SAGEA 2026 DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE
About the ConferenceSAGEA is delighted to announce our 2026 Development Conference, taking place in-person (with a digital option) on Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 November, at the Fairways Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort.
Our overarching theme for 2026 is Enhancing and Sustaining Graduate Development in a Changing World of Work. The world of work is changing faster than most graduate development programmes can evolve - AI is reshaping what graduates need to know, and expectations are shifting on both sides of the employment relationship. This year’s SAGEA Development Conference brings employers, solution providers, career services and foundation colleagues together to explore what it takes to enhance graduate development for a changing world and sustain it well beyond the programme itself.
Agenda
| Time | Length | Topic | Speaker |
| 10h00 | 60 | Arrival and Registrations | |
| 11h00 | 15 | Welcome and Housekeeping | Shalin Ledwaba, Bowmans and SAGEA Board |
| 11h15 | 50 | Keynote #1 - SAGEA Development Benchmarking Insights 2026 | Tim Wise, High Fliers |
| 12h05 | 25 | Facilitated discussion on Survey Feedback and the future of Graduate Development | |
| 12h30 | 75 | Networking Lunch: Balata Restaurant | |
| 14:00 | 60 | Case Study and Panel Session: Minding the Gap to the Future Fit Graduate | Aarti Singh-Chinnasamy and Lerato Mokolo, PwC |
| 15h00 | 30 | Tea and Comfort Break | |
| 15h30 | 60 | Breakaway One: Staying Curious: Building the Resilience to Keep Learning. |
Celeste Stewart, Bold Curiosity |
| 15h30 | 60 | Breakaway Two: Career Services Benchmarking Survey Feedback and Discussion | Dr Kate Daubney, Kate Daubney Careers & Employability |
| 16h30 | 10 |
Reflection Exercise |
|
| 16h40 | 20 | SAGEA Awards - Employer of Choice, Best Career Fair, Best Career Service, Graduate Recruiter of the Year, Best Recruitment Process | |
| 17h00 | Conference Close | ||
| 17h15 | 90 | Sundowners and Canapes on the Vista Deck | |
| 19h00 | Hotel guests to dinner |
| Time | Length | Topic | Speaker |
| 08h00 | 60 | Networking Breakfast | |
| 09h00 | 60 | Keynote #2 - The Graduate Paradox | Vanessa Raath, The Talent Hunter |
| 10h00 | 10 | Question and Answer | |
| 10h10 | 30 | Comfort Break (includes tea/coffee) | |
| 10h40 | 50 | AI Panel Discussion: How do we create a Learning Environment for our Graduates that Encompasses AI? | Vanessa Raath, The Talent Hunter; Dr Juliette Fourie, Elea and Joanna Preston, FNB |
| 11h30 | 15 | Comfort Break | |
| 11h45 | 50 | Panel Discussion: Designing Graduates Who Can Thrive in Complexity: Are We Preparing Graduates for Jobs or for Complexity? | Lynthon Jacobs, Stellenbosch University, Yudhvir Seetharam, FNB, Mabu Manaileng, Standard Bank and Claire Hector, The Shoprite Group |
| 12h35 | 25 | SAGEA Awards - Employer of Choice by Sector | |
| 13h00 | 55 | Lunch | |
| 14h00 | 50 | From Activities to Ecosystems: Rethinking Career Services Through Systems Thinking | Rinet Bosman, Francine Mashabela and Pumla Mmakola, Emeris |
| 14h50 | 30 | Comfort Break (includes tea/coffee) | |
| 15h20 | 50 | Building Tomorrow’s Workforce: Where Workforce Planning Meets Emerging Talent | Alistair Kennedy, Standard Bank and Karen Harmse, Joint Prosperity |
| 16h10 | 20 |
Question and Answer |
|
| 16h30 | 10 | Reflection Exercise | |
| 16h30 | Conference close |
In-person attendance,
with accommodation (see venue details below)
In-person attendance,
without accommodation
Virtual attendance
via livestreaming
Our in-person venue is the The Fairway Hotel Spa & Golf Resort, situated on the Randpark golf course in the lush northwest suburbs of Johannesburg.
If you are involved in any aspect of the graduate recruitment and development lifecycle, the SAGEA 2026 Development Conference is for you. This is a space to learn, connect, and leave with ideas and strategies you can apply immediately.
Roles that will benefit include:
- Graduate Recruitment Consultant
- Graduate Programme Manager
- Early Careers Consultant
- Career Centre Coordinator or Manager
- Talent Acquisition Specialist or Manager
- Talent Officer
- HR Manager, HR Consultant or HR Business Partner
- Learning and Development Specialist or Facilitator
- Talent Development Manager
- Human Capital Manager or Human Capital Partner
Important Dates
|
Monday 6 July 2026 |
Conference bookings open |
|
Monday 31 August 2026 |
Early bird offers expire |
|
Wednesday 30 September 2026 |
Payment deadline for Early bird bookings |
|
Friday 16 October 2026 |
Conference bookings close |
|
Tuesday 10 November 2026 |
Conference, Day One: 11h00-17h00 |
|
Wednesday 11 November 2026 |
Conference, Day Two: 09h00-17h00 |
High-quality, relevant content and speakers
Valuable networking opportunities, enabling meaningful connections, collaboration and practical outcomes
Strong overall satisfaction, with many delegates describing it as one of the best SAGEA events to date
Excellent overall organisation and logistics, including venue, accommodation and time management
Delegates appreciated the strong South African focus, combined with selective global insights
215
Total Attendees43
Corporate Employers19
Higher Education Institutions16
Solution ProvidersWe invite SAGEA members to consider sponsoring elements of the 2026 Development Conference. Sponsorship offers your organisation a unique opportunity to establish itself as a thought leader and source of best practice, promote your products and services to a targeted audience of talent and career professionals, and build relationships that extend well beyond the conference itself.
Sponsorship packages are available at a range of investment levels — options are flexible, and we welcome a conversation about what works best for you.
For further information, please contact camilla.pennington@sagea.org.za
Conference Costs
Conference Package
Cost
With Member's Discount
Early Bird: Days One and Two, in person
R12 300.00
R10 300.00
Early Bird: Livestream Attendance Days One and Two
R6 600.00
R5 500.00
Full Cost: Days One and Two, in person
R14 000.00
R11 500.00
Full Cost: Livestream Attendance Days One and Two
R7 500.00
R6 300.00
Accommodation per night, Bed and Breakfast (Luxury room)
R2 174.76
Accommodation, per night, bed and breakfast (Premier room)
R1 730.36
Accommodation, per night, bed and breakfast (Leisure Room)
R1 952.56
Accommodation, per night, bed and breakfast (Villa option)(sharing)
R1 852.57
Dinner, per person
R550.00
Please take note of the following:
-
Accommodation costs are not included in conference packages and must be added separately at the time of booking. All pricing is exclusive of VAT.
Ready to join us?
In-person tickets are sold out! Join our Virtual Conference