THE issue of skills in the Humber is increasingly hitting the headlines, particularly in light of the region's vision to be the energy capital of the UK.
Yesterday, Professor Brian Cox said he felt more science graduates were needed, not just in the Humber, but in the UK as a whole.
He said: "If you look at the figures, you'll see science is a very important industry.
"It constitutes about 43 or 44 per cent of the country's economy, or rather Gross Value Added, so we need graduates in these industries, as well as in the arts."
The professor, who initially rose to fame as a band member of D:ream at the same time as obtaining a first-class honours degree in physics from the University of Manchester, said he would like to see more investment in educating people.
Speaking outside the Spa Bridlington, he said: "I don't think it is easy for young people to go to university. We don't do badly but we are not up there with the best.
"We are ultimately seeing a declining rate of investment."
Mr Cox, who is now famous for being beamed into living rooms throughout the country as a leading television presenter, said his biggest achievement was obtaining his PhD and inspiring people about the exciting world of science.
"Personally, I think getting a PhD is a big thing and always say that to my students. I am also pleased to have helped make science popular."
Mr Cox had travelled to East Yorkshire to speak to businesspeople at the convention.
Joining him at the event was intrepid adventurer Rosie Swale-Pope, the grandmother who ran around the world to raise awareness of getting checked out after her husband died of prostate cancer.
Chased at times by feral dogs, packs of wolves, murderers on the loose and knife-wielding naked men, to name but a few, Rosie urged business people in the region to "take that extra step".
"I am just a normal person," she said.
"If I can run around the world, you can do anything."
Sir Terry Leahy, the man who transformed Tesco from a joked-about supermarket chain to Britain's largest and fastest growing retailer also took to the stage.
He told guests, if they were going to have a goal, it "may as well be an audacious one".
Explaining how Hull and East Yorkshire businesses could transform their fortunes, Sir Terry said: "If you are going to change your situation, you are never going to do it in small steps.
"You have to take risks, both personal and for the future."
Describing when he returned to his home city of Liverpool to be part of Liverpool Vision – an organisation he described as "a bit similar to a Local Enterprise Partnership", he said: "Morale in the city was very low. It had been low for a long time, so much so that when the experts said if you are going to build a shopping centre it should be no more than 180sq feet.
"Liverpool Vision instead set themselves an audacious goal to build one ten times larger than the architects had suggested and the result was 2,000,000sq ft of retail space.
"It moved Liverpool from 17th in the retail league table to fourth in one year and attracted more than £4b investment to the city.
"It really made a difference. The population started moving back but, more importantly, it made a difference to the Liverpool psyche."
Sir Terry also urged delegates to listen to their customers and their staff for business success, he said: "Finding the truth for an individual is very difficult, but for a large organisation the difficulty is multiplied.
"Human nature gets in the way. Nobody likes to be the bearer of bad news and nobody likes to tell management they have got something wrong.
"So, the truth is doctored, and good news is amplified, so by the time it gets to the CEO, it is an absolute fairytale."
David Miliband, the former MP, who was at the heart of New Labour from the early 1990s right through the administration's 13 years in power, also addressed guests, as did Lord Heseltine, Alan Johnson MP and Paralympics gold-medallist David "Weirwolf of London" Weir.
Speaking about what motivated and drove him to success, Mr Weir said: "I have been racing from the age of eight.
"My brothers were professional boxers and I'm not sure if you've noticed, but you don't see many wheelchair boxers.
"So I had to pick a sport for me and I was lucky I was pretty talented and found wheelchair racing was the one for me."
Alan Johnson MP spoke about how proud he was of the YIBC and what businesses are doing in Hull and East Yorkshire.
He said: "Politicians right across all parties are right behind this area, as we see the future as the as being the Humber.
"We have to escape the problems of the past and get with it. I think this is epitomised by the Humber Bridge, which is now key to the prosperity of this area."
Admitting there were challenges on the horizon, he referred to Tuesday's announcement of the Energy Bill, adding: "I would like to raise one point about this.
"There have been concerns about Siemens, and Siemens isn't a done deal.
"So first of all, the energy bill and the amendments on that: Yes it failed but only by a few votes. The real issue isn't whether it will be amended but when.
"The message to Siemens therefore is not that we are turning our back on renewable industry, which would be a disaster for this area, given the economics here.
"I don't think the debate was a deal-breaker."
Gary Young, director of consumer services at KC – this year's lead sponsor of the YIBC – took to the stage to thank delegates for supporting this year's YIBC.
"Today alone we have been inspired but we have businesses that have plenty to be proud of all year around. I would like to thank everyone for their support throughout the week."
