Across a jam-packed week of FREE online and in-person sessions, hear from leading voices across business, technology and creativity - including speakers from organisations like Fonda Mexican, L'Oréal, REA Group and more.
From AI and marketing to customer experience, cyber security and career growth, each session is designed to help you build the skills that matter most in today’s rapidly evolving workplace.
Whether you’re looking to level up in your current role, explore new career opportunities, or stay ahead of emerging trends, Future Skills Fest is your chance to learn from industry leaders and connect with a community of professionals shaping the future of work.
Check out the sessions below and join us for a week of ideas, inspiration and future-ready skills.
12:00 – 12:45pm | Monday, 25th May 2026 | Online
Speaker: Tim McDonald, Co-Founder and Non-Executive Director at Fonda Mexican
You’ve had the idea. You’ve thought about it, maybe even told a few people. And then ... nothing. This keynote is for anyone who keeps waiting for the right moment that never quite arrives. Real stories, practical frameworks, and a reason to stop waiting and start building.
8:00 – 10:00am | Tuesday, 26th May 2026 | Hybrid
Speakers from Headspring, Thinking Branded, Code Black Consulting and more.
AI is saving the average worker 9 hours a week. But as we lean on it more, something might be quietly slipping. Is AI freeing us up to think better, or are we slowly outsourcing the thinking altogether? This live debate brings two sides, real arguments, and one winner, decided by the room.
12:00 – 12:45pm | Tuesday, 26th May 2026 | Online
Speaker: Leigh Barnett, Head of Product Design at Symplicit
Your data tells you what customers do. It rarely tells you why. And that gap – between behaviour and motivation, is where more organisations are quietly losing ground. This masterclass is about what is actually looks like when you get it right, without a massive budget or team of analysts.
12:00 – 12:45pm | Wednesday, 27th May 2026 | Online
Speakers from Thinkerbell, L'Oréal, and more.
AI can generate content faster than any team on earth. So why does so much of it feel like nothing? The brands cutting through right now aren’t the loudest – they're the most coherent. This panel gets into what that takes when the pressure to publish never lets up, and how the best teams are managing it.
3:00 – 4:30pm | Thursday, 28th May 2026 | Hybrid
Queen Victoria Women's Centre, Melbourne
Speakers from REA Group, Kindtide and more.
You don’t need to be an AI expert to stay relevant. But you do need a plan. Career changers, hiring leaders and industry specialists get honest about what AI literacy actually looks like day to day, and what separates the people moving forward from the ones standing still.
5:00 – 7:00pm | Thursday, 28th May 2026 | Queen Victoria Women's Centre, Melbourne
Turns out, a room full of people all figuring out their next move makes for pretty good conversation. Come along, meet some of them. Drinks, nibbles, and we’ll actually give you a reason to talk to strangers.
12:00 – 12:45pm | Friday, 29th May 2026 | Online
Speaker: Riccardo Galbiati, Regional Chief Security Officer JAPAC at Palo Alto Networks
Most people know breaches are bad. Far fewer know how they actually happen. This masterclass walks you through a real attack scenario from the inside. How it starts with something small, how it spreads fast, and at what point most organisations realise they were already too late.
Be part of the conversation and keep in touch with us to find out about study options, campus life and upcoming events on our social media channels.
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.
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RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.
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