Learning Innovations Conference to Highlight Federal Workforce

The Association for Talent Development and The Public Manager, ATD’s premier publication for federal managers and professionals, are gearing up for the fourth Government Workforce: Learning Innovations Conference in Washington, D.C., on September 7, 2016. 

Last year, the event attracted nearly 300 federal employees, 25 private-sector sponsors, and 45 panelists representing more than 50 different federal agencies or government working groups. 

“We’re excited to offer Government Workforce again this year,” said Ron Sanders, Booz Allen Vice President and board chair for The Public Manager. “There is always such great energy and enthusiasm on display at this event. It’s a real testament to the passion and commitment that government workers bring to their jobs every day.” 

This year, government managers and professionals will be facing a unique challenge for the first time in eight years: the upcoming presidential transition. According to Sanders, it’s not just presidential appointees and incoming teams from the new administration that will feel the change. 

“A transition has implications for everyone in government,” said Sanders. He pointed to the challenges agencies face in keeping employees engaged through what amounts to a massive organizational change, and preserving projects and services while aligning them with the goals of a new administration. 

At the same time, agencies are facing the familiar pressure to become more productive and find innovative approaches to challenges like delivering on increasing workload expectations with decreasing budgets. 

Nevertheless, the managers and professionals who have dedicated their careers to public service do just that every day, said Sanders. 

This year’s Government Workforce: Learning Innovations event will put the spotlight on those leaders—with 12 concurrent sessions that focus on state-of-the-art human capital and learning practices in the public sector. The event will cover everything from using shared services to deliver on agency missions to managing incoming teams and communicating the value of mission-critical programs to a new administration during a presidential transition. 

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