What futurists (or “futurologists”) do is to help people plan and prepare for the future, as opposed to offer predictions about the future. This can involve looking at future trends, notably about new technologies and technology trends, and a lot more besides.
If you’re looking for a conference speaker, a keynote speaker, or a workshop presenter or facilitator on this topic, the examples below represent some of the keynote speeches or workshop presentations I’ve given as a futurist speaker in the past. But each presentation is created specifically to suit your needs. If you don’t see a presentation about the future that would work for your conference, by all means contact me, and we’ll see if we can create one specifically for you.
The Road Ahead: The Future of Alberta’s Counties & Municipal Districts
Much as the wind sweeps across the prairies, so the winds of change are sweeping across Alberta, some ill, and some good. Richard Worzel is today’s leading futurist, and in this presentation he will outline the changes coming to Alberta’s municipal districts and counties, including:
- The rise of agriculture – Why the global economy represents the best thing to happen to agriculture in more than half a century – and an equally important threat. Moreover, while demand will rise, that doesn’t mean that every year will be profitable. So, what’s ahead for agriculture?
- What part natural resources will play in the future of Alberta’s communities and rural areas. The future of oil, in particular, is clearly different than most people expected even three years ago. What’s driving the price of oil, and what can we expect in the long run?
- How demographics are going to dominate provincial politics, and the money that flows into – and out of – provincial coffers.
- What’s likely to happen to rural Alberta as the century-long migration to the cities continues.
- How the emergence of everyday robots, smart computers, and other technological developments are going to affect the lives of ordinary people.
- How demographics are going to dominate provincial politics, and the finances of Alberta’s governments.
Richard will also discuss how rural officials can prepare for the turbulent times ahead, and will provide planning tools that can help create the future that Alberta’s citizens want and need for a more prosperous tomorrow.
Re-inventing Our Towns and Cities
Municipalities are experiencing changes with which they have no experience, and those who respond in the same old ways are going to find themselves shrinking, while those who respond to this sea-change in underlying forces of growth can benefit their cities and constituents.
The internal migration within the country is changing because of fundamental shifts in the demographics of the population, while immigration is becoming both more important, and bringing more difficulties.
- Tourism is rising in importance, but tourists today want different things than they wanted in the past.
- Infrastructure projects that might have been attractive in an earlier day will be money pits tomorrow.
- And technology is changing the way constituents want to deal with all levels of government, the possibilities for government and the services it provides, and how municipalities can attract and retain potential new citizens.
In this upbeat but challenging keynote presentation, futurist and strategic planner Richard Worzel talks about what works, what doesn’t, and how the future is mutating for towns and cities. This is a time of great opportunity – and great peril – for local governments.