National conference on boosting the talent pipeline is coming to Philadelphia

What do regional economic development boosters, socially minded business owners and attentive civic leaders have in common? They all realize a steady stream of talented young adults is key to success — and there’s an event this month they won’t want to miss.

Young, Smart, and Local, the national conference on talent attraction, growth and retention, is making its much-anticipated return to Philadelphia from Nov. 12-14. 

Across the nation, cities have realized talent will drive their ability to grow, but small, mid-size and large metropolitan areas have developed different strategies for building their pipelines. Some focus on college access and completion, while others concentrate on engaging and retaining students studying at local institutions.

With more than 250 leaders expected to attend YSL 2024 — hailing from sectors like economic development, tourism, city government, higher education and business — the three-day convening promises to be dynamic. Expect sessions and talks sharing the latest and best strategies and initiatives to cultivate robust talent pipelines, which can vary widely.

This year’s event is hosted by Campus Philly, in collaboration with Action Greensboro, Campus Tulsa and Greater New Orleans, with additional support from DCI and The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia. 

Attendees can look forward to engaging discussions that will cover a range of vital topics, including:

• How to reimagine the future of work
• Strategies for integrating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices in growing urban areas
• A review of national trends and best practices that shape successful talent attraction efforts
• How to measure the impact of talent initiatives across the country

All of this will allow participants to gain insights into effective strategies for progress and methodologies for evaluating success. 

The Friday evening reception is at the Franklin Institute in Center City, followed by two days of workshops, plenaries and networking sessions at Quorum at the University City Science Center in West Philadelphia.

Also! Campus Philly — one of the founding organizations of the Young, Smart, and Local network and host of the 2024 conference — is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a party at the Comcast Technology Center on the last day of the conference (Thursday, Nov. 14). 

All conference attendees get complimentary admission to the party, which will be an opportunity to reflect on the past two decades and envision the future of talent engagement in the Greater Philadelphia region for decades to come. Support the 20th anniversary celebration with a donation and learn more about participating. 

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to the future of talent in Philadelphia, celebrate Campus Philly’s legacy, and connect with the Young, Smart, and Local community.