The Association of Learning Providers May 2009 conference was held at the East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham, on the 13th and 14th May.

The ALP spring conference concentrated on the strategic vision and planning direction for the sector and attracted a strong line-up of platform speakers, including Government Ministers, to inform and encourage debate on a wide range of topics related to sustainable integrated employment and skills training.

The Forum for Employment & Skills conference attracted an audience of over 300 delegates which includeed Chairs, Chief Executives and other leaders of mainly independent providers of skills and employment provision from all over England, in addition to representatives from various Sector Skills Councils, Awarding Bodies and FE College Principals.

Over the last year the Government’s drive to integrate the UK’s employment and skills agendas has continued apace, with the publication of ‘FE Works,’ ‘Work Skills’ and the Welfare Reform White Paper marking a significant change in the approach to skills and workforce development in this country and presents many opportunities for both independent and college-based work-based learning providers to contribute to the Leitch agenda and ‘World Class Skills’.

In light of the economic downturn, an unpredictable labour market and the advent of new funding agencies, the learning and skills sector is thus becoming both more challenging to operate in and yet more important in which to achieve.

Details of the programme, and downloads of all speaker and workshop presentations, can be found by clicking here.