Gaining support 

Many travel and training budgets have been reduced which means that, regardless of the merits of a conference, you’ll need to justify the expense. Use the samples below to help you approach your supervisor for support to attend the conference.

Letter to supervisor: Sample 1

Letter to supervisor: Sample 2

Tips on justifying conference expenses

Here are some things to consider.

• Focus on what you’ll specifically bring to your workplace as return for the investment. 

• Offer to deliver a short presentation to your co-workers to share what you learnt. That way others in your unit will also benefit from your attendance. 

• If you’re working to obtain or maintain your certification, remind your supervisor that this is a great way to earn contact hours and it's less expensive than registering for separate conferences and requires less time away from work than attending different events. 

• Be ready with a plan that shows who could cover your shifts while you’re attending the conference.

• Check the various rates listed below to see if you qualify for any of the lower rates or discounts.