What began as a side event has quickly become one of the most important annual gatherings for K 12 AV professionals in Australia. The AETM K 12 Conference has seen extraordinary growth over the past few years, and that momentum shows no sign of slowing as the conference returns to ICC Sydney on Wednesday, 2 September 2026, commencing at 8:30am.

In fact, the event’s popularity has grown so rapidly that last year, organisers were forced to move into a larger room at ICC Sydney, a direct result of attendance doubling in recent years. It’s a clear signal that K 12 AV has matured into a highly specialised discipline, and that those working in it are increasingly eager to share knowledge, experience and hard won lessons from the field.

Building momentum in K 12 AV

The AETM K 12 Conference was created to address a long standing gap in the industry: A dedicated forum where school based AV and EdTech professionals could speak candidly about real world challenges, technology trends and industry best practices.

“The best thing about the AETM K 12 Conference is being in the same room as others who’ve experienced the same issues, or are working on similar projects,” AETM committee member (K-12) Mark Holbert says.

The growth of the conference reflects the growing sophistication of technology in schools. Teachers and students alike are now far more comfortable with technology following the significant changes of the early 2020s, allowing AV teams to move beyond “keeping things running” and toward designing systems that actively support pedagogy, inclusion and scale.

This maturing audience has driven demand not just for more seats, but for deeper, more practical content – something the conference has leaned into year after year.

A look back: Highlights from last year

The 2025 AETM K 12 Conference, held in partnership with Integrate Expo, marked a turning point. With a packed room and strong engagement throughout the morning, the program focused heavily on case studies from real schools, a format that has become a hallmark of the event.

Highlights included presentations on:

• Campus wide bells, paging and evacuation systems, offering practical insight into integrating AV as a critical service at scale 
• Studio based production for online and hybrid learning, reflecting how schools are increasingly operating like content creators
• AV project planning from an internal technician’s perspective, giving attendees an honest look at what works (and what doesn’t) when delivering major infrastructure projects

The conference also tackled broader industry concerns, such as attracting young people into AV careers and positioning education environments as a crucial training ground for the next generation of AV professionals.

Beyond the formal sessions, many attendees cited the networking value as the biggest takeaway.

“To be able to talk shop, bounce ideas off one another and figure out solutions to common problems – it’s quite inspiring,” an anonymous 2025 K-12 Conference attendee said.

Why the conference has grown so quickly

The success of the AETM K 12 Conference lies in its relevance. Unlike larger expos, this is a highly targeted event designed specifically for those who manage, design and support AV systems in schools every day.

As the 2025 event highlighted, K 12 AV teams are now dealing with environments that resemble small enterprise campuses: lecture capture, networked audio, video production, accessibility technology and increasingly standardised room designs. The conference provides a rare opportunity to explore these topics through a K 12 lens, rather than adapting higher education or corporate models after the fact.

What to expect in 2026

The 2026 AETM K 12 Conference builds on this strong foundation. Taking place on Wednesday 2 September at ICC Sydney, the event will once again deliver a half day, high impact program designed to inform, challenge and connect K 12 AV professionals.

Attendees can expect:

• Member led presentations from schools actively delivering complex AV projects
• Industry perspectives focused on solving real problems in education environments
• Continued emphasis on practical outcomes
• Time and space for meaningful networking before heading onto the Integrate Expo floor 

With registrations expected to be strong, organisers recommend early planning to avoid missing out.

A conference that reflects its community

The rise of the AETM K 12 Conference mirrors the evolution of K 12 AV itself – from reactive support to strategic enabler of learning. As schools continue to invest in technology rich environments, the need for informed, connected AV professionals has never been greater.

For those working at the intersection of education and AV, the 2026 AETM K 12 Conference is no longer a “nice to attend” – it’s fast becoming essential.