There are only two more weeks to go until the annual Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET) National Conference, and aXcelerate is busy making final preparations for what is sure to be a successful event!
ACPET is the national industry association for independent post-compulsory education and training providers, dedicated to achieving the highest quality educational outcomes for individuals, employers, and the wider community. It represents almost 1,000 members that offer higher education, vocational education, English language, and foundation courses to Australian and international students.
This year’s conference takes place on the 29th and 30th of August at the Adelaide Convention Centre in beautiful Adelaide, South Australia. Attendance is anticipated to far surpass last year’s record-high turnout of 485 delegates, making ACPET the largest gathering of private and not-for-profit educators and trainers in Australia.
The theme? “VET and Higher Education: the future is in the private sector,” which shall address the increasing importance of private providers and the various challenges they face. As a company dedicated to supplying comprehensive training management solutions, this should be an informative experience for aXcelerate; after all, it’s our job to ensure that our training-provider clients are well equipped to face the aforementioned challenges in the VET sector, and the conference will apprise us of the latest developments. It will also be the perfect opportunity to network with fellow industry professionals, receiving feedback and suggestions for further improvement.
Our sales team members Mark “Swaffy” Swaffield and Chris Verner will be manning the aXcelerate booth for the vendors’ exhibition, which is perhaps the conference’s biggest attraction, showcasing the latest products and services relevant to the training and education fields. If you’re going to be in the area, please stop by and say hello! Mark and Chris are really nice guys, and they’d love to answer any questions you might have, or, if you’re just looking for a laugh or a nice chat, they can provide that, too. You’ll definitely be met with a smile and H.E.A.R.T., our core values of Honesty, Empathy, Acceptance, Respect, and Trust.
Chris, who has attended ACPET before, is looking forward to the 2013 conference being “bigger and better” than ever. He’s also excited about sharing the aXcelerate stand with newcomer Mark, who hopes to build some new relationships, meet new people, and come away with ideas for new functionality for our products.
“Automate with aXcelerate,” says Mark. “You’ll love it. Too often companies don’t take the time out to review how they manage their business processes. We find in most cases that aXcelerate more than pays for itself in automated processes, saved time, and labour. Couple this with a better learner experience, I believe every RTO in Australia should assess aXcelerate, and if we do not feel that we will significantly improve their business, we will not recommend the move. If we do, it means growth in profits, a better work environment, and a great new business partnership.”
The rest of the aXcelerate team asks that you drop by, as well. We don’t want Mark and Chris having too much time on their hands—they tend to get into trouble.
There will also be several high-profile guest speakers at the conference to give keynote addresses and lectures on a range of topics relevant to the VET sector:
- Dr Lee-Anne Fisher & Clare Feszczak – The Success of Skills Reforms in Vic & SA
- Catherine Kearney – The Seven Habits of Quality Private Providers: Managing Your RTO’s Compliance in a Period of Constant Change
- Bruce Callaghan – Core Skills for Work: a Point of Differentiation for High-Quality Education and Training Providers
- Richard Finlayson – The Future RTO: Diversity, Niche, Collaborate or Die!
- Paula Johnston – Quality E-Learning or Shonky Online Training? A Model to Help Figure It Out
And much, much more! For a full program (including information in regards to speakers, lectures, and timetables), please visit the ACPET website. You can also find out more about the conference venue’s surrounding area—things to do and see, where to stay, where to eat, etc.
If you’re based in Adelaide, or if you’re planning to be around the city at the end of the month, you should definitely give the conference a visit. Learn how to enhance quality, choice, innovation, and diversity in Australian education and training… and make some great connections while you’re at it!
We hope to see you there!
(If you can’t make it out to see us at the ACPET conference, never fear: we’ll be in Melbourne next month at the VELG Training National VET Conference as a major sponsor! Keep following our blog for more information—coming soon!)
Want to automate with aXcelerate?
We’re hosting a product demonstration for prospective clients at the BreakFree Adelaide hotel on Wednesday, 27th August as a sort of conference pre-gaming event. There are 20 seats available, and you can make reservations up until the 26th. Please take advantage of this opportunity to find out how our training and student management systems can accelerate your business processes! Call us at 07 3215 8888 or e-mail enquiries@vmlearning.com.au for more information.