INSIGHTFUL | PROVOCATIVE | INTERACTIVE
Departing the traditional keynote and presentation model, the Summit is intended to be a dynamic and generative experience, comprised of interactive sessions that will include engaging conversations and diverse perspectives, and foster new insights and connections. The summit will feature a headliner or feature panel to set the state and spark interactive dialogue via thought-provoking roundtable formats. Attendees will jointly generate new understanding and ideas via well-facilitated conversations that provoke learning, sharing, and connectivity and define actionable steps to advance post-summit opportunities for innovation.
THE NEW AND FUTURE WORKFORCE
The full-day summit will be a time for connection, interaction, and collaboration with peers from across the agri-food workforce ecosystem. The event is centered around break-out sessions that will build deeper connections and develop plans for inter-organizational collaboration focused on three pre-identified themes. The themes are considered systemic in scope – they impact the future success of Illinois’ entire agri-food system and are shared across a broad consortium of organizations and stakeholder groups.
Participants will be invited to collectively understand issues related to the chosen themes and share insights, priorities, and ideas for building cross-sector solutions. Attendees will break into small roundtable groups for facilitated discussion using guided question prompts.
ROUNDTABLE PROCESS
For 60 minutes, each group will explore the following questions broken across three segments: 1. case for change, 2. vision for change, and 3. action for change. The remaining 30 minutes will be spent for group share outs across all roundtables.
EVENT FRAMING
1. Illinois has a rich history in contributing to global food and agriculture innovation
2. Illinois is one of the only states that represents every aspect of the agri-food value chain – vibrant scene and heavy players from farm to fork
3. Illinois/Chicago should be the center for innovation that draws a world-class workforce in agri-food
4. It’s important to connect groups that otherwise wouldn’t engage with each other to holistically and comprehensively examine and develop statewide cross-sector collaborative strategy
OVERALL OBJECTIVES
1. Promote & Recognize: Acknowledge the profound impact of changing workforce dynamics and how these forces will impact Illinois’ agri-food system.
2. Inform & Strategize: Bring together statewide leadership within a neutral environment to inform and develop ideas and strategies that are cross-sector and collaborative.
EVENT GOALS
1. Connection: Create space for dialogue and relationship building between folks who don’t interact on a regular basis.
2. Education: Provide new information, lessons learned, or best practices to attendees on relevant, systemic issues.
3. Recognition: Recognize successes and innovative efforts already underway.
4. Ideation: Discuss and develop new ideas or answer key questions that will inform future efforts.
5. Production: Co-create collaborative strategies with attendees to advance cross-sector action.