The Careers Podcast

After a good spell in banking, Andrea recognised that she wanted something utterly different. She wanted to work in the travel industry.Hers is a story of tenacity, initiative and a leap of faith. A career switch that just shows you how anything is possible and that age does not need to be a barrier.Dive into the episode for a stack of learning, analysis and perhaps the only time you'll hear a podcast work in both Aristotle and hot dogs !!Big thanks to Footsteps Travel for making this happen.

To use the official words of the organisers behind National Music Careers Week :" We’re excited to announce Music Careers Week, taking place from 13th–18th April 2026!This week is all about opening doors into the music industry whether you're an aspiring artist, producer, manager, or simply passionate about building a career in music. Expect a dynamic lineup of events, insights, and opportunities to connect with industry professionals and like-minded creatives. "All of that is brought to life in this podcast by some amazing and creative people who have made music their career, be it mainstream pop music, film composition, jazz and working with young people.Some great names are in conversation about their careers stories :James MorrisonKatie MeluaNicholas BrittelJohn T Bowman.

Chloe Smith is a vet with Taylor Vet in Brackley, South Northants and she loves her job. How lucky we are then to have Chloe here just before National Careers Week to lay out her careers story in all its wonderful and compelling detail.There's some ultra useful observations and experiences that she talks about with candour and an infectious enthusiasm.If it's initiative and tenacity you're after, then this is the careers chat that has it all and more!Whatever stage you're at in full time education ( or indeed in an unrelated sector ) THIS is the conversation you should listen to if you want to become a vet.

Robin from the Association for Project Management is on to give you his inside view.If you're looking to become a Project Manager, what exactly does it ask of you and how do you get up to speed, be qualified and what's it like co ordinating with people you might not have authority over?This is such a valuable conversation that digs deeper into a sector and role that's still relatively young. Hear the benefits of becoming a member of the Association and how you can supercharge your career.As ever, Silje and John are on hand to remind you of the big points and how they can apply to you.

5 great guests.4 separate and varied clips.2 podcast hosts.1 mission : to let you in on premium advice for how to set out on the path to a fantastic and fulfilling career.Over 2025, we've been super blessed to feature some fascinating roles and hear from the people behind them. To celebrate some of the amazing input, we've hand picked Finn, Mel, Gareth, Jo and Martin.Pick up all you need to know about these careers :OrthoptistAnimal keeper at a zooTrain DriverPLUSHear from the authors of a book about the best way to approach heading off to uni. It's such a useful roadmap to what can be an overwhelming prospect.FREE XMAS GIFT!!Get yourself on the Foundations of Success workshop, run by the brilliant LMI UK team - enter the promo code CareersPod in the checkout, you'll save over £200 and get the workshop for nothing!This is the place to go :Book your free course.

"Here for those that need us the most."That's a great summary of a role that gives so much back.It's come full circle for Aimi, whose eczema was treated by a kind "white coated magician" ( as she describes a pharmacist ) during her childhood.Quickly realising that this was the work she wanted to step into, Aimi's story tells you all you need to know about qualification and skills/attributes needed, plus how amazing the fulfilment and enrichment is doing a job with such purpose.

They're one of the Allied Health Professionals and Orthoptists do so much brilliant work, that we had to hold a mirror up to what a rewarding and amazing career this is.Tuesday 14th October is a really important day - Allied Health Professionals Day . It's a time to  to recognise and raise awareness of the valuable contributions of allied health professionals in healthcare systems worldwide. It provides a platform for AHPs to come together, showcase their diverse roles and expertise, and promote the benefits of interdisciplinary, patient-centered care across various sectors.Finn offers you a fantastic and unprecedented view of her work, with a real sense of fulfilment, humour and candour. This is a really great resource from BIOS ( The British and Irish Orthoptic Society ) on the pathway to a career like Finn's.

Imagine bonding with Gorillas and getting to care for them every day of your working life.Well stop dreaming and do what Gareth Davies did and realise a childhood ambition to be an Animal Keeper. He recently took a trip to Frankfurt Zoo in Germany to get further insight and learning around their mixed-species habitat. Critically endangered western lowland gorillas and endangered cherry-crowned mangabeys live together and it's helped to shape the African Forest habitat project in Bristol.Gareth is a key part of that and his stories about the connection to their animals and the care and nurturing he is vital to is amazing.Have a listen to his careers story ( you'll love the story about the Gelada. It really moved us and will move you too!

A level results just shown up?Well, your timing is excellent - Dr Jo Phillips and Martin Griffin have just written a book that's been described as " Highly recommended reading for Year 13s and a thoughtful, confidence-boosting gift for friends and family members about to start university."Together, they have a collective 45 years' experience teaching sixth formers and undergraduates and have supported students through applications, the writing of personal statements, open days and the leap into university life.With a warm and informal tone, the book is invaluable and Silje and John are here to take a deep dive into the wisdom both behind and within it.It's published by Crown House Publishing and you can find out more here.

Jasmine works for a leading, employee-owned market research company that specialises in conducting consumer and B2B research across the UK and internationally.Her work, pulling out stories from the numbers, is across a number of sectors : education, transport and infrastructure, utilities, medical and healthcare.A graduate in psychology, Jasmine describes herself as " pro active, confident and enthusiastic " and has long carried a desire to excel in the field of research.This is the conversation that tells you how she did it and why she finds this career incredibly rewarding.If you want to be best prepared for a role like it, listen up!

Doing this job, you will impact lives at the point of greatest need.Amy is a Supervising Social Worker and relatively new to this rewarding, challenging and influential career.She tells us how much of a difference you can make to children and young people and specifically what her role involves.Listen out for the tips, anecdotes and some great motivation if you're looking to move into this life changing profession.

Amy Williams is a Speech and Language Therapist and her story is such a rich and varied one that we had to feature it.You'll discover the way she got into this profession and what it means to problem solve, reassure and treat the many and varied clients she sees.It's a story that really lets you get under the skin of this work and helps you understand the requirements ( qualifications, skills and attributes ) that it asks of anyone entering the field.There's a number of big and important lessons here, so have a listen!

Mel is a driver for East Midlands Railway. She's also @thattraindrivermum on Insta where you can get a great behind the scenes look at the day to day detail of her job.So we're really pleased she's come on the podcast to chat over the choices she made, the work she's put in and what it's like to work for EMR.We've also got Chris from the company to cherry pick for you the kinds of vacancies that are going in the current recruitment drive,

As young person, there's so much to consider when choosing a careen and an employer.What kind of company culture could make you feel valued and like you have a future there?Which are the best and most effective ways to approach CPD ( Continuing Professional Development ) and how will that benefit your progress?Silje and John mark National Careers Week with some well chosen words from its founder Nick Newman and run the rule over all of the stuff that makes you want to stay in your job.

Loving language, clear and often creative communication are superb passions to have for this line of work! Kimberley works in Public Relations and she's here to set out how she got taken on by a leading agency that is all about integrity and amplifying its client's voices. The tips and information you'll get here are second to none; Kimberley has great ways to get yourself noticed and the kinds of skills and disciplines needed once in this role.

What kinds of things do you need to think about when you go on a work experience placement in Yr 10 of secondary school? Take a listen to Helen - she knows exactly what you should do. Helen's the careers lead in a UK secondary school and has extensive experience in preparing young people for their future careers. There are some really great pointers, backed up by commentary from Silje Howes of LMI UK - we promise you'll pick up so much clarity when it comes to this exciting time in Year 10.

3 guests for the price of one! Silje and John look over 3 key guests from 2024 and revisit their advice and experiences. You'll hear : Anya from ZX Lidars on improvement mindset and the value of initiative in the workplace. Daniel, a Sony Europe graduate who'd just been on the Making of a Champion program on the value of goal-setting and seeing the bigger picture. And Hero Brown, Founder and Editor in Chief of Muddy Stilletos who talks about finding a "me sized hole" when you want to start your own venture.

Anya is in her first year of working for ZX Lidars. She has an aptitude and passion for maths and her work as a data scientist is incredibly rewarding and innovative. It you want to pick up some really good stuff on self improvement, teamwork, dedication and work culture, get this episode listened to! She's also about to embark on an amazing bike ride across Kenya and the way in which it's supported and encouraged by her employer is brilliant. Nick Howes is on hand to pick out the key lessons from this conversation and distills the reality of your first big job.

Bob Allen has been practising osteopathy for a while now and is hugely qualified to explain what makes for a great osteopath and how one can change lives and even sometimes save a life. As you've come to expect from the Careers Pod, there's exceptionally useful and first hand advice on the mindset needed, qualification pathway and what it feels like on the very first day of a new and challenging career. Once Bob has told you his career story, Silje Howes of LMI UK jumps in with some forensic analysis of the work and life lessons and how you can replicate Bob's success.

Steven Bartlett's been calling it " the greatest skill our generation lacks." How's yours? We're talking about persistence. Absolutely vital in so many walks of life, but particularly education and careers and so this time, you'll hear from both Silje and Nick Howes who'll explain how you can work on yours. Persistence is one of the 6 Ps in the LMI Personal Leadership Programme and it's such an eye opener to hear them both talk about building great habits around it - especially if you find yourself seeing mates go off to Uni and feeling like you missed out. If it's time for a reset, review and new plan, this is the podcast on persistence and careers that you need.

Hero Brown has quite the story. She's a journalist with a fantastic CV covering Red, Elle, The Independent on Sunday, Marie Claire amongst other high profile titles. Hero's also the founder and Editor in Chief of Muddy Stilettos and we're chuffed that she's given over some time to be on the Careers Podcast. Her story and wisdom and personal experiences are distilled over the course of this episode. Hear how she : Got the idea at the outset Pursued that vision Established the brand and its values Grew that brand It's a brilliant success story and for anyone thinking of starting a business, it's an essential listen.

As part of Sony Europe's work with graduates, a group of young people from across Europe went through LMI UK's personal development programme Making of a Champion and some of them are here to tell their story. Silje and John talk to Daniel Solo, Lucia Alvaro and Léa Aymeabout their experiences, what they wanted to get out of it and how it has helped shape their professional and personal lives. There's a whole stack of learning to be had by listening to this roundtable discussion, so get stuck in!

We're really made up that Gregg Brown is on hand to tell us all about his career progression in the world of food. He worked his way through some amazing hotels and organisations as chef and knows what it takes to perform at the highest level. Now he teaches people about food and food sustainability in Oxfordshire and you can hear all about it's possible to follow in his footsteps. Here's what Gregg has to say about his new business CookSchool is my newly launched business. I'm dedicatedto fostering a love for food and culinary creativity across all ages.  Located in the heart of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, my mission is to provide enriching food education through bespoke private events, pop-up experiences, and hands on cooking classes.  I am passionate about reducing food waste, championing the use of surplus ingredients, and promoting climate-conscious menus and recipes.  By empowering our community with sustainable cooking practices, I aim to inspire a healthier, more environmentally responsible approach to food. Follow Gregg on insta : cookschool_gb

The property shows are all over tv and streaming channels - are you giving any thought to working in this busy and fast moving sector? Alex Tan, Regional Sales Director for Andrews Estate Agents is across so many parts of the business and a whirlwind of collaboration, ideas and mentoring. If you want to know what it's like getting into property, then this is the one to listen to. She's also The Property Mum and incredibly active on socials, bringing the latest online tools to agency. We know you're going to enjoy hearing her story; there's tonnes of really useful tips.

Julia Gibbs checks other people's work. It started out when she came to be known as reliable and thorough for checking written work before it left a practice of Architects. This love of words and unrelenting attention to detail when it came to grammar and punctuation made her the perfect candidate to do what she does now. Proofreading. Working in harmony with authors and publishers, Julia is responsible for taking someone's book and ensuring the copy you read is perfection. Here's a blog she wrote about the importance of the work she does.

James Lungley is an audiologist in private practice and began his career in the NHS. He talks about what you can expect to be the differences between the two sectors and what it's like to help someone with a hearing or balance condition. Make no mistake, there are so many opportunities in audiology to bring about life enhancing outcomes. Maybe this is something you've never considered before - have a listen to James tell his side of the story and then Silje Howes from LMI UK picks up on the key points.

She has an innate drive to make sure young people are as well prepared for their chosen careers as they can be. Silje Howes of LMI UK is a great authority on any number of skills, attributes and best practice around us being the best version of ourselves. She's also a fantastic trainer, facilitator and mentor. Self awareness, how we view and use time and moving out of our comfort zone will be some of the themes that we explore in this episode. Enjoy!

Is there anything more important than the decarbonisation of the energy sector? It's National Careers Week and tapping into your passions and beliefs is what it and this podcast is all about. Hannah works for the Royal Meteorological Society and Amelia's role is with Aurora Energy Research. They both make some fascinating and educational points about how you get into this sector and how both those organisations go about recruiting. If you've ever wondered why the weather is the way it is, or how you can play a part in mitigating climate change, these are the roles and this is the podcast for you.

They're a fantastic company in the North East of England. Clive Owen LLP are chartered accountants and business advisers and you can hear huge amounts of their careers wisdom on this episode that ties in with National Careers Week 2024. Joe Vera-Sanso loves to be client focused and really enjoys grant work and finding the narrative of a business through its numbers. Let him tell you his career story and give you advice on how to do what he does.

Incredibly knowledgable and with a great depth of experience, Bernie gives us the benefit of his insight into careers, the circumstances around our motivations and the choices we're faced with. Calling on his book The Ladder, there's top advice at every turn and stuff that not only works for young people, but parents too.

Will Bagley is the Human Resources & Colleague Support Director for Richer Sounds, a High Street retailer with great ethics, vision and transparency amongst staff and customers. LIsten in on Will's career story and some of the key attributes he recognises as being intrinsic to their line of business. Selling great home cinema and audio products means it's easy to be enthusiastic about the company - you can even holiday in one of their homes around the UK and Europe! Then it's over to Nick Howes of LMI UK to pick up on the key points that will make a difference to you in your search for a great career.

It's just been the 2nd ever Green Careers Week and the Careers Podcast really wants to get under the skin of this fantastic event. Nick Newman is on to talk about what it's achieved in schools in the UK and around the world and you'll also start to get a sense of where GCW could go in the future. As ever, Nick Howes is on hand to do further into this growing sector and give you a clear sense of the job opportunities within it.

Nicky Sinker works for Auditel. She'd worked in banking and law, but felt these roles weren't meeting with her sense of purpose. Now Nicky works with other companies and agencies to reduce their carbon emissions and costs at the same time. Hear her talk with passion about the way her organisation brings carbon solutions to the table - this is a master class in procurement and helping to save the planet. It's the perfect scene setter to Green Careers Week.

Beam Development is the company formed by Dan Grimshaw. With a wide range of specialisms, Dan and his team are at the vanguard of great design in house building. Listen to Dan tell his career story, his thoughts and opinions on failure and hard work and what the opportunities are for a role like his. Want to work in this sector? Start with this podcast.

Tom Kivits-Murray works somewhere that's at the vanguard of virtual reality, augmented reality, visualisations and related fields. Managing partner relations for Unity Technologies he's highly experienced in this tech and creativity led sector and is here to walk you through his career path. From drama graduate to architectural fly throughs to VR for a castle that long disappeared from the Northamptonshire landscape, Tom is now involved in leading edge developments like the latest infotainment system for Mercedes Benz. Maybe you'll be surprised at the parallels between dissecting a text or play and what it takes to do Tom's job! Is this the job for you? Have a listen.

Encouraged by his parents to study for a joint honours degree, Richard Howe loved maps and could count geography as one of his strong subjects. Here, he picks over the kind of approach and attitude that really enhances your experience in higher education and guides you through his careers story. Just what is a geographic information system and how can it show real world phenomena that will benefit ecology, organisations and society. If you're choosing this career path, Richard is well worth a listen.

He directed Rowan Atkinson in both Johnny English Strikes Again and Man Vs Bee on Netflix and amongst other accolades has a BAFTA to his name for directing That Mitchell and Webb Look. In a conversation suffused with his love of comedy, David Kerr runs the rule over the work of a director and imparts some standout advice for anyone considering this role. Nick Howes from LMI UK highlights the qualities and attributes that need to be in place and you'll find out just how invaluable the Making of a Champion programme is.

Tom Palmer is a highly respected and acclaimed author of ( primarily ) children's books. To date he's written 57 titles and that includes 6 award winning historical titles and 3 Puffin football series. Listen as Tom lays out the steps he took to achieve his ambition. If you aspire to be a writer, this is the episode for you.

How do you make a career from composing music that's used on tv shows, promo trails for Netflix and radio documentaries? A great start would be to listen to this conversation with Colin McGinness. That's exactly what he does for a living. There's some incredibly valuable pointers about software that give you the best samples and sounds and explanations about the smartest way to hone your craft and improve what you're producing. Nick Howes from LMI UK is on hand to pull out the best of the advice on this podcast and help you tread the same path as Colin.

Where you would you place qualities like communication, confidence and organisation if YOU were compiling a list of desirable or essential soft skills ( also known as power skills ) ? One of the job search engines has published a top 20 soft skills chart of 2023 and it's thanks to careers consulting specialist Janet Colledge that this was brought to our attention. We're happy to say that Janet explains her take on this, through this prism of her vast experience in this sector. Jessica Shailes, who heads up the Ideal Marketing agency is also with us; she talks through the skill that's been valuable to her and how it's often undervalued. There's also Will, a secondary school teacher from Wiltshire and he picks out a different soft skill to pick over. What works for teaching? Will brings his insight. As ever, Nick Howes brings to bear his eloquent and vital analysis.

Dr Ben Miles of Spin Up Science joins us to chat about the vital skills and attitudes needed for a career in science.  As Ben says on their website : Across the UK, there is a high attrition rate of scientists and engineers leaving their field leading to a shortage in the high tech labour force. A publication by the Royal Society estimates that 53% of postgraduate researchers completing a PhD abandon their discipline within one year of graduating; a trend driven by the low availability of academic positions and the reluctance to enter industrial placements through the traditional graduate-scheme pathways. He talks through the ethos of Spin Up Science, the idea of crossing the scientist / entrepreneur divide and what it takes to get from lab discoveries to real world solutions. This is great advice for anyone considering work in science. There's some great pointers and resources at Spin Up's website.

Imogen hasn't yet taken her A Levels, yet already she's been to a prestigious healthtech event at Google HQ in the UK and hosts her own podcast Medisynergy. Guests from hugely varied and fascinating branches of the medical profession are helping not only Imogen, but her listeners find the most effective way into this highly competitive field and along the way discover the right med school. Imogen discusses her motivation, how she is looking to stand out and shares advice on study, networking and methods of setting yourself apart. It's an invaluable listen.

If you're finding that your dreams and ambitions always seem out of reach, chaotic and unstructured then this episode is going to be hugely useful. One of the foundations of LMI UK is a belief in regular goal setting. Vital to the Making of a Champion programme, it recognises that success is not the result of luck or random chance. Success never just “happens” to the fortunate few. Instead, achievers make their own luck. Hear Nick Howes run through the philosophy and practical steps that will get you not only planning but achieving meaningful and realistic goals. High achievement and high performance are well within your grasp.

So many jobs, so many great careers. We've been able to have some really open and fascinating careers conversations with some exceptional people working in a whole host of interesting sectors. Directing in musical theatre, interior design, police, photography and stacks more. Listen through and share in some of the many high spots we've managed to capture through our 2022 examination of careers.

Nichola Haysey is an experienced and highly talented interior designer with an established business of her own. She brings some really useful pointers and wisdom to this careers conversation, as we discuss what it takes to do her job.  There's a look at the kinds of qualifications that are available, what's expected of you when you study for them and how best to approach the brief stage and the challenges of clients whose taste may differ from yours as the designer! A love of learning, the places where inspiration comes from and the good attitudes and attributes to have are all here in the chat with Nichola.

It's the first one ever. Green Careers Week runs 7th - 12th November and is yet another powerhouse of an idea from Nick Newman and the team responsible for the well established National Careers Week. With so many hugely rewarding and innovative careers emerging in the areas of sustainability, renewables and tech that will help to protect out planet, it's a week vital to bringing about further awareness to these sectors. Alex Brown is the STEM Support Programme Manager for STEM Learning ( a great advocate of GCW ) and we're incredibly pleased to have him on the podcast, with a conversation around Green Careers and the importance of STEM in all its forms. LMI UK are fervent supporters and promoters of apprenticeships and mentoring young leaders and their MD Nick Howes co-presents this podcast, bringing his redoubtable expertise and experience to the conversation.

A flavour of what's to come really soon....

Russell Whitehead is a professional wedding photographer  who speaks so fluently and keenly about his artistry. If you need to get a sense of how to approach this discipline with a view to taking it up as a career, this is a great conversation to be across. Hear about the adjustments he made to his approach, the effect being in those new situations had on him and the emotional connection that a photographer gets to experience with their work. Nick Howes from LMI UK examines the key points of Russell's account and joins it up to the Making of a Champion program. 

Have you thought about being part of an organisation that makes you look forward to a Monday, to know that you're making a real and tangible difference to people's lives? We hear from Susan Bradley and James Wright of Sue Ryder  the Products and Campaigns Development Manager and Head of Public Fundraising respectively, who tell a passionate story about their drive and commitment and what it takes to do the jobs they do. Sounds like a fantastic career.

Bryony Berry is a level 4 Cyber Defend and Respond apprentice within Centrica, who have an incredibly pro active approach to finding talent and developing a broad and diverse pool of employees. It's fascinating to hear her talk about keeping ahead of threats from Ransomware and and how you can keep becoming more effective within that type of role. Bryony also talks about the way she introduced her natural strengths into the recruitment process. She'd never imagined that a love of and great aptitude for creative writing would help her to make a move into cyber security. However, her tenacity and ability to explain how this would enhance her communication with colleagues and how her natural curiosity keeps her ahead of the curve meant she got the job. This episode of the Careers Podcast is sponsored by Centrica.