Now in its 18th year, the World of Learning Conference & Exhibition 2010 will once again attract thousands of L&D professionals to the NEC in Birmingham on Tuesday 28 and Wednesday 29 September 2010.
In the last week of September, TrainingZone will make the quick trip up the M5 from its Bristol offices to Birmingham NEC and join the L&D throng at the World of Learning, one of the most important dates on the training industry calendar. In the first of three articles by WOL organisers and speakers, they provide us with a bit of background about the event. Read on for an outline of what we have to look forward to in the way of keynote speakers, workshops, demonstrations, advice and discussion about the issues facing L&D professionals now and in the future.
All aspects of the World of Learning 2010 are designed to enhance the skills of learning and development professionals and equip them to deal with the challenges of today's business environment. The event incorporates a comprehensive exhibition, which is free to attend, and thought-leading conference, which has a long history of being the most worthwhile event on the L&D calendar. The conference, which attracts sell-out crowds, tackles the issues of key concern to L&D professionals, from employee engagement, driving change and talent management, to enhancing business performance, leadership development, engaging line managers and proving the benefit of learning activities.
World of Learning Conference
Keynote speakers within the World of Learning's conference programme include: Ruth Spellman OBE, chief executive of the Chartered Management Institute, discussing 'A new world for business?' and the implications and challenges for L&D; and Jayne Stokes, head of learning at Santander, who will present 'Encouraging workplace learning in your organisation' and how to create a continuous learning culture. Mike Booth, learning technologies manager at Cable&Wireless Worldwide, is the closing keynote speaker, sharing his experiences and insights on 'More learning, less time, money and resource - achieving this through technology'.
"The World of Learning Conference & Exhibition reflects the current state and future direction of the industry and is therefore an essential date in the diary for all those involved in developing their staff."Andrew Gee, senior project manager, World of Learning
Employee engagement, behavioural change, online learning and workplace culture are also important underlying themes in the seminars within the World of Learning Conference. Sophie Turner, talent manager at National Grid, and Jack Wills, chairman of the British Institute for Learning & Development, will discuss the issue of 'Maximising business performance through a collaborative strategy for talent development', while Adrian Price, learning & development manager at TUI Travel UK and Ireland, will highlight issues including how to engage managers to drive change in a presentation on 'Facilitating and dealing with change through learning'.
The World of Learning's impressive conference programme also includes L&D professionals from highly respected organisations including: Nick Shackleton-Jones, manager – online and informal learning at the BBC; Judi Wilkinson, senior learning & development consultant at Zurich Academy Europe within Zurich Financial Services; and Steve Robertson, head of market services at Corporation of Lloyd's. The full schedule, including speaker backgrounds and presentation outlines, is available here.
World of Learning Exhibition
The World of Learning Exhibition features more than 100 UK and international L&D suppliers, experts and advisors who will be on-hand to provide advice and solutions to challenges faced by industry members.
Free features within the exhibition include the new Professional Development Zone, a specialised area where L&D professionals can consult advisors about all aspects of developing their career and skills, the International Zone, an Experiential Learning Zone, skills workshops, the Workplace Wellness Zone, product demonstrations, and the Business & Networking Lounge.
The exhibition will also feature a series of insightful free seminars, including 'Engaging learners in workshops that they will love', presented by Rob Geraghty of The Wow Factor, 'How a coaching leadership style contributes to high engagement', presented by Carole Gaskell, founder of Full Potential Group, and 'How talent management is evolutionising learning and development', presented by Taylor Vaughan, head of talent development at Third Force.
"This is a critical time for L&D professionals; the recession has driven all organisations to analyse every aspect of spend and performance, and this is having a radical impact on the activities of L&D and HR. The World of Learning Conference & Exhibition reflects the current state and future direction of the industry and is therefore an essential date in the diary for all those involved in developing their staff," said Andrew Gee, senior project manager for the World of Learning.
"A visit to the event will enable L&D professionals to ensure they're at the forefront of market developments, utilising the latest methods and working with the most cost-effective solutions available."
To register for free entry to the World of Learning Exhibition, or to book your place on the World of Learning Conference, visit www.learnevents.com or call +44 (0)20 8394 5171.
