Knowledge nation

Meetings help foster Australia's ongoing commitment to education and learning.

 

Story by Bryan Holliday

 

How often have we heard that Australia needs to improve the skill base of its population? How often have we heard that jobs are being “exported” to countries with a lower paid labour force? What’s the answer? What can we do about it?
 

Earlier this year the Federal Government’s Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations convened a conference to explore these very important issues. It was conceived in a time of strong economic growth and was held at a time of global economic uncertainty. However, delegate attendance was beyond expectations and the outcomes of the conference will now inform government policy for years to come.
 

Proving that the topic was of tremendous interest, within the last six weeks delegate numbers tripled to 1200 from 21 countries. One of the strongest messages was the oft stated maxim that change is constant. We must remember that in an environment of continual change there’s a need to educate and train people to anticipate change by developing their own capabilities.
 

The conference was a huge success for a variety of reasons. The local and overseas speakers gave informative and inspirational addresses. The exhibition stands were designed and run by students, who displayed their skills in the form of an interactive showcase related to their learning. The program was designed to incorporate a wide range of presentation styles, building on the theme of “Skilling Australia”, and the social events were produced to allow a great deal of interaction between all attendees. Serendipity reigned supreme.
 

Importantly, we will soon witness the implications of the narrowing gap between university, vocational and training education as technological change drives the demand for a “broadband of learning”. Learning for technical skills and learning from real-life interaction that stretches the imagination.
 

Finally, some statistics for those of us in business events: recent research shows that 65 per cent of respondents in a study about life-long learning reported that knowledge and information from conference attendance were their most valued experience.

 

For more information, contact Bryan Holliday at ICMS Australasia at 02 9254-5000. www.icmsaust.com.au