Registrations for New Zealand’s civil contracting event of the year opened this week, and conference hosts Civil Contractors New Zealand are promising an exciting programme packed full of expert speakers, masterclasses and networking opportunities, as well as an expo floor packed with the latest civil construction equipment and technology.

More than 600 people are expected to attend The Contractors Conference 2021 in Wellington on 29-30 July to make new connections and keep up with developments and trends affecting the civil construction industry.

“This premier event is the perfect opportunity for civil contractors to hear from some of our country’s key decision-makers and find the networks, knowledge and equipment they need to get the job done,” says Civil Contractors NZ Chief Executive Peter Silcock.

A trio of masterclasses on leadership for young professionals, business succession plans and meeting client expectations under new broader procurement outcomes will be one of the highlights of this year’s conference, which is being held at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa on Wellington’s waterfront.

“These will be three interactive sessions to give young professionals, business owners and leaders the practical skills and knowledge they need to succeed,” Mr Silcock says.

Former All Black Piri Weepu and equity and human rights advocate Vanisha Dhiru are guest speakers at the event.

Mr Weepu will speak about the challenges of being ‘Mr Fixit’ and how we can nurture leaders in a high-performance culture, while Ms Dhiru will provide a thought-provoking session on the expectations, honour and burden of representing a minority.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure Grant Robertson and National leader Judith Collins will also be at the event to give political insight and comment, and there will also be panel discussions on pivotal industry issues from the client and contractor perspectives.

Social highlights include the Hirepool Construction Excellence Awards Dinner and Brian Perry Civil ‘Stars of Moving Pictures’ Themed Dinner.

After the conference, on 31 July, there will be an optional tour of some of Wellington’s civil construction projects.

The first CCNZ conferences were held in Wellington in the mid-1940s for contractors to meet and discuss issues of pivotal importance to the industry. More than 75 years on, the conference remains the peak event for civil contractors.

To register for the conference, visit The Contractors Conference website.