The Annual Apprenticeship Conference 2024 Survival Guide

It's time for the 10th Annual Apprenticeship Conference 2024 (AAC), an exciting and important event that brings together everyone who is involved with the delivery of apprenticeships! 

This year, the AAC is focusing on how to navigate through the turbulent economic climate, skills shortage and Levy reforms while helping apprentices shoot for the stars with special insights from stakeholders in Further and Higher Education, apprenticeship employers, local authorities and education suppliers. 

The AAC agenda is full to the brim with keynote speakers, workshops and of course, the exhibition. With all these amazing options to choose from, you may find your schedule becoming jam-packed! 

As frequent AAC goers, we are what some may call...conference whizzes...ok no one calls us that, but you know what we mean!  

Here are some essential survival tips that will help you make the most out of your experience next week. 

Essentials? Check! 

Preparing for a conference is a little bit like packing for a holiday (although the destination isn’t quite as tropical as the Bahamas). 

The temptation to over-prepare is always lurking, with intrusive thoughts making you wonder: Do I need to bring a protractor? 

Luckily, when getting ready for the AAC, there's no need to bring your usual stationary essentials such as a notebook, pens...and protractors. 

Instead, all you need to do is head over to stall A24 (which may or may not be us) to grab all the freebies you need to take notes and of course, to remember us by. You can think of our freebies as special souvenirs, ones that are way better than the ones you would get on holiday. 

Sadly, we won't be giving out any spare flip-flops or fresh kicks, (although maybe next year will be the year), so we highly recommend wearing comfortable shoes to navigate the conference venue throughout the two days. 

Lastly, save space in your bag and give your shoulders some much needed TLC by leaving the snacks and drinks at home because the AAC will be fully kitted out with snacks, refreshments and much more to keep you energised throughout the day. 

If you don’t see our Key Account Manager, James Riley, at the TQUK stall then you might find him at the snack station seeing how much he can stuff into his pockets. 

Understanding the conference schedule.

Before you attend the AAC, we recommend that you familiarise yourself with the conference schedule in advance.  

Two days just doesn’t feel like enough time to take part in all the interesting things going on. Which is why you should plan your sessions and breaks effectively so that you don’t miss out on all the excitement.  

One way to stay ahead of the game is by downloading the conference app. This life saver of an app will notify you of any last-minute changes or additions, saving you from running from one end of the ICC building to the other for your next workshop. 

To avoid any late appointments or that nasty feeling of being rushed, try to leave some buffer time between sessions so that you can take a breather and squeeze in any extra snack breaks. 

Giving yourself extra time also means that you can network and mingle with other likeminded people around you. Whilst you’re doing this, feel free to pop by and say hi or even join our live Functional Skills demos! 

Speaking of networking… 

When it comes to networking, you should approach these opportunities with a positive attitude and be open to meeting new people, as this will help you learn new ideas or even strengthen business connections. 

To become a networking buff, pre-prepare a brief introduction about yourself, your organisation and maybe even your interests to kickstart conversations with fellow attendees. 

As much as our Sales Manager, Chris Brown, loves talking about all things awarding and EPA, he’ll never turn down a conversation about furry friends or your favourite travel destination.  

Don’t forget to exchange contact information with those you connect with to follow up after the conference and expand your professional network! 

Making the most of exhibitor booths. 

At the heart of the AAC is the exhibition where you can mingle and engage with over 50 apprenticeship-savvy organisations. 

With over 50 stalls to pick from, you can take advantage of the networking opportunities and gather resources from exhibitor booths to enhance your conference experience. 

Of course, the shining star of the exhibition is stand A24 where you can see live demos, stock-up on freebies and catch-up with a friendly team of end-point assessment and awarding experts. 

Oh, did we mention that stand A24 is where we will be? 

See you there.