The 2017 SA Awards presentation dinner was held on Saturday.  It was great to be able to celebrate the high standard of work being produced in South Australia with friends and colleagues.  We congratulate all those involved in commended and awarded projects and extend our thanks to all those who contribute to making the program a great success – entrants, jurors, students, sponsors, staff and clients.

And while the Awards presentation dinner is an industry focused occasion, the Institute also uses the Awards program as a vehicle to promote the profession to the public.  Extensive social media on the night was followed up with coverage in the weekend papers, with more to come in  July edition of The Adelaide Review.  The Institute also produced a printed Awards publication this year.  They are available at the Chapter office to collect and will also be distributed to selected venues around Adelaide.

Opportunities for some of the awarded projects to be included in TV programs are also being pursued.  Client consent tends to be the main challenge when arranging media coverage, but we continue to work with members to provide opportunities to reach a wider public audience.

On June 23 the Awards Lightning Talk will showcase a selection of awarded projects.  Last year this event proved to be highly entertaining and provided insight into what factors enable a project to be an award winner.  It is open to the public, so extend an invitation to people who are interested in quality design.  In addition to this we have arranged an Awards exhibition at Adelaide Airport.  If your friends/relations/colleagues are there over the next six weeks let them know so that they can take the opportunity to peruse the entries on display.

And now to awards of a different kind.  The Architects’ Award has been updated and will come into effect as of 1 July 2017.  Employers and employees should ensure that they are aware of the new salary rates and the conditions.  The other document I would like to draw attention to is the Institute’s Work Experience and Internship Policy. This has been updated and provides a clear structure for engaging with students and graduates seeking work experience without contravening the Fair Work Act.  A+ members can seek additional advice from the HR+ portal on the Institute website.

Nicolette Di Lernia
SA Chapter Executive Director