Professionals across East Anglia will join in the iconic debating chamber of the Cambridge Union on June 26th to hear educationalists, esteemed business leaders, and young advocates for apprenticeships debate the motion ‘this house believes that graduates can’t compete’. Chaired by Jeremy Sallis, former BBC broadcaster for over 20 years and mentor at Cambridge University Judge Business School, with speakers including Olympic gold medallist, Anna Watkins, and entrepreneur and Lord, Lord Karan Bilimoria, the co-founder of Cobra Beer. The event is set to ignite a spirited discussion between both sides and offer attendees a chance to network in one of Cambridge’s most acclaimed buildings.
The Great Debate will be the fifth of its kind organised by Director, business owner and thought-leader in the skills, education and accountancy sphere, Gareth John, to bring together business professionals to debate topics relevant to the regional business ecosystem. The event will see experienced entrepreneurs, professors, young adults and business leaders debating on each side of the merits and challenges of ‘graduates’ versus ‘apprentices’. The evening hopes to be a light-hearted but competitive contest delving into the pros and cons of going to university verses doing an apprenticeship for individuals and businesses in today’s competitive job market.
Chaired by former BBC radio presenter Jeremy Sallis, the full lineup of debaters include:
Lord Karan Bilimoria: Co-founder of Cobra Beer, champion of entrepreneurship, diversity and global cooperation
Anna Watkins: Olympic gold medallist and motivational speaker, best known for her victory alongside Katherine Grainger in the women’s double sculls at the London 2012 Olympic Games
Professor Ross Renton: The inaugural Principal of ARU Peterborough, a multi-award-winning new university for Peterborough
Grace Hardy: A passionate advocate for apprenticeships and entrepreneurship
Christina Dumitriu Jackson: A Peptide Laboratory Scientist and apprentice at AstraZeneca
Chris Doran: Founder of Geomerics, a firm creating the technology that is used in 100s of games across the world
The highly anticipated event will begin with a drink reception at 17:00, followed by the main debate starting at 18:15. After two hours of persuasive views on both proposing and opposing sides, as well as contributions from the audience, attendees can then cast their vote for or against the motion.
This event promises to be a lively and insightful evening attended by many professionals across East Anglia, leaving attendees with valuable insight into expert’s experiences in starting up and scaling up businesses.
To secure a place at the event, please complete the registration form available here: https://www.firstintuition.co.uk/fihub/great-debate-at-the-cambridge-union/
For any questions, please email [email protected].
