The year ahead

2023-2024 is shaping as an exciting and successful year for the ASI and its members, with existing initiatives reaffirmed and new projects and programs starting.

Key priorities for the ASI in the coming 12 months will be promoting steel as a preferred career pathway and preferred building material.

A student scholarship scheme will be piloted; a jobs and careers board established on the ASI website, the ASI’s diversity and inclusiveness group expanded, and a range of new steel career training programs developed to encourage students into steel careers.

Other priority areas will be:

• Revising the primary steel design standard AS 4100. ASI submitted the project proposal to Standards Australia and will be an integral part of its development.

• Developing a website business portal for corporate partners AustralianSuper and NCI to provide important products and services to ASI members.

• Lobbying state and federal governments to ensure local content in government projects.

• Certifying downstream steel businesses such as fabricators, roll formers and reinforcing processors to meet new sustainability targets under the ASI’s new SSA scheme, and verifying upstream steel producers for best practice environmental, social and governance practices.

• Continued promotion of steel as the construction industry’s preferred building material through lobbying, marketing and media campaigns.