On Friday 19 August 2016, 950 early childhood professionals from diverse settings across Australia came together at the Melbourne Convention Centre for another hugely successful Beyond Tomorrow conference.
The conference theme, Building Strong Foundations, was explored throughout the day looking specifically at building excellence, partnerships and wellbeing.
We were thrilled this year to offer 60 free conference tickets to early childhood educators who don’t have the funds available to attend paid professional development events, as part of the Reach your Potential program.
The day was opened by Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos, who reinforced the importance of providing strong foundations for all Victorian children, especially those in the early years.
Blinky Bill voice-over artist Robyn Moore inspired attendees with her energetic keynote address, taking them from the verge of tears to roars of laughter.
More than 30 of Australia’s top early childhood experts inspired attendees with stories of quality, innovation, leadership and wellbeing in the early childhood sector in a range of practical and informative sessions. Speakers used contemporary research and evidence-based best practice to examine key topics, which were linked back to the seven quality areas of the National Quality Framework.
When not attending sessions, attendees took the opportunity to visit the 49 exhibitors at Beyond Tomorrow’s extensive trade fair. Exhibitors showcased a diverse range of products and services relevant to the early childhood industry and many offered discounts to conference attendees.
Attendees celebrated the day and connected with peers at the post-conference drinks, held in a space overlooking the Yarra River. This was the ideal conclusion to another highly successful Beyond Tomorrow conference.
The day wouldn't have been possible without the support of our 2016 Beyond Tomorrow sponsors: McArthur, Modern Teaching Aids, Hesta, Insync Surveys, AIB Insurance, Storypark and Randstad Education.
A number of Beyond Tomorrow speaker presentations are available for download on the Beyond Tomorrow website.
A selection of images from this year's Beyond Tomorrow conference can be viewed on ECMS's Pinterest page.
The 2017 Beyond Tomorrow conference will be held at the Melbourne Convention Centre on Friday 1 September 2017. ECMS invites all those with an interest in the early childhood education and care sector to attend Beyond Tomorrow. To discover more please email beyondtomorrow@ecms.org.au or call 03 8481 1129.