TDA Convention 2026 - Program
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
|
TUESDAY, 5 MAY 2026 |
|
|
Afternoon |
Pre-Convention Site Visit TAFE Queensland South Bank or TAFE Queensland SkillsTech (Booking required) |
|
4:30pm |
Registration and exhibition open |
|
5:30pm – 6:15pm |
Pre-Dinner Drinks |
|
6:15pm – 6:30pm |
Take seats for dinner |
|
6:30pm-9:30pm |
|
|
WEDNESDAY, 6 MAY 2026 MC: Ellen Fanning |
|
|
8:00am |
Registration opens |
|
Opening Plenary Session |
|
|
8:30am – 9:00am |
TDA Convention 2026 opening Housekeeping Welcome to Country (Songwoman Maroochy Barama) |
|
9:00am – 9:30am |
Minister’s address |
|
9:30am – 10:20am |
Panel discussion on Harmonisation with Professor Barney Glover |
|
10:20am – 10:30am |
TAFE Staff Award #2 |
|
10:30am – 11:00am |
Morning Tea |
|
11:00am – 11:35am |
Plenary Speaker: Professor Steven Dhondt (Industry 5.0) |
|
11:35am – 12:15pm |
Panel discussion on Industry 5.0 with Professor Steven Dhondt |
|
12:15pm – 12:50pm |
Student equity and the rise of AI |
|
12:50pm – 1:00pm |
TAFE Staff Award #3 |
|
1:00pm – 2:15pm |
Lunch Break including Lunchtime presentation – Diamond Sponsor ReadyTech |
|
1:30pm – 2:00pm |
|
|
2:15pm – 3:30pm |
Day 1 Breakout Sessions – Concurrent Stream 1 |
|
3:30pm – 4:00pm |
Afternoon Tea |
|
4:00pm – 5:15pm |
Day 1 Breakout Sessions – Concurrent Stream 2 |
|
4:45pm – 7:45pm |
Networking Event Gold Sponsor: Technology One Host: TAFE Queensland – Welcome John Tucker CEO and TDA Board Chair Queensland Art Gallery: Gallery of Modern Art (Olafur Eliasson – Qld Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art) |
|
THURSDAY, 7 MAY 2026 MC: Ellen Fanning |
|
|
8:00am |
Registration opens |
|
Plenary |
|
|
8:30am – 8:35am |
MC Welcome |
|
8:35am – 8:45am |
TAFE Staff Award #4 |
|
8:45am – 9:15am |
Closing the Gap: A conversation between First Nations educational leaders. |
|
9:20am – 10:00am |
Plenary Speaker: Pari Johnston (Applied Research in Canadian Colleges) |
|
10:00am – 10:45am |
Panel Discussion: Innovation and Applied Research in TAFE with Pari Johnston |
|
10:45am – 11:15am |
Morning Tea |
|
11:15am – 12:30pm |
Day 2 Breakout Sessions – Concurrent Stream 2 – Workshops |
|
12:30pm – 2:00pm |
Lunch Break including networking opportunity for TDA policy network members |
|
Plenary |
|
|
2:00pm – 2:10pm |
MC Recap and summary of TAFE Staff recognition award winners and further congratulations |
|
2:10pm – 3:20pm |
‘Earn and Learn’ and apprenticeships: Opportunities and challenges in an era of harmonisation |
|
3:20pm – 3:50pm |
Final Keynote Speaker TBA |
|
3:50pm – 4:00pm |
Close |
|
4:00pm – 4:30pm |
Afternoon Tea |
|
FRIDAY, 8 MAY 2025 |
|
|
|
Post-Convention Site Visit TAFE Queensland Gold Coast (Booking required) |