LearningCITY 2023

Connecting Calgary's Talent Community

 

Learning Our Way Forward

Imagine a city whose citizens think creatively, adapt, and thrive in this fast-changing world. A city where bright minds come together to dream big, start an adventure, and build something great. A city where people proactively develop new skills and are ahead of change, not chasing it. Imagine a city that attracts talent and investment from across the globe because it’s known as a city that is not only resilient but a city that embraces change, a city that learns. This is a LearningCITY.

Transforming Calgary into a LearningCITY demands that we rethink learning and recognize that learning extends beyond a classroom and is embedded where we work, live, and play. This forces us to redefine how we assess and value talent. This requires us to harness Calgary’s rich and diverse learning-employment ecosystem, encompassing 3,000 learning organizations and 55,000 employers.

This is why the theme for LearningCITY 2023 is Connecting Calgary’s Talent Community.

Committed to Action

At LearningCITY 2022, the LearningCITY Collective and our community partners released Calgary’s Skills Development Framework. This framework was the culmination of four years of community consultation. The framework is anchored to four drivers: adaptable, accessible, empowered, and open. Each priority is defined as a series of specific priorities and actions.

Over the past 12-months, the LearningCITY Collective has made significant progress in delivering on these priorities:

LearningCITY Board Established: A diverse board of community leaders from across the learning–employment ecosystem was established to guide ecosystem priorities.

Framework Approval: The board unanimously approved Calgary's Skills Development Framework.

Non-Profit Formation: The board voted unanimously to incorporate the LearningCITY Collective as a non-profit organization.

Open Learning Lab: Launched the 15,000 sq. ft. pilot Open Learning Lab in Bow Valley Square as a community space focusing on ecosystem collaboration and experimentation. This was the top priority in the skills framework.

Downtown Learning Study: Launched the downtown learning study, incorporating 15 researchers from five postsecondary institutions.

Calgary Career Pathways Program: Launched a program promoting diverse career pathways, including a poster program, table-toppers, and a monthly live event.

Open Learning Lab Roundtables: Hosting Open Learning Lab Roundtables exploring a path to scaling the Open Learning Lab model in downtown Calgary.

A key priority of the LearningCITY Collective in 2023 is to continue our mission of connecting the learning-employment ecosystem. This starts with everyone in the ecosystem recognizing their critical role, whether they are an employer, educators, or learners; this begins with Connecting Calgary’s Talent Community.

The Program

Given the quick sell-out last year and our goal to connect as many employers, educators, policymakers, and learners as possible, LearningCITY 2023 has been designed as two identical half-day sessions to maximize community building. Attendees can choose to register for either the AM or PM summit.

Like all LearningCITY events, this hands-on working session requires attendees to roll-up their sleeves, collaborate, and identify opportunities to move Calgary’s learning–employment ecosystem forward. Below the the Afternoon Summit. 

Time	Agenda
1230pm	Registration
1pm	Welcome
110am	Committed to Action:  A Year in Review
130pm	Panel: Connecting the Community  Margo Purcell, Co-founder & CEO, InceptionU  Court Ellingson, Researcher, Community Builder, Economic Development Specialist, Member of Alberta Legislature  Koleya Karringten, Executive Director, Canadian Blockchain Consortium  Michael Uzoka, President, African Coalition Club  Serene Yew, CEO, Pixeltree
215pm	Group Work
3pm	Sharing and Networking
315pm	Panel: Unlocking Calgary’s Potential  Rahim Sajan, Co-founder and Curator, TedXCalgary  Inês Bartilloti, Director, New Ventures, Innovate Calgary  Aleem Bharwani, Director, Public Policy and Strategic Partnerships, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary  Jason Ribeiro, Vice Chairman & President, Calgary Surge  Alanna Wellwood, Head of Learning Innovation, Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School
4pm	Group Work
430pm	Adjourn

 

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