Professional Development Committee Update

Sue Fergusson APSAA PD Committee Chair, QLD State Operations Manager, Scape

As a new member of the APSAA board and Chair of the Professional Development (PD) Committee, I would like to start by thanking the board and committee for such a warm welcome, and to also acknowledge the great work done by Cameron Bestwick, the outgoing chair of the PD Committee.

We have only had the opportunity to have one PD Committee meeting since I joined the board, and it was great to hear the passion and ideas from committee members. With our shared purpose of providing members with opportunities to develop skills to deliver an exceptional student experience, we are excited by the prospect of engaging more face-to-face. Our new strategy will be announced at the conference. Watch this space!

As I write this, it is four weeks until the annual APSAA conference. I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to connecting with old friends and new, after a twoyear hiatus. The highlight of the professional development calendar, the annual conference, provides great learning opportunities that I can attest to, having attended the last five conferences. The agenda for this year’s conference includes a wonderful line up of guest speakers at the key plenary sessions, and many opportunities to share ideas, discuss latest development and innovation through the 20/20 Ignite sessions, and network with industry peers and major suppliers. With so many new faces in the student accommodation sector, what a great introduction to be able to attend the conference and learn from peers.

A few people have asked how to get the most out of the conference, as often there are conflicting sessions and people can’t decide on one. I like to plan the conference and review all the sessions at the start of Day One. I usually select subjects that I know little about, so I can broaden my mind to new subject matter. The other top tip is to meet and speak with as many different people as possible. Don’t just hang out with your work colleagues or people you know really well, there is plenty of time for that at the end of each conference day. For anyone who has attended the conference previously, there have been great ice breakers and games to encourage meeting new people. Looking forward to seeing what is in store for us this year. While other parts of our region have had the opportunity to hold a networking function, Queensland has not. As I am based in Queensland, we are looking forward to planning a catch up very soon. I know I will be using that opportunity to gather feedback on what my Queensland colleagues would like to see in the PD space going forward. Our association is only as good as the members who are part of it, so please feel free to reach out at any time with feedback, ideas and suggestions.

We are all so busy with the return of students to our residences, we often forget about the great work achieved every day in our respective workplaces to deliver a supportive and exceptional student experience. This makes great content for contributions for the APSAA newsletter and the APSAA journal. If you would like to share your ideas, please email communication@apsaa.org.au

Looking forward to seeing you at the conference!

As a new member of the APSAA board and Chair of the Professional Development (PD) Committee, I would like to start by thanking the board and committee for such a warm welcome, and to also acknowledge the great work done by Cameron Bestwick, the outgoing chair of the PD Committee.