Winning in a Skills-First Workforce: Rethinking Events, Content, and Learning for Today’s Professionals

The professional development landscape is shifting fast. In a skills-first workforce and an economically tight environment, professionals are increasingly prioritizing learning that leads to measurable, applicable skills over traditional information-based education. Meanwhile, younger professionals are turning to GPTs and AI-assembled knowledge to fill the gaps typically met through conferences, webinars, and informational courses. Associations have a unique advantage: the ecosystem, the expertise, and the program portfolio capable of driving deeper learning outcomes. Yet many organizations haven’t unlocked the full potential of their events and educational offerings to deliver true skills development. In this session, we’ll unpack the industry-wide challenge and explore two critical areas where associations can immediately elevate their value and impact: Integrating events into a cohesive learning portfolio to meet the rising demand for skills-based development. The role of accessibility and inclusion across learning and events—and what an organization’s level of commitment communicates to today’s learners.