Expert speakers will discuss the effects a new world of business and social media have on learning and development (L&D) at the World of Learning Conference 2010, being held at NEC Birmingham on Tuesday 28 and Wednesday 29 September. Leadership, workplace learning, tendering, the business place for L&D and using technology to deliver more efficient L&D programmes will also be among the many important topics addressed.

Keynote speaker Ruth Spellman OBE, Chief Executive of the Chartered Management Institute, will uncover the candid realities behind new demands for businesses coming out of the recession and the need for ongoing investment in staff learning and development when she opens the UK’s foremost forum dedicated to L&D with a presentation entitled ‘A new world for business? ‘

Also on Tuesday 28 September, Jayne Stokes, Head of Learning at Santander, will deliver the conference programme’s second keynote address, ‘Encouraging workplace learning in your organisation’, in which she will share her expertise about how staff can be developed outside formal learning activities, what roles L&D should play to encourage and foster learning in the workplace and how to create a culture for continuous learning as part of working life. Jayne, who has more than a decade of experience in L&D roles, will also discuss the ever-important issue of how you can measure the impact of workplace learning, a pertinent topic in the industry.

Chaired by BBC news presenter Nicholas Owen, the World of Learning Conference programme has been compiled through extensive industry research to reflect the interests and needs of L&D professionals in the current business environment.

There will be many examples of L&D in action as the programme includes speakers from organisations such as TUI Travel, Zurich Financial Services, Radisson Edwardian Hotels, National Grid and Cable&Wireless Worldwide who will provide case studies and insights into their work in key areas of L&D.

Highlights to be addressed throughout the comprehensive agenda on the first day include: ‘Identifying and building leadership skills in your organisation’, a seminar featuring Steve Robertson, Head of Market Services at the Corporation of Lloyd’s, and Dr David Lines, Head of Board and Top Team Development at Roffey Park Institute; and ‘Facilitating and dealing with change through learning’, with Adrian Price, Learning & Development Manager at TUI Travel UK & Ireland, and David Vachell, Consultant.

Another hot topic that will be debated at the conference is ‘To what extent does social media have a place in learning?’ The panel debate will feature Nick Shackleton-Jones, Manager – Online & Informal Learning at the BBC, Clive Shepherd, independent e-learning consultant and Chair of the e-Learning Network, and Robin Hoyle, Head of Learning at Infinity Learning. The afternoon of the first day will include interactive workshop sessions, which focus on developing some of the core skills needed by L&D professionals.

Day two, Wednesday 29 September, will open with the Future of Learning Forum, a high level panel session focusing on the changing role of L&D professionals, entitled ‘L&D – from service delivered to business partner’. With contributions from by David Morris, Head of Learning & Development at McDonald’s, Rachel Sparrow, Research & Development Consultant at EDF Energy, Paul Fairhurst, Principal Consultant for the Institute for Employment Studies, Debbie Carter, Director of Research for TJ (Training Journal magazine), and Francis Marshall, Managing Director of Cegos UK, the panel will look at the vital aspects of development the L&D industry and professionals are likely to face over the coming decade.

Other morning seminars will cover topics including: ‘Ensuring L&D remains a priority through proving the business case’, with Simon Harper, Training & Development Manager at Forth Ports Group, and Sean Mills, Client Director at the Centre for High Performance Development; and ‘Developing your line managers as facilitators of L&D’, featuring a case study from Zurich Financial Services.

The afternoon seminars will address topics including: ‘Maximising business performance through a collaborative strategy for talent development’, presented by Sophie Turner, Talent Manager at National Grid, and Jack Wills, Chairman of the British Institute for Learning & Development; and ‘Ensuring behavioural change of learners in the workplace’, which includes a case study presentation by Radisson Edwardian Hotels. The conference will close with a keynote address from Mike Booth, Learning Technologies Manager at Cable&Wireless Worldwide, examining the role of technology in learning in a presentation entitled: ‘More learning, less time, money and resource – achieving this through technology’.

The full conference programme is available at www.learnevents.com. Early booking is recommended to avoid disappointment and make the most of the early booking discounts and delegate benefits on offer in the run up to the event. These include a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Certificate of Attendance and a Toshiba Ultra-Compact HD Camcorder, as well as access to LM Matters’ 50 Lessons and Harvard ManageMentor.

“This is an industry that is constantly evolving and has a major role to play in the economic recovery both within commercial organisations and the public sector,” commented Alison Church, Senior Conference & Marketing Manager at Venture Marketing Group, organisers of the World of Learning Conference & Exhibition.

“This year’s event has an impressive line-up of speakers who are each experts in their field and will provide delegates with practical, logical and thoughtful insight into the realities of L&D professionals and their challenges – and solutions available to them.”

The World of Learning Conference is held in conjunction with the World of Learning Exhibition, which features more than 100 of the local and international market’s most reputable companies who will be on-hand to provide industry members with the latest L&D advice, strategies, solutions, technologies and courses.

All aspects of the World of Learning Exhibition are designed to enhance the skills of learning and development professionals and equip them to deal with the challenges of today’s business environment. A host of free features will take place throughout the two-day exhibition, including an extended free seminar programme, interactive workshops, Experiential Learning Zone, the Professional Development Zone, Social Media Zone, skills workshops, product demonstrations, Workplace Wellness Zone and the Business & Networking Lounge.

The World of Learning Conference & Exhibition is held in association with the British Institute for Learning & Development and is supported by the following associations and industry titles: Personnel Today, HR Magazine, Training Journal, TrainingZone.co.uk, the Chartered Management Institute, eLearning Network, the European Institute for e-Learning, Towards Maturity, PersonnelZone.com and Learning Magazine; with Government Business and Government Technology as public sector media supporters. The World of Learning Conference is a CPD-certified event.

To register your interest in attending the World of Learning 2010, and for more details about the event, visit www.learnevents.com.

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