The Future of Business: Haskayne’s 48th Business Day Conference

In collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Advanced Leadership, the Haskayne Commerce Undergraduate Society (a student-led club) hosted the 48^th Annual Business Day Conference. Over one hundred students (including a strong delegation of students from the University of British Columbia – Okanagan) attended the conference to hear keynotes and breakout sessions related to the conference theme:  the future of business.   Mary Moran, CEO of Calgary Economic Development, gave the opening keynote followed by breakout sessions.  (CCAL) supported the conference by integrating a “Lunch with Leaders” right into the day’s program such that one or more professionals enjoyed a conversation over lunch with a small group of six or seven students.   The focus of the conversation began with the kind of leadership required to harness the future of business as a force for good.

Melissa Wetmore, a student from the University of British Columbia – Okanagan had the opportunity to discuss leadership with Jenny Krahn, Director at CCAL and several other students. “It was such an honour to have such intellectual conversations with Jenny, Kristy, and Samantha at our table. I gained a lot of valuable knowledge that I will take with me,” reflects Wetmore.

Jeffery Covey, from DIRTT Environmental Solutions engaged with students during the lunch hour and spent a great deal of time asking students about their thoughts around the future of business. With his background in education administration, he emphasized that although business community members are in a great position to mentor students and pass on their knowledge; young people are the future of business. The discussion centred on the knowledge and skills that millennials bring to the table, as they have a completely different mindset than most current business leaders. This unique perspective adds to the development of business, as millennials are also future clients, and future partners. As such, current students have insights into the psyche of future clients, and that is their competitive advantage.

“This discussion really opened my eyes about the value I have to offer future employers. I graduate this year, and my conversation with Jeffery made me realize that my advantage in the workplace is my knowledge and experience of life, and my ability to articulate it in a way that it can be used to benefit a business,” shared Somya Varma, a fifth year accounting student at Haskayne School of Business.

Business Day gives undergraduate business students the opportunity to step outside of the classroom and learn in a unique way. The keynote addresses, breakout sessions and networking portion of the day are all such effective ways for future leaders to take charge of their education and career path. This long-standing student-organized annual event has become an effective development opportunity for generations of Haskayne students.