This blog post was originally published on the AIHce EXP 2021 website on Dec. 8, 2020.

AIHce EXP 2021 will provide first-rate on-site and virtual education sessions and professional development courses (PDCs), an on-site and online expo hall, and the opportunity to earn contact hours for maintaining attendees’ certifications. Attendees may also take advantage of the events that will take place in person at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas. However, it’s important to note that the in-person conference’s safe, physically-distanced character means the venue must limit session and event rooms' attendance. If conference participants arrive to find an event is already at capacity, they must be prepared to participate virtually instead. The good news is that online access to all sessions is included with your full on-site registration.

The center of AIHce EXP is its educational sessions. It’s imperative to continue learning long into your professional life in a field like IH/OEHS that adapts to new technology and evolving workplace conditions. The variety of educational events at AIHce EXP gives you chances to keep up with developments in your professional area of expertise and learn about IH/OEHS topics outside your primary focus. While it’s necessary to maintain your job skill set, consider attending sessions on topics you know less about, which may provide context for issues you deal with daily or expose you to new solutions.

The 2021 educational sessions will occur May 24-26, making up most of the conference’s scheduled events. Each session is an hour-long presentation by experts on topics directly related to IH/OEHS issues. Session attendance also provides contact hours toward maintaining your certification. Attendees can achieve 18 contact hours or three CIH certification maintenance points throughout the entire three-day period, making attending AIHce EXP an easy way to prepare for recertification. Attendees must provide proof of participation to receive credit.

If you miss a session, AIHce EXP OnDemand, a service that provides recordings of most AIHce EXP sessions, will become available in the weeks following the conference. OnDemand sessions come included with full registration and offer additional credits to maintain your credential.

PDCs, which occur in the days before and after the conference, afford even more learning opportunities. Most PDCs also teach IH/OEHS topics, but a few provide instruction on soft skills, such as conflict management, which may help you be a more effective IH/OEHS professional.

Aside from education, AIHce EXP 2021 will also offer chances to network with other IH/OEHS professionals. Meeting your peers may help you find job or research opportunities, increase your visibility in the profession, build confidence, and be a form of career development. Networking is a process of gathering information about how IH/OEHS works as a profession, such as what employers look for or what skills are essential in which focus area. At AIHce EXP 2021, networking opportunities can be as simple as a physically-distanced lunch break with a new acquaintance or a scheduled non-education event or committee meeting.

Registration rates for the full conference are $899 for members and $1,099 for nonmembers who register by March 21, 2021, or $999 and $1,199 for those who register on or after March 22, 2021. Numerous discounts are available, including for students, early-career professionals, and attendees who book housing in the official AIHce EXP housing block.