Damian Hinds: "I'm grateful to businesses for the insight they share as we look for increased job opportunities'

​After 16 years in Parliament, I can still say that only a minority of my working life has been in politics, government or the public sector. 

In my case, the bigger part (19 years) was in the private sector, mostly in the hospitality and travel sectors, with some time also in professional services and tech.   

After early stints gardening, collecting glasses and washing up, my first ‘job in a suit’ was with IBM UK, a company with deep roots in Hampshire. After university I worked at Mercer Consulting and then joined a client, Holiday Inn, first as part of Bass PLC and then Intercontinental Hotels Group.  Later I worked for Greene King, the beer and pubs company.

But that was all a long time ago.  I do think it important that politicians understand contemporary business, because it is business that creates jobs, and ultimately the economic activity which affords all the things that government and the public sector does. 

This is where for MPs like me the Industry and Parliament Trust (IPT) comes in, to bridge the time gap.  For those who did not work in commerce before Parliament, it can be a key introduction.  

The IPT was formed in 1977 as an independent, non-partisan, non-lobbying charity to link business and Parliament. Since then, more than 600 parliamentarians have done the IPT fellowship, and this year I join their number. 

The fellowship involves spending a day a month, over the course of one year, with a series of companies.  You can specialise with a sector or sectors, and I have chosen to split my days between the hospitality and travel trade – a key employment sector which I know but which has changed a lot – and Artificial Intelligence, an area that is set to affect virtually every aspect of employment, the economy and society.   

Thus far, the programme has given me a great insight into the industry realities of today, to understand the business opportunities and impediments that are so important to our economic development, and for the career prospects of young East Hampshire residents starting out in the world of work. 

You often hear people bemoan how politicians don’t understand business.  Even for those of us with a substantial time in the private sector, experience does fade with the years.  I am most grateful to the IPT, and the companies that have hosted me, for refreshing that knowledge, better to represent constituents and push for a business-conducive policy agenda.