Events student selected to sit on industry panel

Bethany Parkinson, who is studying the final year of her events management degree, will take part in an interactive question and answer seminar held at the annual International Confex - the UK's leading conference industry event.

The 23-year-old was the top performing student at the UK Centre for Events Management at Leeds Metropolitan in her second year and industry placement year.

Bethany, who will be the only student representative on the panel of six at the fully booked seminar, commented: "The seminar is about graduates and getting into the events industry following university. We will be considering employability, skills and the future of the industry.

"I'm really looking forward to it, but I've never done anything like this before so I am a little nervous. My tutors at Leeds Met put me forward as a panellist, and it is an honour to have been selected."

Bethany will speak on the panel alongside industry experts including Julie Norburn, a Global Sales Director at Banks Sadler and Duncan Reid, an Exhibition Director for Clarion Events.

Her specialities include events law and strategy and she has gained industry experience working at Lewis Live for the Skill Build awards ceremony, the V Festival and the New Year's Eve firework celebrations in London.

International Confex connects event organisers with venues, destinations and support services, providing a platform for three days of business to business activity.