The Community Colleges Australia (CCA) Annual Conference returns to Sydney for an in-person event on 5 & 6 April 2022, promising a stimulating, inventive and invigorating two days of domestic and international speakers, expert presenters and adult and community education (ACE) specialists.

Our theme: This year’s conference theme is Rebuilding Community, following what will have been (by April) more than two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its long-term impacts on Australian post-secondary education, training and communities. We plan to deal with both big and small questions: What’s next in post-secondary education, training and skills? How do we “build back better”? What’s to be learned from overseas experiences? What long-term impacts will the pandemic have on how we learn, how we teach and how we construct communities? What challenges still face us? What structures and approaches need to be changed and what should we keep?

Special events: The Conference will feature the award ceremonies of the first-ever “Community Education Trainer of the Year Awards” at the Gala Dinner on Tuesday 6 April. Our pre-conference social event highlight will be a sunset cruise on Sydney Harbour on Monday 4 April. Our annual sponsor exhibition returns with a terrific mix of ideas, products and services.

Location and venue: The Conference will unfold at the Marriott Hotel on Pitt Street, adjacent to Sydney’s bustling Circular Quay ferry terminals, only a few minutes’ walk to the historic Rocks District, the iconic Sydney Opera House and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Within a short pleasant walk you will also find the best that a re-opened Sydney CBD has to offer: the best shopping in New South Wales, the glorious Botanic Gardens in early autumn splendour, the dynamic new Barangaroo redevelopments, the Art Gallery of NSW, a re-modelled Australian Museum, the State Library, Sydney Theatre Company at the Wharf and world-famous restaurants.

Do you wish to present? CCA has opened expressions of interest to present at the Conference. We particularly welcome proposals that fit into the conference theme and strands (see below). Download the “Call for Papers” here or read more here.

Supporters, sponsors and services: CCA invites proposals to participate in our popular services and products exhibition, which “sells out” of available space every time. Please be quick if you wish to sponsor or support the 2022 Conference.

Contact us: Contact CCA via email if you have any questions.

Not-for-profit adult and community education (ACE) organisations

• CEOs and other senior managers
• VET managers and senior trainers
• Boards of directors and volunteers
• Marketing and promotions managers
• Coordinators, planners, project managers, liaison officers and outreach specialists

Government, researchers and other organisations

• Policy-makers working in post-secondary and secondary education roles for Commonwealth, state or territory governments who seek a deeper understanding of our sector’s challenges, opportunities and possibilities
• Researchers in education and training who are keen to share their findings with one of the most engaged conference audiences in Australia
• Consultants working in VET, universities, life-long learning, the future of work and the demand for skills in the next decade of the 21^st century
• Thinkers, thought-leaders, journalists and others engaging with the breaking trends of Australian post-secondary education and training
• Teachers, trainers and educators seeking a strong dose of intellectual stimulation and the cutting edge of community education practices
• Not-for-profit organisations that work with ACE providers and support our learners
• International guests looking to understand of Australian post-secondary education and training, and who wish to engage with Australian experts and practitioners
• Regional economic development and local government personnel working on the intersection between education, training, industry policy and economic development

The 2022 Conference will examine how to make Australian ACE and vocational education (VET) stronger, more focussed and attentive to learner needs, We will look at how to expand possibilities in education, training and other services to small businesses and to learners from lower socio-economic backgrounds, people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, young people, regional and rural residents, migrants, refugees and those with limited English language skills, and people who face mental health challenges.

In light of the soon-to-be-released national Foundation Skills Framework, CCA’s National ACE Summit resolutions, and recognition of new trends in digital transformation and remote learning. The ACE sector plays a fundamental role in opening up life and work possibilities for people from all walks of life. The conference will be a great opportunity to explore and share new and developing ideas and approaches in communicating, teaching and learning for practitioners, leaders and policy makers.

Given the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care, the planned major increased training of aged care workers and CCA’s June 2021 National ACE Summit. ACE providers punch above their weight in delivering effectively to the sector; the 2022 Conference will concentrate on building this capacity, focussing on innovation and the sharing of insights from industry researchers and service providers, and on practical strategies that add depth and breadth to the aged care and disability workforces, including trainer capacity.

While place-based learning constitutes the core business of Australian ACE providers, their activities extend well beyond the classroom. The ACE sector provides numerous opportunities for engagement in community life, learning and work, and supports the maintenance of Australian civil society and democracy, civic participation and building “social capital”. These functions are especially important in regional, rural and outer metropolitan locations where local educational institutions are part of the “glue” that holds communities together. The Conference will examine how the ACE sector – and Australian VET more broadly – can increase its participation in and collaboration with new ventures such as social enterprises, education precincts, entrepreneurship and social impact studies.

The Conference aims to expand skills in strategic planning, managing board dynamics, developing new business models, leading high-performance teams, coaching and mentoring, strategic finance, fundraising and funding diversification, responding to adversity, managing risk and change management. New skills will assist ACE organisations to face unprecedented levels of uncertainty resulting from COVID-19, including meeting government contracts, highly fatigued staff and trainer expertise in short supply. We also need new strategies to engage disadvantaged students, who have been the first to leave training in times of stress and the last to return, and who are often unable or unwilling to transfer to online and remote learning.

“All sessions were interesting and engaging.”

“This year was my first time at the CCA conference and I was impressed and surprised by the variety in workshops and exhibitors.”

“Thanks, team CCA – one of my favourite CCA conferences, if not my favourite.”

“Overall, I was exhausted by the end of the conference from the packed agenda and relevance of the content. There was nothing I wanted to miss. It was great!”

“Rich topics, engaging speakers, great venue.”

“Thank you so much for all of your hard work, great conference!”

“It was a great conference all round- thanks. So well organised! A great combination of serious, interesting, fun, inspirational and useful.”

“Conference very beneficial and a good learning environment.”

“Thank you for your dedication and effort in putting together an interesting and relevant program.”

“Excellent mix of main sessions and workshops.”

“Nice balance of governance, stats, policy, HR, practicality and inspiration.”

“Well-structured and delivered.”

Read about our recent conferences in Brisbane (2019), Sydney (2018), Melbourne (2017).

Use the Conference tag #CCASydney2022