The workplace has evolved more in the last 10 years than in the 100 years prior, but we're only just beginning a transition that will completely redefine how, where, when and why we work.

Prior to the industrial revolution, work was a quintessentially human activity, valuing quintessentially human skills. During the turn of the last century, however, work became more robotic, valuing increasingly robotic traits. This transition wouldn't have been possible without the introduction of workplace conventions and standards, many of which are still in use today.

After more than 100 years, however, those conventions and standards are beginning to crumble, with advanced technologies and automation ironically returning the concept of "work" to its human-centric roots. Those currently entering postsecondary institutions will eventually find themselves in an environment where the most in-demand skills and attributes and the latest workplace trends and structures more closely resemble the working economy of their great grandparents than their parents. As we enter the next chapter in the evolution of work, we can learn much about how the next generation can best thrive in this new work environment by exploring what came before.

Janet Hyde’s presentation will touch on the nature of post-secondary education in 2030, including differing views of what the academy may look like and how it may operate. Through research, example and discussion, she will present some of the challenges and opportunities inherent in supporting the emerging economy, changing demographics, and changing expectations of post-secondary educators. She will suggest some approaches to consider that could lead to more nimble post-secondary organizations and will conclude with techniques for achieving meaningful change in the post-secondary sector that require collaboration between SEMM professionals, academic leaders, and faculty.

In 2015, Fort McMurray dipped into a serious recession. When this was followed by a wildfire in 2016, enrolment dropped by 25%. Layoffs, restructuring and regular changes at the executive level removed any connection to previous SEM work. Needing to rebuild, required us to plan for "SEM Again". We will share the process, the journey, the successes and the challenges that we have experienced in our first two years of "SEM Again". Using collaborative tools, we have built a very solid foundation for our roadmap moving forward. Connecting business change management in our pursuit of enhancing the student experience is providing us with the vision to truly achieve Strategic Enrollment Management. The dream team on this project includes key people: the SEM manager, the Organizational Development Advisor and the Institutional Research Analyst. By combining the talents of topic expertise, organizational expertise and research expertise, we bring a comprehensive approach to SEM again.

In the endless war between marketing and communications professionals and the academics and administrators of higher education, leave this session equipped with new ammunition for the battle of "Less is (actually, quite a lot) more". We aren't writing rubrics, syllabuses or policies, but our stakeholders are. While keeping your compassion hat on for the concerns, anxieties and limitations all stakeholders face, learn how you can challenge the status quo and improve your stakeholder relationships so that you can create dynamic, engaging and interesting content for Gen. Z, helping you to recruit prospective students and keep current students interested and informed. Join Laurier's MARCOM duo as they share trials and triumphs of ongoing relationship building and communications refinement. Learn how you can empower stakeholders to adapt their communications, why the Viewbook isn't everything, and how to leverage research to promote data-driven decision making.

Adult learners represent a new and underserved market for Canadian postsecondary institutions, and their numbers are growing. This presentation will explore how economic forces are disrupting the labour force, creating a demand for short, flexible training programs that are geared to adult learners. The presenters will describe what the evidence suggests are the ideal elements of adult-focused upskilling programs, and explain why competency-based education, which is growing in popularity among US postsecondary institutions, is a promising model with the potential to better serve Canadian adult learners.

This presentation will review the usage of agents as a strategy for attracting international post-secondary students. With Memorial as a case study, the presenter will provide an overview of the usage of agents, particularly within the Canadian university context. If your university/school is (1) interested in seeking best practices information, (2) wanting to assess the value of students recruited via agents or (3) determine how your school compares with others, this presentation is for you.

For those institutions with on-campus residences, there exists an amazing opportunity to retain students and turn those living on campus into brand advocates. Advocates that will be embedded and actively engaged in the university or college experience. Many will thrive socially, and bring other students into #reslife. Some will carry on into residence leadership roles, while others succeed in their studies. All of this delivers engaged students or advocates that will carry forward the institution’s brand during and after their time on campus. There are studies that confirm students excel academically and personally in-residence vs those that live off campus. However, to ensure they stay involved and engaged year after year, institutions need to look beyond rooms, beds, and burgers. Powerful #reslife experiences offer vibrant social programming and activities, community spaces that foster creativity, ‘making’, socialization and fun, as well as food services that feel like the Marche or Whole Foods. Well fed, well rested and involved students come back, stay connected and are loyal. They’ve lived (literally) the institutional brand and will be strong advocates going forward. In this session, Sean Williams will speak about the connection between residence living, student retention and brand loyalty. An alignment that will foster a never-ending level of engagement.

This session will look at the transition from secondary to post-secondary to the world of work from the lens of a student with a visible and/or non-visible disability. While your institution may offer services to support academic accommodations, it may not be addressing the employment support needs and opportunities that are often needed by students with disabilities.

You’ll learn about a unique project in the Ottawa area, where two colleges and two universities have been collaborating to explore how they can work together to reduce the employment gap for students and graduates with disabilities, through the David C. Onley Initiative for Employment and Enterprise Development, and the public awareness campaign #AbleTo, geared to inform and engage students, campuses and local employers.