The role of employers and education in addressing the inequalities and deep social divides within Cambridge is the subject of a networking event taking place later this month.
Speakers from Trinity College, Cambridge, as well as Cambridge Regional College and Cambridge 2030, will take part in the online event on Wednesday 19th May organised by Villiers Park Educational Trust, a national social mobility charity based in Foxton.
Cambridge has repeatedly been found to be the UK’s most unequal city – it has one of the top average earnings in the UK, but the lowest-paid fifth of the population take home just 2% of the total income generated. Pockets of extreme poverty sit on the doorstep of extreme wealth, and within walking distance of the world-renowned University of Cambridge. At the same time, the science and technology firms and corporate giants with a presence in the city are missing out on the potential of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. If businesses restrict themselves to recruiting from established talent pools, they are failing to recruit the best people they can.
Companies need to approach talent acquisition differently if they are to access a more diverse workforce by working with the disadvantaged communities in Cambridge and around the country. This networking event organised by Villiers Park will feature expert speakers discussing the valuable work being done to address social inequality through education – and will explore what businesses can do to support this change.
The speakers include: Rae Tooth, CEO of Villiers Park; John Datta, outreach coordinator at Trinity College; Alison Taylor, a committee member for the charity Cambridge 2030; and Claire Dolan, director of adult learning and commercial development at Cambridge Regional College.
Villiers Park's Future Leaders programme, launched in 2020, aims to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in developing self-efficacy and agency in their own futures and equip them with the skills, experiences and motivation they need to become leaders in their chosen field.
‘Building a diverse workforce for Cambridge’ takes place on Wednesday 19th May at 12noon. The Cambridge Independent are media partners for this event. Register for free at https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/DiverseCambridge