improvements to its governance to help promote its work and further its aims both in the UK and internationally.

The changes were approved at the association’s annual general meeting (AGM), held virtually via a digital video platform for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

They include the introduction of a Marketing and Communications Committee to guide the promotion of the Water Jetting Association (WJA) in the UK and internationally and the strengthening of the roles of all three WJA committees.

The WJA is the UK’s trade association for the water jetting industry. Its members include contractors, manufacturers, equipment hirers, training providers and other industry stakeholders.

The WJA’s new President, John Jones, said the governance improvements would ensure the association was best placed to support its members in promoting safety and best practice in the UK water jetting industry and internationally.

John Jones, previously the Vice-President, takes over from Ron Heward, who had been WJA President for last four years. Ron remains a member of the Ruling Council.

He said: “I want to thank Ron for his diligent work in guiding the WJA through challenging times. His leadership has been vital as we’ve supported our members through the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We can now build on a firm foundation and work together to promote what is an exciting industry with an ever-growing number of applications for high pressure and ultra-high pressure water jetting.”

Until he was voted in as President, John Jones had been Chairman of the WJA’s Training and Safety Committee. That post is now taken by long-standing committee member Darren Hamilton.

Under the changes, all three committees – Technical, Training and Safety, and Marketing and Communications – will have more authority to further their aims.

John Jones said: “We want our committees to be more active in developing ideas to support the water jetting industry and our members in particular, then making clear recommendations to the Ruling Council.

“The council will set the parameters and advise the committees on their work. We want to unleash the skills and expertise of WJA officers, so we have a dynamic and approach to challenge our members face.

“Creating the new Marketing and Communications Committee will allow us to make best use of new digital technologies and focus resources effectively on promoting the WJA’s work and aims globally.

“We want to work with water jetting organisations around the world to raise standards, improve safety and promote technologies that, at their heart, are highly sustainable and beneficial for progressive industries.”

The WJA has joined the European Water Jetting Institute, a member organisation that promotes the high-pressure water jetting industry across Europe and is keen to work with other like-minded bodies, said John Jones.

The association has also just launched a new website that will be at the heart of a new digital communications strategy designed to engage with members and give their interests a wider voice.

For more information about WJA training and membership, go to www.waterjetting.org.uk or call +44 20 8320 1090.

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