A tough economic climate throws all sorts of challenges at people, and attending a two-day conference can seem out of reach. That’s why IOSH decided to help its members by setting up a bursary fund to give them the chance to attend the IOSH 10 conference.
We offered 10 free conference passes to members paying concessionary membership fees and, in recognition of their achievements, 10 passes for those who had recently gained chartered or graduate status.
And even if you weren’t lucky enough to get a free pass, there were plenty of opportunities to get involved in the free exhibition, including the Networks theatre, IOSH theatre and Spotlight theatre sessions, live webcasts from the conference, interactive texting, and online Twitter updates.
Our bursary winners entered into the spirit of the event and helped keep everyone informed of what was going on. Phil Smith used Twitter to give an as-it-happened commentary on his conference experience, including Lord Young’s speech (“very thought-provoking”), Richard Taylor’s session on disasters (“Awesome. Really good research around plant process safety with great findings”), and Tim Roberts’ discussion of his work at Glastonbury Festival (“Nothing short of brilliant”).
Alan Robinson obliged us with an interview for the IOSH channel on YouTube. “I attended the conference two years ago as a visitor and found it really interesting,” he said. “But I’ve never been as an actual delegate before. It’s a huge learning experience for me, and one I’ve been really looking forward to.
“No matter how experienced you are there’s always something you can learn. It’s a good experience and there’s always something you can take back to your workplace.”
Alan also made the most of the networking opportunities at IOSH 10. “The staff on the IOSH stand have been really helpful and supportive,” he said. “In general, we’re all here for the same reason, and it’s good to be in the company of so many professionals.”
To keep up to date on all things IOSH, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/IOSH_tweets You can see all the interviews from IOSH 10, and more, on our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/ioshchannel
