DUBAI, UAE, December 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Attended by 1,500 learning and development professionals

The Training and Development Show Middle East, the largest training and workplace learning exhibition and conference in the region, opened today with a sense of excitement as hundreds of learning, HR and training professionals gathered to talk strategy, network and source the latest training solutions.

The show is held under the patronage of the United Arab Emirates Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, under the theme of "Nurturing tomorrow's leaders" and was officially opened by H.E. Humaid Moh'd Al Qutami, Minister of Education and Chairman of the Board of the Federal Government Human Resources Authority.

In a survey conducted by Terrapinn Middle East, 78% of local businesses commented that developing effective leaders is their number one challenge.  This is perhaps unsurprising given the diverse and fluid movement of expatriates and the huge investment in Emiratization.

"The success of your business is routed in the talent business - your success is dependent upon the quality of talent you attract, select, develop and retain. Your differentiator is your intellectual capital - your talent, your leaders," remarks Laura Parker, General Manager of Terrapinn Middle East. "Leveraging new technology in times of dramatic change can accelerate skill development, only those organisations that proactively fill performance gaps and prepare a highly adaptable workforce will be built to last.  For the foreseeable future, the ability to continuously train, transform and develop people and their skills will be critical for any agile, high-performing organisation."

According to Parker, the unrelenting change in the technology behind many training platforms as well as the advent of informal learning channels has shaped the upcoming Training & Development Show.  For two days, hundreds of chief learning officers, human resource professionals and training managers will focus their attention on the theme "Nurturing tomorrow's leaders with effective training, succession planning and professional development initiatives".  The show features 70 free seminars, over 40 exhibitors and a high-level conference designed to explore innovative techniques and technologies for making employees your most competitive business advantage.

The survey, which was conducted amongst 650 Middle East businesses, revealed that digital learning platforms were the top training technology being implemented by Middle East-based companies in the coming 18 months with wireless and mobile being in the top three.  

Technology allows people to learn anytime and anywhere. This can involve delivering content not only via the Internet, but also via an Intranet, interactive TV, DVDs and so on. The Training and Development Show showcases many examples of e-learning including virtual classrooms, online training courses, Intranet-based learning, online tutorials, digital collaboration and many more.

"With a squeeze on budgets companies see several benefits of e-learning over other forms of learning and development, the most obvious of which is the cost; it is often a much cheaper solution than other options - group licences can often be purchased, meaning that you can train your entire team. Convenience: perhaps the most significant benefit of e-learning is the associated convenience - you can choose when and where to learn, provided you have the appropriate equipment, meaning you can learn at your own pace. Consistency: being able to deliver standardised training to your whole team or workforce is another benefit, particularly when trying to introduce a new skill or procedure to your employees," says Nicola Wartnaby, Marketing Director, Terrapinn Middle East.

The Training & Development Show, sponsored by Wilson Learning and Manipal Global Education Services is the only show in Dubai offering such a wide variety of free seminars. "Attendees get the real deal on training and development: how to design it, develop it, and deliver it for results that actually benefit the company, its employees and its stakeholders," said Jamie Hosie, Project Manager, The Training and Development Show.  

The event runs Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5 December, with more than 1,500 learning and development professionals expected to attend.

Topics being discussed include:

• How to drive business competitiveness and profit through your people, Starwood Hotels & Resorts
• How to create an engaged workforce to drive customer loyalty, Wilson Learning
• How to implement learning initiatives in a multicultural workplace, Dubai Customs
• How to use blended learning, Federal Authority for Government Human Resources
• How to integrate the L&D department, Axiom Telecom
• How to achieve better bang for your buck: Psychometrics, Assessments & Training, Etisalat Academy
• How to improve the learning experience by leveraging simulations, Manipal Global Education Services
• How to adapt workplace learning for the millennium generation, Genesis Institute
• How to design leadership models to engage UAE culture, FERRARI WORLD ABU DHABI (Farah Leisure)
• How to design learning programmes that support nationalization, Emaar Hospitality Group
• How to drive skill acquisition amongst local talent, Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company
• How to integrate mobile technology into learning, Microsoft Corporation
• How to engage employees by using gaming technologies, Middle East eLearning Association
• How to create the ultimate learning journey, Bensouda Consulting
• eLearning: Reenergizing learning with technology, Edict Training
• How to create leadership initiatives that lead to motivated and results driven teams, Landmark Group
• How to apply blending training techniques for development of HR, Ministry of Finance UAE
• How to launch a workforce nationalization initiative, National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NDAB)
• How to integrate social into the learning environment, IBM
• How to identify emerging talent through informal workplace learning, SHL
• How to design technology-driven training programmes, Dubai Duty Free
• How to assess the effectiveness of learning and HR programmes, Jumbo Electronics

For more information, go to http://www.terrapinn.com/tdshow.

About Terrapinn Middle East FZ-LLC

A world leader in business events

Nothing beats the experience of meeting people face-to-face to gain inspiration, to learn and to do business. At Terrapinn, we curate events that stimulate the brain, spur creativity and facilitate meeting. Our conferences are major industry gatherings focusing on strategy, innovation and technology and our trade exhibitions are marketplaces for global business.

And we deliver focused industry training in person and on-line.

Terrapinn operates from a network of offices in London, New York, Singapore, Sydney, Dubai and Johannesburg. This gives Terrapinn events a global reach and truly international perspective. And we've been doing this for over 25 years.

Living the brand

Our experience, skill, creative vision and commercial drive have built a large portfolio of successful international events. The kind of events that ensure your world-class brand gets maximum value from a global stage.

Our brain power stimulates yours

And we believe in the inventive power of the right brain. We're a creative organisation and use design, story, play and meaning to make our events stimulating experiences that help shape your big ideas.

SOURCE Terrapinn Middle East