ASET Technology Alberta Fall 2020 - 8

MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

In times
like these...
Barry Cavanaugh

When the entire economy seems to be under assault, when
the price of oil - responsible for such a long period of prosperity in Alberta - has fallen and stayed low, when we face
an uncertain and troubling public health crisis, when we
hear of tradespeople and technology professionals worrying about the prospect of potential layoffs as employers
shrink from an uncertain business climate, we need to be
able to look for stability.
We need to work together as a profession to anchor the
place of technicians and technologists in our society. No
matter what uncertainty, unpredictability or lack of confidence is driving industry and government, the public needs
the specialist knowledge and guaranteed skills of certified
technology professionals. The public, government and industry need to know that ASET members are vital to the
continuation and the eventual renewed development of our
infrastructure and economy.
In times like these, your professional association is more
important than ever. High numbers of applicants for certification confirm that for us this year. As we face the prospect
that employers will choose between their staff, that consumers will choose between service providers, we understand almost intuitively who they'll prefer. Employers and
the public repeatedly choose the certified technician and
certified technologist. Those designations mean that ASET,
in its role of regulator protecting the public interest, has assessed that person to be qualified in their field. It also means
that ASET has found that an individual has shown significant
experience and knowledge in practice. The person's peers,
who have themselves earlier met the high standards, have
judged them worthy of professional designation. ASET represents, for the public and for employers, a guarantee of
quality, experience, excellence and high standards.

8 | FALL 2020 | TECHNOLOGY ALBERTA

In times like these, too, it's important to continue to advance
your skills and knowledge. ASET offers a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program to help members find and
utilize the resources they need to stay sharp and current. We
continually provide relevant and meaningful online technical CPD programs to support your knowledge base and your
ability to keep up, and programs to help you cope.
In times like these, it's important to have an advocate for the
profession with governments, and ASET maintains a high and
active profile with government departments. We also keep up
this profile with employers, most notably through our corporate relations program. We uphold this presence to advance
the legitimate interests of the profession, in the industries in
which our members are employed.
In times like these, we need to be able to find new opportunities - through employment resources like our Career Centre on the ASET site, where you can see opportunities and
post your resume for employers to find.
In times like these, we must carefully conserve our resources. With that in mind, ASET member services provide
deep and valuable discounts on things like home and auto
insurance, and - coming very soon - group benefits (medical, dental and the like) and personal insurance for individuals or employers, delivered at beneficial rates through the
ASET insurance program.
In times like these, we need to know we can count on
something. ASET members can count on their credentials, their knowledge and skill, and their professional association. ASET members will stand together, in the secure
knowledge that our technicians and technologists make this
province work. From construction to biomedical, electrical
to environmental, from geomatics to nanotechnology... to
lean on a familiar phrase, technology professionals are "essential to Alberta."
ASET Technology Alberta Fall 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ASET Technology Alberta Fall 2020
