There are at least 12 good reasons to attend CCA’s Sydney Conference, which unfolds this year at Sydney’s Mercure Hotel from 13 to 15 November.
Politics: We live in interesting political times. We have a new Prime Minister, a new Minister for Vocational Education and Skills, and a new Minister for Education. Within nine months, Australia goes to the polls in Victoria (November), New South Wales (March) and nationally (guess when?). Make sense of our current political moment, and what it means for Australian vocational education and training (VET). Come hear NSW Deputy Premier, John Barilaro; outspoken former Leader of the Opposition and economist, Professor John Hewson; and Shadow Skills Minister, Senator Doug Cameron; We have also invited new Skills Minister Senator Michaelia Cash.
The future of VET: We bring together some of Australia’s best educational thought leaders. Professor Stephen Parker AO (KPMG) will present his vision for “Reimagining tertiary education: From binary system to ecosystem”. Ms Saxon Rice, ASQA’s new Deputy Chief Commissioner, will update national regulation. Craig Robertson, CEO of TAFE Directors Australia, will talk about the future of Australian TAFE and what it means for community education providers. David Collins, Executive Director of Training Services NSW, provides the insights into how Australia’s largest state conducts its training. The Conference also hosts Dr Ricky Shabazz, newly appointed President of San Diego City College in California.
Inequality in Australia: Concerned about Australia’s social and economic inequality? We are, so we are bringing you two of Australia’s best experts to discuss it: Professor Richard Holden (UNSW) and Edwina MacDonald, Director of Policy and Advocacy for ACOSS.
Develop your professional skills with presentations by HR consultant Nick Hedges, fundraiser Lawrence Jackson, communications consultant Peter Watson and a panel discussion on best practices in post-secondary student services.
Improve your governance with presentations by Dr Gary Johns, Commissioner of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC); expert privacy lawyer Katherine Sainty; and Lucas Ryan, Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) NFP specialist.
Understand the world of social enterprise, with Rob Caslick, Founder of Two Good Co; Wendy Perry, VET entrepreneur; Judy Foster from Philanthropy Australia; and Kevin Ekendahl from Audit Express.
Learn about the community sector’s innovative programs, with Margaret Teed on City East College’s professional mentoring program, Gerry Lister on working with disadvantaged young people in Brisbane’s Youth Development Foundation, Dr Robbie Lloyd from Port Macquarie Community College, and ACE Community Colleges’ Aboriginal education.
The research: Get the latest from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), the Brotherhood of St Lawrence and more.
The Community Education Student of the Year awards will feature some of the best community students who are on the way to realising their dreams – and contributing to Australia’s future. Nominations close Friday 31 August. Supported by the NSW Government.
The exhibition: Our conference hosts an exhibition of some of the finest providers of services to Australian adult and community education organisations: Coverforce, Hill Rogers, ish on Course, Audit Express, Training Resource Solutions, Rural Skills Australia, Watsonia Publishing, the Copyright Agency and more. Skip emails and meet suppliers in person!
The social events: CCA’s Conference is the perfect size. With some 120+ attendees plus speakers and exhibitors, you can meet just about everyone. We have organised two outstanding social and networking events: a Sydney Harbour cruise early Tuesday evening, 13 November, and our gala Awards dinner on Wednesday 14 November.
The location: If you are interested in the future of Sydney and Australia, you will find it all within a ten minute walk of the Mercure Hotel. Positioned next to Central Station, Sydney’s historic and greatest transport hub, the Conference venue abuts Australia’s largest educational and media precincts, at the geographic centre of Sydney’s world famous start-up culture, thriving in nearby Ultimo, Pyrmont, Chippendale and Surry Hills. The hotel sits a stone’s throw from the ABC’s national headquarters, near the HQ for both The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald, and across the street from UTS (the former University of Technology, Sydney) and Sydney Institute of TAFE. Want some food – the famed Spice Alley is about 50 meters away. For a dose of mid-21st century artistic culture – try the White Rabbit Gallery. For movies, Sydney’s newest “Central Park” art-house cinema is a short walk away. Or try Hoyts at Broadway – rumoured to have the best cinema seats in Sydney, Event cinemas on George Street or Dendy cinemas, Newtown.
CCA has released the Conference draft program, showing when our outstanding speakers will talk.
Conference Chair: David Fuller, Chair of CCA and CEO of WEA Illawarra.
“Early bird” (discounted) registrations close this Friday 31 August, so save money and be quick.
From the CCA team: Anne Walter, Evelyn Goodwin and Don Perlgut.
Contact us if you have any questions.
