In-Person Professional Programs for Future-Ready Planners

As generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), virtual platforms, and remote training reshape practice, planners need clarity on what only in-person, embodied learning can deliver. This presentation makes the case - with evidence and field-tested examples - that face-to-face experiences accelerate skills that matter: civic empathy, ethical judgment, cultural humility, and confident facilitation under pressure. Panelists draw from executive education, global exchanges, and equity-driven field training to unpack models that blend site visits, peer coaching, and reflective dialogue with smart use of AI tools. Learn when to choose in-person over online, how to design cost-efficient immersions, and how to integrate AI into preparation, assessment, and post-session reinforcement without losing the human core. Panelists discuss access, budget, and travel limitations and offer strategies to widen participation and reduce burdens through scholarships, local partnerships, and hybrid scaffolding.

Content aligns with NPC26's "Upskilling for the Future" and "Emerging and Evolving Technology" tracks by translating big ideas into repeatable formats that agencies and firms can adopt now. Leave with a one-page planning checklist, sample agendas, templates that teams can reuse, and metrics for demonstrating impact to leadership and boards - practical tools for building future-ready teams while keeping planning grounded in people and place.
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