Business Meets Emerging Scholars - Changing the Conversation (11th December 2013)

ESIP paid a visit to Plashet School on Wednesday 11^th December for Business Meets Emerging Scholars, a partnership with SHINE. Just think, ESIP the Saturday school on a Wednesday!

Our seventeen Year Tens came together to discuss key business ideas with a cohort of professionals. We had representatives from organisations spanning professional services, finance, aid infrastructure, culture and more including Ernst and Young, Thames Tideway Tunnel, Tudor Capital and Save the Children.

We made our initial introductions over breakfast and then Rachel McGowan, Head of Plashet opened the event and welcomed the delegates. Rachel explained that “through collaboration we hold dear our commitment to develop in our young women ability, belief, character and enterprise with the ultimate aim of addressing inequality in the world they will leave us to explore.” She thanked the delegates for providing the right exposure and practice to help the girls develop the fundamental skills of networking. After all, this is Business Meets Emerging Scholars.

Sinthuja took on the task of explaining ESIP in three minutes before we broke into groups.

The girls and business delegates focused their debate in small group round tables of nine chaired by an ESIP student. Think of David Dimbleby as a 14 year old girl with an audience that answers back.  The groups focused on key issues such as “What makes a good business?”, “What do we need from the organisations we work with?”, “Why would businesses be interested in equality and diversity?” and “What’s the difference between an employee and an entrepreneur?” We produced a lot of good ideas and changed a few perspectives including that businesses aren’t just run by profit making beings.

Scott Young of Thames Tideway Tunnel commented, “Business can learn an awful lot from young people: their ideas, enthusiasm, insightfulness and passion are inspiring. There are things we’ve discussed today that will directly impact how we will shape our education offer in the future.”

Dolapo Awoyinka of Perella Weinberg said, “It’s easy to forget that young people will be our leaders one day. This event has brought me back to the reality of this significance.”

And Andy Brainin of South Hill Capital added, “These girls have a huge amount to offer. I have been very impressed by their attitude and their desire to learn about business.”

Our students may have been apprehensive at first but excelled on the day. One said, “Honestly, I wasn’t too sure if I would enjoy today but I’ve been proved wrong. I feel as if I have so many people acting as silent supports, the people operating the lights behind the scene. I feel honoured. I am beyond happy.”

Munsifa added, “I really enjoyed the day. It was great meeting new people from different businesses and I learnt that being who you are and being committed are some of the greatest things we can do as people for any situation.”

The break offered the opportunity for more informal networking – including some business to business opportunities for delegates and a chance for the students to ask different questions and make those all important connections and networks.

After a second round of question groups and a reprise of the key points by a student representative of each group we headed downstairs for the closing remarks. Malachy thanked the guests for attending and Munsifa gave a brief talk on what ESIP had done for her in particular. Simon closed the event with an ESIP menu of opportunities to get involved and an offer to follow up breakfast with lunch!

The event proved an excellent opportunity for the girls to showcase their abilities and learn new skills from businesses and non-profits including the importance of how to network. The discussions made us all think differently and a number of us have gone away ready to change the conversation and rethink how we do things. We look forward to seeing many of the delegates at ESIP again in the future.

Find out more at the event blog at www.businessmeetses.org.uk