Applications for SYP Scotland’s annual conference are now open!

Posted on September 27, 2022 in Scotland

Are you looking to gain publishing experience? Grow your network? Work as a team to
create and organise an event? The SYP Scotland’s conference committee applications are
now open! Regardless of whether you are currently working in publishing or are looking to
get into the industry, we are looking for a range of backgrounds to join our team this year!
Our hybrid conference last year, ‘Foreword Thinking: Publishing for the Future’, was built
around the theme of looking forward following the COVID-19 pandemic. Our panels looked
at the current publishing landscape in Scotland, trendspotting, literary scouting and more!
We also had a careers advice workshop with the award-winning Suzanne Collier from
bookcareers. The conference offers an opportunity for attendees to learn more about the
publishing industry and the chance to network. Committee members gain experience of
organising a conference and everything that goes into it.

Last year, I was part of the speaker team and researched and contacted relevant speakers
and chairs for a few panels. This gave me the opportunity to reach out to professionals and those currently working in the industry. Watching my panels go ahead and engaging with the discussions, knowing I had been key to bringing this together was hugely rewarding. More broadly, the conference committee meant that I was working in a team at various points in their publishing careers and from a variety of publishing roles and industry departments. Therefore, not only did I learn a lot from the conference itself and the experience of organising an event, but from interacting with the wider team and the SYP Scotland more generally as well.

Other roles which are available on the conference committee are exhibition, social media,
sponsorship and website. More information can be found on our application form.
Whilst volunteering as part of the committee is a commitment, working with the SYP has
been hugely valuable when applying for publishing roles and allowed me to meet some
fantastic people. In terms of personal development, no experience has been solely as
beneficial as being part of the conference committee and working with SYP Scotland.
The applications are now open and will close on 2nd October 2022 at 11:59pm and can be
made here. Good luck and we look forward to receiving your application!

Hayley Cadel, Conference Lead