9:00 AM - 9:10 AM

Welcome, Conference

Plenary
Nick Kennedy
Nick Kennedy · Workforce Planning Institute · Chair
 
 
 
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM

Global Workforce Trends: Tackling Skill Gaps for Future Success

Plenary
Rob Major
Rob Major · RTX · Director, Workforce Planning
 

Rob Major from RTX discusses how their Strategic Workforce Planning team identifies and addresses critical skill gaps. Learn how RTX integrates SWP with HR and functional teams to ensure workforce readiness for the next 3-5 years.

 
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM

Unpacking Workforce Planning for Tangible Results

Plenary
Sebastien Berlioz
Sebastien Berlioz · Orgvue · Vice President - APAC
 

Learn how to build workforce planning capabilities that integrate business, finance, and workforce needs into a cohesive, flexible process. This session explores leveraging technology, creating a robust data foundation, and aligning WFP with business strategy to navigate uncertainties like skill demands and economic shifts.

 
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM

Defining SWP in a Rapidly Changing World

Foundation
Ursula Kidson
Ursula Kidson · TalentNeuron · Vice President - EMEA
 

This session will explore the latest technological advancements driving end-to-end Strategic Workforce Planning . Ursula Kidson, Vice President - EMEA

 
10:40 AM - 10:55 AM

Q&A

Plenary
Sebastien Berlioz Rob Major Ursula Kidson
Sebastien Berlioz · Orgvue · Vice President - APAC
Rob Major · RTX · Director, Workforce Planning
Ursula Kidson · TalentNeuron · Vice President - EMEA
 
 
 
10:55 AM - 11:25 AM

Networking Break

Break
 
 
 
 
 
11:25 AM - 12:00 PM

A Constructor’s Take On Job Architecture: Connecting Job Families to HR Functions

Foundation
Sarah Jordan
Sarah Jordan · John Holland · General Manager People Planning and Enablement
 

Discover how John Holland Group connects job family frameworks to core HR functions, driving efficiency and consistency across processes. Sarah Jordan shares practical insights from the construction industry, explaining how this approach enhances talent management, role clarity, and alignment across teams. 

 

Advanced Action Planning for SWP Alignment

Immersion
Clif Sittinger
Clif Sittinger · ANZ · Employee Journey Expert
 

Discover how ANZ uses advanced action planning to align workforce capabilities with future demands. Gain insights into crafting agile, data-driven workforce transition strategies.

 
12:10 PM - 12:45 PM

Strategic Value Creation: Leveraging SWP in Critical Commercial Activities

Foundation
Ali Menzies
Ali Menzies · APA Group · Head of Strategic Workforce Planning
 

Explore how APA Group utilises strategic workforce planning to directly support its critical commercial initiatives. This session reveals SWP strategies that enable better decision-making and improved resource alignment, delivering measurable value to APA Group’s core commercial operations.

 

Workday Adaptive - Can it Really?

Immersion
Chris Tearle
Chris Tearle · Bank of Queensland · Senior Manager, Workforce Optimisation
 

This session will delve into Bank of Queensland’s Workday Adaptive implementation, detailing its impact on dashboards, position management, and strategic alignment. Attendees will gain insights into how Workday’s Adaptive technology is being harnessed to manage complexity in a challenging tech environment.

 
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM

Lunch

Break
 
 
 
 
 
1:45 PM - 2:20 PM

The SWP Challenge: Skills, Tasks, AI – Oh My!

Foundation
Catriona Miriklis Kitty Wilson James Sullivan
Catriona Miriklis · Pearson · Client Engagement Lead, Professional Services
Kitty Wilson · Optus · Associate Director Strategic Workforce Planning
James Sullivan · Australian Retirement Trust · Practice Lead, SWP
 

This panel features SWP leaders from Australian Retirement Trust and Optus, sharing how they apply strategic workforce planning to real business scenarios. Learn how skill mapping, predictive analytics, and data-driven strategies support workforce transformation, address future needs, and build organisational resilience. Gain practical insights into integrating AI and aligning skills, tasks, and technology with strategic goals.

 

Transforming Workforce Planning: Delivering Impact and Actionable Outcomes

Immersion
Jaye Matheson Tamara Lee Cathy Weeden
Jaye Matheson · Tailored HR Solutions · Chief Insights and Transformation Expert
Tamara Lee · NSW Health · Director, Future Workforce
Cathy Weeden · Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation · Senior Manager Workforce Strategy & Business Partnering
 

This session explores transforming workforce planning into a results-driven, business-owned and led practice. Discover practical, evidence-based techniques that unlock organisational performance and enable a thriving workforce. Jaye and the panel will discuss building workforce acumen in our leaders and the critical role of HR as leading people thinkers and stewards of our workforce.

 
2:30 PM - 3:05 PM

NSW Health Workforce Planning Journey – Moments that Mattered

Foundation
Tamara Lee
Tamara Lee · NSW Health · Director, Future Workforce
 

Explore NSW Health's transformation from tactical workforce management to a strategic planning enterprise. Tamara Lee shares pivotal lessons, challenges, and breakthroughs in integrating strategic foresight, megatrends, and skills adjacencies into the planning ecosystem, revealing a new vision for workforce planning.

 

Shaping the Future: Building Expertise and Empowering Leaders in Strategic Workforce Planning

Immersion
Samantha Wilson
Samantha Wilson · Optus · Senior Strategic Workforce Planning & Org Design Consultant
 

Ready to empower the next generation of workforce strategy leaders? Join Samantha Wilson from Optus to explore building SWP expertise, tackling challenges, and navigating career growth opportunities. Whether you're new to SWP, advancing your career, or enhancing your team's capabilities, this session offers practical strategies for success.

 
3:05 PM - 3:35 PM

Networking Break

 
 
 
 
 
 
3:35 PM - 4:15 PM

Cutting Through the Noise: Strategic Workforce Planning in a World of Competing Priorities

Plenary
Amanda Lovelock Dani Schlesier Rob Major Nick Kennedy
Amanda Lovelock · BHP · Manager Workforce Strategy
Dani Schlesier · Australian Public Service Commission · Assistant Commissioner Professions and Pathways
Rob Major · RTX · Director, Workforce Planning
Nick Kennedy · Workforce Planning Institute · Chair
 

This panel discussion brings together industry leaders to explore the art of navigating multiple strategies, prioritizing effectively, and fostering agility in Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP). Learn how to cut through the noise and deliver impactful workforce outcomes.

 
4:15 PM - 4:25 PM

Q&A

Plenary
 
 
 
 
 
4:25 PM - 4:45 PM

Day 1 Wrap-up

Plenary
Nick Kennedy Sarah Rogers
Nick Kennedy · Workforce Planning Institute · Chair
Sarah Rogers · Deloitte Consulting LLP · Partner
 
 
 
4:45 PM - 6:45 PM

Networking Drinks

 
 
 
 
 
 
9:00 AM - 9:05 AM

Welcome, Day 2

Plenary
Nick Kennedy
Nick Kennedy · Workforce Planning Institute · Chair
 
 
 
9:05 AM - 9:35 AM

Science or Art?​

Plenary
Kate Ryan
Kate Ryan · Defence Australia · Director Workforce Modelling and Simulation
 

Explore the intersection of science and art in workforce planning with Captain Kate Ryan, RAN. Learn how defence workforce modelling tackles challenges, balances data with decision-making, and adapts plans to dynamic demands using tools like the Athena Simulation Suite.

 
9:35 AM - 10:05 AM

SWP 5.0: Shifting the Skills Lens Towards a Digital Future

Plenary
Dani Schlesier
Dani Schlesier · Australian Public Service Commission · Assistant Commissioner Professions and Pathways
 

Explore how the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) is pioneering a skills-based approach to future-proof its workforce. Learn how digital readiness, strategic upskilling, and long-term planning align public sector roles with emerging technological demands.

 
10:05 AM - 10:35 AM

Breaking Biases – The Workforce You May Not Know You Need

Plenary
Kate Naess
Kate Naess · Paralympian
 

This session explores the value of expanding workforce inclusivity beyond traditional abilities. Paralympian Kate Naess shares her perspective on breaking biases and hiring individuals with disabilities to help companies close talent gaps, foster innovation, and cultivate a truly diverse workforce.

 
10:35 AM - 10:50 AM

Q&A

Plenary
Dani Schlesier Kate Ryan Kate Naess
Dani Schlesier · Australian Public Service Commission · Assistant Commissioner Professions and Pathways
Kate Ryan · Defence Australia · Director Workforce Modelling and Simulation
Kate Naess · Paralympian
 
 
 
10:50 AM - 11:20 AM

Networking Break

Break
 
 
 
 
 
11:20 AM - 11:55 AM

From Scratch: Securing Executive Buy-In in a Greenfields SWP Landscape

Foundation
Michael Sanese
Michael Sanese · University of Sydney · Director - HR Performance, Workforce Planning and Insights
 

Discover effective strategies for winning senior executive buy-in for Strategic Workforce Planning in organisations new to the field. Michael Sanese from the University of Sydney shares insights on crafting persuasive cases for SWP that address business needs, risk mitigation, and talent sustainability.

 

The Accidental Workforce Planner

Immersion
Kath Hume
Kath Hume · Workforce Planning Institute · Head of Learning
 

Kath Hume introduces a practical framework for professionals unexpectedly tasked with creating a strategic workforce plan. This session covers foundational concepts, critical tools, and step-by-step guidance to develop a basic plan while showcasing elements from SWP and ECM courses to encourage further learning.

 
12:05 PM - 12:40 PM

The SWP Evolution: Tracking Our SWP Journey to Technology Enablement

Foundation
Emma Sutton Cathy Weeden
Emma Sutton · Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation · Senior People Business Partner - Workforce Strategy
Cathy Weeden · Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation · Senior Manager Workforce Strategy & Business Partnering
 

Gain insights into Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation's Strategic Workforce Planning journey, tracking its evolution from initial pilot phases towards full technology enablement. Cathy Weeden and Emma Sutton reveal challenges faced and lessons learned in building a resilient SWP approach at scale.

 

How to Make the Most of the Shift to Skills

Immersion
Farah Irani Amelia Budiawan
Farah Irani · NSW Health · Manager, Strategic Workforce Planning, Future Workforce Unit
Amelia Budiawan · NSW Health · Senior Project Officer
 

Hear from NSW Health on their journey exploring a skills-based workforce approach, moving beyond the hype to practical applications. This session delves into early lessons, evolving strategies, and the integration of cutting-edge thought leadership. Reflect on your organisation’s path and gain insights into aligning skills frameworks with workforce planning for measurable outcomes.

 
12:40 PM - 1:40 PM

Lunch

Break
 
 
 
 
 
1:40 PM - 2:15 PM

Driving Outperformance Through SWP

Foundation
Adam Malski
Adam Malski · Allianz Australia · Head of Workforce Strategy
 

This session explores Allianz’s 5-year journey to embed Strategic Workforce Planning into its core operations, transforming talent management into a driver of business outperformance. Attendees will gain insights into overcoming implementation challenges, aligning SWP with strategy and finance, and the tangible benefits of a scalable, future-ready workforce.

 

The SWP Game: Mastering Workforce Planning in a Dynamic Environment

Immersion
Nick Kennedy
Nick Kennedy · Workforce Planning Institute · Chair
 

Dive into the SWP Game, a hands-on simulation where participants face real-world workforce planning challenges. Compete to achieve the lowest possible workforce costs while balancing demand, supply, and revenue goals. Are you ready to win at SWP?

 
2:25 PM - 3:00 PM

Increasing Meaningful Representation of Employees with Disability

Foundation
Erin Hannah Zane McKenzie
Erin Hannah · Scope (Aust) · Head of Workforce Planning and People Analytics
Zane McKenzie · Scope (Aust) · Workforce Strategy Lead
 

This session explores the journey of developing a Disability Inclusive Workforce Strategy to create meaningful representation for employees with disabilities. Speakers will share how structured problem-solving, stakeholder engagement, and prioritising inclusion drive sustainable cultural and business outcomes.

 

The SWP Game: Mastering Workforce Planning in a Dynamic Environment (Continued)

Immersion
Nick Kennedy
Nick Kennedy · Workforce Planning Institute · Chair
 
 
 
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM

Networking Break

 
 
 
 
 
 
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM

Panel - Ask Us Anything

Plenary
Nick Kennedy Dani Schlesier Alicia Roach
Nick Kennedy · Workforce Planning Institute · Chair
Dani Schlesier · Australian Public Service Commission · Assistant Commissioner Professions and Pathways
Alicia Roach · eQ8 · Co-Founder
 

Join a live Q & A session with renowned SWP experts Nick Kennedy, Alicia Roach, and Daniela Schlesier. This interactive panel will address your most pressing questions about advanced strategic workforce planning, from scenario planning to aligning workforce strategy with business outcomes.

 
4:00 PM - 4:10 PM

SWP Game – Winners Announced

Plenary
Kai Berendes
Kai Berendes · Workforce Planning Institute · Member Global Standards and Content Committee
 
 
 
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