There is increasing emphasis on learning, skills, and qualifications being positioned at a high level on the national agenda. This places considerable responsibility on the learning and development profession to consider the ways in which new and potential learners can develop and release their potential through the learning process. This encompasses both employees who need to enhance their specific job-related knowledge and skills as well as general career and leadership development in the workplace.

John Hayes MP, Shadow Minister for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education, will deliver the keynote address, and the closing presentation is to be given by Professor David Clutterbuck, one of the leading international authorities on coaching and mentoring. The conference will be opened by Jack Wills, Chair of the British Institute for Learning and Development.

The conference is geared towards

• learning and development professionals;
• educators offering learning and concerned with choices of media such as eLearning, mixed media or classroom-based delivery;
• other providers of training;
• professionals and practitioners in further and higher education;
• providers of vocational and work-based learning;
• learning and skills councils;
• chambers of commerce and sector skills councils;
• individual consultants and practitioners.