Got Mad Skills: The series of economic and social upheavals that have accompanied a global pandemic have accelerated the technology innovations that were already reshaping the labor market. Therefore, The Conference Board has launched a new conference called Future Skills, intended to help leaders identify “what skills will be critical in the future” and implement “upskilling and reskilling strategies to prepare their workforce for what’s ahead.” Future Skills Conference will take place virtually on 13 December. Some of the topics they plan to cover include: The case for upskilling, reskilling and lifelong learning; A skills-based approach to talent development; Tools and strategies for predicting future high-demand skills; The role of self-directed learning in the future of work; Using digital credentialing to support your future skills program; and Critical skills for future leaders.

Hong Kong RISEs to the Occasion: RISE, the annual tech conference organized by the team behind Web Summit, will return to Hong Kong as an in-person event next year. The conference, which has grown to become one of Asia’s largest tech gatherings, will take place at AsiaWorld-Expo from 14-17 March 2022 and will remain there for at least 5 years.  Last year, Web Summit said RISE would move to Kuala Lumpur, but the decision to stay in Hong Kong was said to be due in part to the city’s success in battling the coronavirus pandemic.

Submission Opportunity: Before the pandemic, DeveloperWeek San Francisco gathered more than 8,000 developers, engineers, software architects, dev teams, managers and executives to learn about the latest technologies, languages, platforms, and tools. In 2022, they hope to recreate some of that excitement in a hybrid event from 2 – 4 February both in Oakland, CA and online. They are currently accepting speaker proposals that fit within one of several tracks, including API & Microservices; AI & ML; JavaScript Conference; Containers/Kubernetes; DevExec World; Dev Lead; DevOps; IOT & Hardware; Product World; Blockchain Development; NewDev (Python/Data & Databases); CloudWorld. Submit speakers and topics here by 24 September to be considered in their selection first round.

Lunchtime Learning: Based on the Wall Street Journal’s news section that highlights “what’s next for business, technology, entertainment and beyond,” the Future of Everything Festival takes place in NYC each spring. During 2020 it featured a speaker series and in 2021 moved the entire festival online. Despite the changes, the WSJ has still managed to tell fascinating stories through its incredible speaker lineup. Hear from KIND Snacks Founder Daniel Lubetzky on Socially Conscious Leadership; Kohl’s CEO Michelle Gass on Rethinking Strategy in a Crisis; Danny Meyer on The Future of Restaurants; and Grammy-nominated writer and producer Oak Felder on the Secret to Writing a Smash-Hit Song. (WSJ subscription required to view)

Coming Up Next Week: Salesforce’s annual community and partner event, Dreamforce 2021 runs virtually 21-23 September. Though typically held as a behemoth gathering at Moscone, this year anyone can register for free to attend the online event. TechCrunch Disrupt (21-23 September; Online) focuses on two main areas: founders and investors shaping the future of disruptive technology, and ideas and startup experts providing insights to entrepreneurs. Kicking off 20 September, London Tech Week is a collective of mostly-virtual events with a combined goal of building a better, more inclusive digital world. A few of London Tech Week’s anchor events include AccelerateHER, 5G World, Future of Work Summit, and the AI Summit. At Brandweek Summit (20-24 September; Online), featured speakers will include CEOs, CMOs, and CDOs from brands like Target, Ben & Jerry’s, Kimberly-Clark, and Popeye’s. And finally, eTail East gets underway 21 September as a virtual summit and expo for eCommerce & omnichannel innovators to learn the latest on topics like customer data & insights, acquisition & retention trends, and experiences for the post-pandemic consumer.