ELearning Association Local Chapters

By: Justin Ferriman • January 26, 2015
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networkingIf you are involved in the elearning industry then chances are you wouldn’t mind connecting with other professionals who share the same passion. Finding online forums is a great start, but there are benefits in networking opportunities that take place off of the computer.

Perhaps you are new to the industry or maybe you just aren’t sure where to start. In either case, below are some elearning organizations that are likely to have local chapters near you.

Association for Talent Development (ATD) – Formerly the American Society for Training & Development, ATD is one of the world’s largest associations dedicated to the world of training and elearning. They have a variety of membership levels available, each one with different benefits. Before joining, make sure to have a look to see which level you think you would get the most from as you don’t want your money to go to waste. I should also note that joining the parent organization does not enroll you into the local chapters. You will need to pay separate dues to the local group should you decide to join. Find local ATD chapters here.

International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) – ISPI is in many ways similar to ATD, but they take a slightly different approach by focusing on performance development over talent development. It’s a slight nuance of course. Many professionals choose to be part of both ATD and ISPI as they are the leading associations in this space. If you feel like you would benefit from being part of both, then that is always an option. Find local ISPI chapters here.

MeetUp.com – Membership in a formal organization might not be something that interests you. While it’s probably something you should consider from a professional standpoint, you can still find networking opportunities through informal avenues such as MeetUp. Using MeetUp, easily search for elearning industry meetings in your area. There might not be an exact match, but you should be able to find something that is pretty closely related. If you can’t, why not consider starting your own! Building a community around your industry topic is a great way to network with a large variety of professionals. Find out more here.

ELearning Guild – While they don’t necessarily have local chapters, the ELearning Guild puts on some of the best conferences in the industry. They have an entire conference series from general elearing, mobile learning, elearning technology and more. If you would prefer to attend conferences rather than local chapter events, have a look at their conference schedule and get it on your calendar for this year!

Justin Ferriman

Justin started LearnDash, the WordPress LMS trusted by Fortune 500 companies, major universities, training organizations, and entrepreneurs worldwide. He is currently founder & CEO of GapScout. Justin’s Homepage | GapScout | Twitter