Ahead of tonight’s Apprentice we caught up with contestant Ella Jade Bitton, former Kings College London Business Club (KCLBC) President and NACUE alumna. The BSc Business Management graduate will be gracing our screens tonight as she takes on 19 other candidates to prove she has what it takes to be Lord Sugar’s Apprentice. We spoke to her about her time as an enterprise society president and her relationship with NACUE.

Ella Jade, 23, has been involved in enterprise from a young age having acquired an interior design concession in Harrods for her family’s business. Ella Jade’s Ella Jade Interiors is her main focus as she has hopes to make the brand a household name. She says: “Our main showrooms are London based. The aim is to expand internationally.”

During Ella Jade’s time as KCLBC President she took on many tasks, organising networking events and even arranged a trip to Silicon Valley. KCLBC members went out to visit companies like Google and Microsoft, and got to establish relationships with tech professionals. Ella Jade also helped to raise sponsorship whilst running the society.

She explains: “Sponsorship was very high at £20,000 which went towards the National Student Apprentice and funding students.”

She sees enterprise societies are great for setting students apart. It inspired her to push on with her business, she continues: “[Enterprise societies] give you that something extra. It’s very hands-on experience, teaches you valuable skills [such as] learning to work in a team, negotiating and all those skills you need in creating business.”

Ella Jade’s relationship with NACUE has gone as far back as when she was our London Regional Chair. Her role involved creating collaborations between universities and was heavily event-led. She names our Leaders Summit as her favourite NACUE event, she continues: “It joins all presidents together...It’s a great community [that has strength in it] and is a great platform.”

Looking at the current startup scene for young people Ella Jade feels that although there has recently been support from government there needs to be more down from at a grassroots level. She believes: “...more needs to be done from the ground up. Students need to showcase what they need in terms of support.”

“In our enterprise society we would create events and structure. Students needs to have their own say in it.”

Catch Ella Jade and the rest of Lord Sugar’s Apprentices this evening on BBC 1 at 9pm.

We’ll definitely be tuning in!