Last night at the Glasshouse in Cambridge, in partnership with Indie Cambridge, we brought together students and professionals for an evening of honest conversation, learning and networking.
The discussion panel, hosted by Kath Austin, featured business professionals Paul Prime (Trinity Harper Cleaning Limited), Sara Carenini (Burwash Larder), Seb Antoniou (Storyboard Artist & Illustrator), and Charlie Kiggins (Permit Room/Dishoom), alongside brilliant sixth-form students Yashaswini Reddy Kareti, Juvi Carandang, Krisha Patel and Safa Darr.
Together, they explored career access, barriers like employer “ghosting”, and the myth of a disengaged Gen Z. What we saw instead from our student panel was motivation, self-awareness and a desire for meaningful opportunity.
Key themes included motivation beyond grades, the need for honest mentorship, the power of human connection and normalising uncertainty.
The panel discussion featured too many standout quotes to fit into this post (clearly you should have come to the event), so here are just a few of our favourites:
“You can teach skills, but you can’t teach an attitude. Turn up with the right attitude and that’ll give you an edge.” — Paul Prime
“Be open to the fact that you’re always networking.” — Seb Antoniou
“Right now, as a student doing all my A Levels, my success is pretty much measured by my grades, my attendance, and stuff like that. But what really excites and motivates me to get out there and find a job is the idea that I can measure my success in different ways, like how I’ve improved a certain skill, or even how many clients I get to know. I want to go into dental hygiene, but at the same time, I feel like there's more I want to explore. Can I go try this new thing? Can I learn a new skill? Can I push myself in different ways, rather than just being defined by my grades at school right now? That’s what’s really motivating me to get out there.”
"With our education, we're also sort of given a set path. We're not exposed to a lot of careers at this age. That's what Form the Future CIC does really amazingly — you introduced us to a range of specialities and careers, which we often don't get exposed to. And I think that is something that's really missing from our education at the moment.”
Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and insights, especially our sixth-form guests. Your honesty made this event very special.
A final thank you goes to Innovate Cambridge, Chanelle Mwale and team for your support and to Trinity Harper Cleaning Limited for sponsoring the delicious food.
Let’s keep creating spaces where young people are heard, supported and empowered.