Entrepreneur who gave up crime to an award-winning travel agency - hear from experts at business, travel and tourism expo

From an entrepreneur who clawed his way back from a life ruled by gangs, crime and drugs to the head of overseas development at an award-winning clubbing holiday travel agency– students can discover how to fly high in business, travel and tourism at this year’s Future You expo.

Businessman, motivational speaker and author Errol Lawson and Jodie Pilgrim from Party Hard Travel, whose partnerships include Love Island and top DJs, are among the speakers lined up for the Institute of Travel and Tourism (ITT) and Chartered Management Institute (CMI) event at UCB’s McIntyre House on Tuesday 5 March.

Five speakers will take to the stage between 10am-12.15pm for the conference element of the expo, which will sit alongside an exhibition across the ground floor of McIntyre House where students interested in business, travel and tourism can speak to representatives from 20 companies and organisations.

Welcomed by John Crabtree OBE, Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands and chair of the Commonwealth Games set to hit Birmingham in 2022, the other speakers gearing up to share their insight are Saqib Bhatti, president of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, entrepreneur Danny Waine from the ITT and Lee Ainsworth, trading and product manager for Advantage Travel.

The conference will wrap up with a Q&A session with the ITT’s Paul Cowley.

Companies and organisations with a stand at the exhibition, which runs until 3pm, include Swissport aviation services, which is about to acquire the entire cargo handling contract at Heathrow, one of Europe’s busiest cargo hubs.

Exhibitors also include halal tourism agency Sociable Travel, John Lewis and the RAF.

Michelle Callanan, Assistant Dean for UCB’s Business School and one of the organisers of the event, said: “The event is a fantastic opportunity for students to discover how to get ahead within a competitive environment and the extensive range of careers they could consider once they finish a course with us. These range from working on high profile events such as the Commonwealth Games, at airports, or within tourism, finance, retail, sports, hospitality and the public sector. In addition, we encourage our students to think outside the box by considering the possibility of setting up their own business, given our graduate success in this area.

“Our speakers and exhibitors will be able to provide students with extensive insight and highlight opportunities for work experience and placements too. We are delighted with the industry support for our annual event, especially from the IIT and the CMI.”

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Conference itinerary (Room MH227, McIntyre House, Holland Street)

10am – 10.25am: John Crabtree OBE, Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands, Chair of the 2022 Common Wealth Games (welcome and introduction)

10.30am – 11am: Saqib Bhatti, President of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce

11am-11.15am: Danny Waine – Entrepreneur / Institute of Travel and Tourism

11.15am - 11.35am: Jodie Pilgrim - Party Hard Travel

11.35am - 11.50am: Errol Lawson – Entrepreneur and motivational speaker

11.50am - 12.15pm: Lee Ainsworth, Advantage Travel

Q&A session - Paul Cowley - Institute of Travel and Tourism

Exhibitors (ground floor of McIntyre House, Holland Street) – 10am-3pm

1. Seed staff Events
2. Swissport Aviation
3. Tesco Retail
4. Big Green Coach Transport
5. Party Hard Travel Travel and Tourism
6. Accounts Payable Association Limited Finance
7. Mandarin Consultant Consultancy
8. Sociable Earth Halal tourism Agency
9. Smile Education Agency
10. Finest Journeys Destination management
11. Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) Society
12. Hampton Manor Business / hospitality
13. Marriott Hotels Hotel
14. Genting UK Leisure
15. Royal Air Force Public services
16. SF Recruitment Group Recruitment
17. John Lewis Retail
18. ITT Travel and tourism
19. Urban Recruitment Recruitment
20. Toddler Tennis Sports