The NZSDA’s Signee Course provides aspiring sign makers with a pathway into the industry, as recent graduate Abby Lane has demonstrated by securing an apprenticeship with BIG after completing the course and gaining work experience with several NZSDA members.
A few weeks ago, we were flying signage and tools up a mountain by helicopter.
It was one of those jobs that reminds me why I love this industry. One week you’re putting ‘stickers on boards’ in the workshop, the next you’re working out the logistics of getting people, equipment and signage somewhere you can’t even drive to.
Every sign company knows the feeling. A customer brings in a project that’s bigger, more complex or on a tighter deadline than expected. Saying “yes” is easy. Delivering it is the challenge.
Aaron Joines from Alternative Graphics has been named the winner of the 2026 Mana Influencer Award at the NZ Sign Display Awards of Excellence, recognising his leadership, generosity and ongoing commitment to the industry.
In the transportation industry, performance depends on people. Drivers, technicians, fleet managers and operators work every day to keep vehicles moving, schedules on track and customers satisfied. But when temperatures rise, maintaining comfort, efficiency and reliability becomes more challenging.
Twenty-five years of making signs around Taranaki has taught me plenty – sometimes through getting it right, and sometimes through getting it wrong. And I’m still learning.
I think that’s one of the strengths of our industry. We talk, we share what works and what doesn’t, and hopefully we all get a little better because of it.
Over the last month I’ve had the opportunity to visit quite a few sign shops, dropping off copies of the 2026 Pricing Guide to NZSDA members, and catching up with non-members along the way.
Insurance renewal season is the ideal time to review your cover. Before accepting your renewal terms, speak with the specialist insurance advisers who understand the sign industry and can help ensure your business is properly protected.
If you have ever struggled with holiday pay calculations, variable hours, “otherwise working days”, or whether a leave payment is correct, you are not alone.
