Look ,Learn and Rapid Networking at CIPD Olympia 2014 #cipdLDShow

Approaching Olympia from Hammersmith this morning, I wondered whether the CIPD had changed its initials to NCIS.

 Along the pavement I was being passed by competitively striding folk with their eyes fixed with purposeful intent on the exhibition centre. 

They were wearing obligatory lanyards and clutching their to-go coffee cups. 

 They faintly reminded me of the members of the Major Case Response Team MCRT  ie. dead ringers for the likes of leader Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, and his team of Dinozzo, McGee  Ziva and Abby et al.. 

Maybe they were  hurrying to catch up on lost time lost travelling due to the tube strike.

It all became clear  when I got to Olympia and saw a  make shift door sign. 

 The CIPD show were sharing the Olympia site with two other exhibitions/ conferences on forensics and counter terror !

Morning business was a little slow at the CIPD show due to the Tube strike. But by lunch time the dedicated L and D community had beaten a path to the doors of Olympia and the place was  buzzing.

This year's exhibition is a "Look and Learn" event,

The L and D community are constantly on the look out for what's hot and also the longer term value L and D can add to the heart of business.



As a show for L and D types, supplier stands give an opportunity for the inner thespian to burst out.  

The variety of stand dress varied from matching team T shirts ( black, green and red) seemed the most popular colours. Other sartorial approaches included orange tank top short sleeve sweaters, painters' white bib and brace overalls and ponchos with wide brim Mexican hats.

Ironically those presenting role play services and presentation coaching from the conventional theatre schools like RADA -in -Business  and the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama chose conventional business attire.

Former TACK colleague of mine, David Starkings 

now Senior Account Exec with IT training 

specialists New Horizons London

It is always good to meet up with colleagues, catch up on the goss. with suppliers, conference centre providers plus a chance to do some networking at CIPD. 


The range of exhibitors this year include Publishers, Qualification based Training, Suppliers of Technology.  

The Training Suppliers seemed to have the lion's share of stand space , covering offerings on Action centred learning, Blended and e-learning, Drama based training,Experiential training, Outdoor based, Face to face m multimedia, and open and distance based learning.

 In the training support segment there were a plethora of assessment and psychometric offerings.

The free seminar zones this year are 

1. Topic Tasters
2. Learning Arena
3. Technology for learning 

The seats for the free lectures are as popular as ever
 at the Topic Tasters, Learning Arena and Technology
for learning open theatres.

The CIPD have a speed networking area facilitated by Tracey from CIPD Ripon, Yorkshire. The lunch time session was sold out. This successful exercise is in its fourth year at the show.

First morning session - early bird net workers

Lunchtime session sold out. Tracey explaining the ground rules
with her stop watch and  football whistle at the ready.
She denied she would be moonlighting as a referee this evening
 at nearby Chelsea FC's Stamford Bridge Semi final for the Champions League
( Come on you Blues!)

Jonny Gifford CIPD Research Advisor

 I attended Jonny  Gifford ( CIPD Research Advisor) excellent Session on:

 The value of Social tech:

What difference does it make?

My report will be published shortly or as NCIS' Agent Dinozzo might say to Gibbs

" I'm on it boss!!!"

The show continues tomorrow . Definitely worth a visit.

Related links

 Social media in work- is it worth it ?

  Speed Networking and Standing out at #cipdLDshow