2026 Learning and Development Conferences: How to Choose the Right One for You

February 9–12, 2026

Brandon Hall Group — HCM Excellence Conference (EXCELLENCE 26®)

West Palm Beach, FL

This conference is best known for its emphasis on strategy, measurement, and business impact. Sessions are led by mostly by winners of Brandon Hall Group awards and focus on what high-performing organizations are doing across learning, talent, leadership, and workforce strategy. The audience tends to skew senior, making it a strong choice for learning leaders who want fewer tactical “how-tos” and more insight into operating models, outcomes, and decision-making. TrainingPros attends this event each year alongside clients we’ve partnered with on award-winning initiatives.

February 23–25, 2026

Training Magazine — Training 2026 Conference & Expo

Orlando, FL

Training Magazine’s annual conference offers a broad mix of learning topics, from instructional design and facilitation to leadership development and learning technologies. It’s a good fit for practitioners who want practical sessions they can immediately apply, as well as leaders who appreciate exposure to multiple areas of L&D in one place. Read here about the 2025 event. 

April 19 – 22, 2026

SHRM – SHRM Talent Conference 

Dallas, TX

The SHRM Talent Conference sits at the intersection of learning, talent management, workforce planning, and leadership development. While it is not exclusively an L&D conference, it is highly relevant for learning leaders who partner closely with HR, talent, and organizational development teams. Topics often include skills strategies, internal mobility, leadership pipelines, and how learning supports broader talent initiatives.

This is a strong option if your role spans L&D and talent, or if you’re responsible for aligning learning strategy with workforce priorities.

April 29–30, 2026

Learning Technologies — Learning Technologies Conference & Exhibition

London, UK

This is one of the strongest learning technology conferences globally. The focus is squarely on digital learning ecosystems, including LMS and LXP strategy, AI in learning, analytics, and emerging platforms. While it requires international travel, many U.S.-based teams attend because of its forward-looking perspective and strong vendor landscape.

May 17–20, 2026

Association for Talent Development — ATD International Conference & EXPO (ATD26)

Los Angeles, CA

ATD ICE is one of the largest learning conferences in the world. With hundreds of sessions and a massive expo hall, it offers something for nearly every role in L&D. It’s especially useful when organizations send multiple team members with different focuses: leaders, instructional designers, facilitators, and learning and development consultants can all tailor their experience. Read about the 2025 conference here. 

June 15–18, 2026

LTEN — LTEN Annual Conference

Kissimmee, FL 

The LTEN Annual Conference is a standout for life sciences and healthcare-adjacent L&D teams. Content often centers on regulatory training, sales enablement, compliance, and learning in highly regulated environments. If you support pharma, biotech, or medical device organizations, this conference is directly aligned with your day-to-day realities.

June 16–18, 2026

Training Industry — Training Industry Conference & Expo (TICE)

Raleigh, NC

TICE is often described as a “thinking leader’s” conference. It attracts learning leaders and decision-makers looking for insight into learning strategy, vendor selection, and execution without the noise of a massive expo. It’s a solid middle-ground option for leaders who want strong content and meaningful conversations. Read about the 2025 conference here. 

September 15–17, 2026

Training Magazine — TechLearn Conference

Austin, TX

TechLearn is more digitally focused than Training Magazine’s main event. Sessions emphasize eLearning design, emerging tools, and learning technology trends, making it a good fit for instructional designers, eLearning developers, and learning leaders responsible for digital strategy.

September 30 – October 2, 2026

Training Industry — Training Industry Strategy Summit

To Be Announced

This is a smaller, more intimate event designed for senior learning leaders. The focus is on long-term strategy, leadership challenges, and the future of corporate learning. If your goal is reflection, peer discussion, and strategic alignment rather than tools or tactics, this summit is worth considering.

October 20–22, 2026

HR Technology Conference — HR Technology Conference

Las Vegas, NV

While not exclusively an L&D event, HR Tech is highly relevant for learning leaders who partner closely with HR, talent, and workforce planning teams. It’s particularly useful for tracking skills platforms, talent marketplaces, analytics, and AI tools that influence learning strategy.

November 2–3, 2026

The Learning Guild — Learning Leaders Conference

Las Vegas, NV

This conference is intentionally designed for learning leaders. Over 1000 learning leaders attend each year. The conference focuses on leadership, influence, operating models, and decision-making. This event has multiple session tracks led by other leaders and L&D influencers, keynote speakers, and evening activities. If you want a conference focused on issues in L&D leadership, this conference delivers. Read about the 2025 conference here. 

November 4–6, 2026

The Learning Guild — DevLearn Conference & Expo

Las Vegas, NV

DevLearn is widely considered the premier conference for eLearning developers, learning experience designers, and learning technologists. Sessions dive into tools, workflows, design patterns, and emerging tech. If your role involves building digital learning, this is one of the strongest conferences on the calendar. Read about the 2025 conference here.