The Railway to a 21^st Century Workforce

Southeastern WorkKeys® Conference Hosting Criteria

Application to host the conference will be posted after the 2008 conference

 The Southeastern WorkKeys® Conference is held annually in late January and provides a forum for businesses, educators, community leaders, economic developers and practitioners to focus on best practices for meeting the increasing skill demands of today’s workforce. The conference has evolved in to a major event is expected to draw approximately 450 participants this year. 

The selection of the Southeastern WorkKeys® Conference location is done on a competitive basis.  Bids are evaluated on the basis of non-financial and financial considerations.  Applicant locations must be in the Southeastern region of the United States.  If you would like to be considered to host the next Southeastern WorkKeys Conference, please submit a proposal letter addressing each of the following criteria. 

Deadline and Dates:

Proposals are currently being accepted for the Southeastern WorkKeys® Conference, to be held in late January / early February  2010. Conference activities will last for three (3) days and will require an additional day prior to the event for setup.  The application deadline is June 30, 2008. 

Financial Requirements:

• Hosting organization will be responsible for acquiring local sponsorships in the amount of $10,000.  Southeastern WorkKeys® committee will provide necessary support (informational documents, support) needed to assist with sponsorship efforts. 
• Overall cost of accommodations, meeting facilities, meals and entertainment

Regional Considerations:

• Business climate
• Quality of facilities
• Opportunities for post-conference leisure activities

Facilities:

The optimal environment for the Southeastern WorkKeys® Conference is a hotel with the ability to accommodate the following criteria:

• Overnight accommodations for out-of-town attendees (approximately 200 rooms per night during the conference).
• Assistance in negotiating preferential hotel rates for conference attendees.
• Conference Room capable of holding 450 people.
• Smaller meeting rooms for concurrently running workshops.  Minimum of four rooms, each with the capacity to seat approximately 150 people.
• LCD projectors, screens, microphones, and podiums in each of the rooms.
• Catering services for two breakfasts, two luncheons and various networking events.

Conference Coordination:

Host organization must provide a conference coordinator or conference services office that works with Southeastern WorkKeys® Conference committee and provides local services and support.  Conference coordinator must also commit to attending Southeastern WorkKeys® Conference planning meetings, at the expense of the host organization. 

Support of the Host Organization:

Host organization should commit time and staffing resources during conference activities.  Staffing will be required for setup, registration, and check-in, as well as for assistance in setup of meeting rooms and other various activities throughout the course of the event.