When the opportunity to go to Core4 2024 came up, I immediately jumped at the chance. What can I say? I’m a training and development geek, and this was one of the few ATD conferences I’d never managed to attend in the past. How could I say “no”?

As I packed my bags and headed off to Phoenix, Arizona, though, I had to admit that I wasn’t 100 percent sure what the experience would be like. Industry friends had shared positive buzz about the overall conference and this year’s sessions looked intriguing. But, I didn’t have a strong sense of what I’d walk away from the event knowing.

Just a few days later, though, the picture was much clearer. Here are my five key takeaways from this year’s Core4.

The Biggest Benefit of Small Events Is Connection

I’ve been to training and development conferences of all different sizes. And you just can’t beat how easy it is at smaller events like Core4 to get to know the other attendees.

You’re bumping into the same people over and over at keynotes, sessions, networking events, and even in line for snacks. That makes it easy to make quick connections in the moment. And you know you have things in common to chat about, because chances are you’ve been to many of the same activities and sessions. In my case, I was delighted to add a bunch of new people to my LinkedIn network over the course of the event.

Working on Your Core Skills Is Important No Matter How Long You’ve Been in the Field

Succeeding in training and development is kind of like keeping physically fit. It’s great to add new skills and activities to your routine. But you also need to make sure you’re maintaining your core strength and basic form or else you’re just going to get hurt.

In my case, I’ve been in training roles for more than 15 years and teaching for even longer. That means some of what I learned early in my career might be a bit dusty—or even out of date. So, it’s important for me to make a habit of refreshing my memory and shaking off ideas that haven’t stood the test of time. On top of that, this field is broad, so there’s always something new to learn. And, of course, everyone’s take on a subject is different—which means there’s loads to gain from hearing someone else talk about topics I already love. Core4’s focus on the key pillars of our field meant it was the perfect place to work on my skills. In sessions, I pondered what kind of storyteller I was, did a deep dive into needs analysis strategies, and even pondered how to use universal design for learning to create a training course about becoming Batman’s sidekick. As a result, I walked away feeling my TD skills had a welcome refresh.

There’s So Much We Can Learn From Each Other’s Stories

One of the most unique parts of this event was that all the keynotes came from the TD field. You can get valuable inspiration from a great celebrity speech. But when you’re looking for practical solutions, it’s hard to beat a speaker who's lived through the same challenges you’re facing.

Core4’s keynotes gave me new ways to think about my career and challenged me to consider the impact our field has on others. It was some pretty meaty stuff. And what made it especially useful was that the speakers trusted the audience enough to be vulnerable with us. They were open about what’s hard in this field and shared stories about when things didn’t go as planned in their own work. And that honesty led to powerful takeaways for everyone.

Training and Development Professionals Are Great at Coming Through in a Pinch

One of the reasons I appreciate the people in this field so much is because they’re always up for helping each other out. And that spirit came through when one of Core4’s session speakers, Mark Sheppard, had to cancel at the last minute because of unavoidable travel challenges.

He and I quickly chatted about an alternate plan: a panel on his session topic. But with just a few days to get everything together, we needed lots of help. As Mark and I worked on discussion questions, ATD’s Bridget Dunn helped us identify speakers for the panel. All three people we reached out to said “yes” delightfully quickly. And the final panel discussion with Megan Torrance, Myra Roldan, and Matt Gjertsen was chock full of practical and tested ideas for innovating in our field. This was the kind of pivot that only succeeds when you work in a field where everyone has each other’s backs.

I Am Not Responsible Enough to Have a Staff Discount at the ATD Bookstore

Did you know ATD staff get a discount at the bookstore? I didn’t until the first day of the conference. The selection of useful industry books was outstanding—and very tempting for a book nerd like me. In my case, logic around limited shelf space at home won out, and I limited myself to just one purchase: Cara North’s Learning Experience Design Essentials. But, I thoroughly empathized with everyone else at the event who wasn’t so restrained. There were so many excellent TD books to choose from.

Overall, I took a lot of valuable ideas and connections away from the conference. And if all this has you intrigued about attending Core4 in the future, be sure to check out our Virtual Core4 taking place December 3–5, 2024.