Acting as a collaborative hub, the event addresses uniquely African challenges - such as bridging the rural-urban skills gap and aligning academic curricula with rapid industrial digitisation - while integrating global trends like AI-driven instructional design and digital literacy. Following a successful 2025 edition in Nairobi, Kenya, the 2026 conference is scheduled to take place in Johannesburg, South Africa, from October 21st to 23rd, under the theme
On Tuesday, 21 April 2026, professionals from Gauteng and beyond gathered for a networking breakfast in anticipation of this conference to discuss the core theme: “The Future of Work: Building Skills for 2030.” Beyond providing an immersive networking opportunity, the event served as a bite-sized appetizer for the main conference in October. The morning was graced by experts from diverse professional backgrounds, all arriving with a shared mindset to tackle the evolving landscape of African industry.
The program was hosted by Andrew Woghiren, founder of Sustainable Insights. Notable highlights included a keynote on the "Future of Skills in Africa" by the founder of the LND Africa Institute, Margaret Jackson, who touched on many imminent pressing issues such as human sustainability in an era where technology is rapidly expanding, and how continuous learning is crucial to working collaboratively with technology.
This eye-opening address was followed by an insightful panel discussion featuring seven industry experts: Erwin Middleton, Lee Roebeck, Professor Roy Ramphal, David Morobe, Phylla Jele, Kabelo Chabalala, and Deanne Chatterton, who took on various questions from the presenter and the audience on our readiness to embrace Artificial Intelligence, how the future of learning from grassroots to University needs to adapt to changing global environments, and the future scope of employment for skilled artisans.
The day concluded with an open networking session, where delegates connected over canapés, coffee, and meaningful conversation.
Registration link for the LnD Africa Conference: https://lndafrica.org/lnd-africa-2026/
