What does stepping outside your comfort zone have to do with building a successful career? Everything.

In this episode of Workplus, host Richard Kirk sits down with Paula Leathem, Head of Human Resources at NIE Networks, whose remarkable journey from clerical apprentice to senior leader proves that the opportunities that challenge us most are often the ones that shape our futures. From working in a newsagent at 13 to leading HR for Northern Ireland's electricity network, Paula's story shows how curiosity, respect, and seizing opportunities can unlock unexpected career paths—even if you don't have it all figured out at 16.

Whether you're a parent, teacher, young person exploring careers, or an HR professional, this episode is packed with honest insights about apprenticeships, career progression, and the future of work in the energy sector.

In This Episode:

• Why practical subjects and team sports matter more than you think
• The value of early work experience—from newsagents to care homes
• How Paula went from customer service to leading HR (without an HR degree)
• What NIE Networks offers beyond STEM: finance, IT, procurement, and more
• The future of green skills and achieving net zero
• Why AI won't replace people—but will change how we work
• The surprising role of cyber security in electricity networks
• Paula's advice to her 16-year-old self: embrace the uncomfortable
• What makes work meaningful (hint: it's about people)

YouTube Chapters:

00:00 - Opening quote: Don't be afraid to take opportunities

00:28 - Welcome to Workplus

01:09 - Meet Paula Leathem

01:20 - School days: favourite subjects and team sports

2:46 - Early work experience in newsagents and care homes

04:10 - Making the leap after school

05:14 - Starting as an apprentice at NIE Networks

06:22 - The challenge and reward of customer service

07:09 - From customer service to HR leadership 1

0:33 - Apprenticeship and graduate programmes at NIE Networks

12:03 - Opportunities beyond STEM subjects

12:56 - Green skills and the future of energy work

14:19 - Cyber security in the electricity network

15:34 - Advice to her 16-year-old self

16:27 - What's so good about work?

17:15 - Closing thoughts

Thanks for watching Workplus, the podcast that shines a light on the people doing good work across Northern Ireland.

Find more stories, resources, and tools to help guide the next generation at workplus.app

Know someone exploring their career options? Share this with a parent, teacher, or future leader.

Subscribe so you never miss a story.

#CareerDevelopment #Apprenticeships #NorthernIrelandCareers #WorkplusPodcast #HRLeadership #GreenSkills #NIENetworks #YouthEmployment

🎧 Thanks for listening to Workplus, the podcast that brings real jobs into the light.

🔗 Find more stories, tools, and guides to help young people and returners explore meaningful careers at workplus.app

📩 Know someone who would find this helpful? Share it with a parent, teacher, or future changemaker.

🎙Follow so you never miss a story.

Produced by APodcastGeek https://apodcastgeek.com/

What if the skills that define your career didn't come from a classroom, but from behind a shop counter?
In this episode of Workplus, host Richard Kirk sits down with Dr Caoimhe Archibald, Economy Minister for Northern Ireland. Dr Archibald shares how early work experience shaped her leadership journey — from part-time jobs that built confidence and people skills, to her current passion for apprenticeships as a pathway to real opportunity. This is a conversation about earning while learning, breaking down barriers to employment, and why the skills that matter most are often learned on the job. If you've ever wondered how great careers are really built, this episode is for you.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Early work experience builds confidence, judgment and essential people skills
• Part-time jobs teach skills that can't be learned in a classroom alone
• Apprenticeships allow Career explorers to earn and learn simultaneously
• Employers benefit from growing talent shaped for the real world
• Work-based learning builds practical confidence alongside technical skills

ABOUT THE GUEST

Dr Caoimhe Archibald MLA serves as Economy Minister for Northern Ireland, championing apprenticeships and skills development across the region. Her own career journey began with part-time work that taught her invaluable lessons about confidence, people skills, and professional judgment — experiences that continue to inform her leadership today.

🎧 Thanks for listening to Workplus, the podcast that brings real jobs into the light.

🔗 Find more stories, tools, and guides to help young people and returners explore meaningful careers at workplus.app

📩 Know someone who would find this helpful? Share it with a parent, teacher, or future changemaker.

🎙Follow so you never miss a story.

Produced by APodcastGeek https://apodcastgeek.com/

What if a boxing club could help change a young person’s life forever?

In this episode of Workplus, host Richard Kirk sits down with Nathan Lowry, Life Skills Coach at Monkstown Boxing Club. Nathan shares how the club has evolved from a traditional boxing gym into a powerful community hub, supporting hundreds of young people across Northern Ireland every year. From helping with CVs to building confidence and breaking intergenerational cycles, Nathan’s story is one of deep purpose and practical hope. If you’ve ever wondered what great youth work really looks like, this episode is for you.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Monkstown Boxing Club supports over 500 young people a year
• The club offers boxing, education, mentoring, and community programmes
• Nathan’s role focuses on employability and well-being for ages 16–24
• Confidence is a major barrier for young people entering work
• Employers often miss chances to engage future talent through work experience
• Nathan overcame low confidence through mentors and volunteering
• He now mentors others through Workplus and other programmes
• Youth work is about consistency, trust, and showing up
• Long-term funding is critical for real impact in youth services
• Seeing a young person grow is more powerful than any paycheque

BEST MOMENTS

00:00:04. “It gets me up out of bed every morning.”
00:01:14. “Everyone thinks it's just boxing. Our slogan is 'not just a boxing club.’”
00:02:43. “We interact with around 500 young people annually.”
00:04:02. “It started off in the local community centre as a boxing club.”
00:06:13. “The employer doesn’t want to hear from mummy. They want to hear from the young person.”
00:12:01. “There are probably two youth workers I could tell you, if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here.”
00:17:19. “They’re the ones who wrote the application and nailed the interview.”
00:27:29. “For me that was priceless, seeing kids come right out and be a better version of themselves.”
00:33:14. “We never expect young people to return as volunteers, but they always come back.”
00:36:22. “If you do something you love, you never work a day in your life.”

🎧 Thanks for listening to Workplus, the podcast that brings real jobs into the light.

🔗 Find more stories, tools, and guides to help young people and returners explore meaningful careers at workplus.app

📩 Know someone who would find this helpful? Share it with a parent, teacher, or future changemaker.

🎙Follow so you never miss a story.

Produced by APodcastGeek https://apodcastgeek.com/

What if your career path wasn’t a straight line, but a series of pivots that built something even better? In this episode of Workplus, we sit down with Amy Martin, Business Development Manager at Scaffold Digital, to explore her journey from marketing to tech. Amy shares how she found her place in the software industry, what skills really matter, and why tech is far more than just coding. This episode is packed with insights for anyone curious about the human side of software and how real-world problems get solved through bespoke solutions.

Whether you're a parent guiding your child, a teacher looking for inspiring stories, or someone considering a change, this conversation will help you see the tech sector, and your own potential, in a new light.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• You don’t need to start in tech to succeed in it
• Resilience and creativity are key to business development
• Most companies are looking for tailored software, not off-the-shelf tools
• Real career growth often comes from blending diverse experiences
• Building relationships is as important as building products
• The software industry offers roles far beyond engineering
• Discovery sessions help translate business pain points into tech solutions
• AI is already speeding up processes and supporting teams
• Tech has a big impact on regulated, high-compliance industries
• Every business has unique needs, bespoke software reflects that

BEST MOMENTS:

00:01:23. “I work for a company called Scaffold Digital. Scaffold are a software company headquartered here in Northern Ireland.”
00:02:35. “Anything that we do build, the client owns outright. They own the IP.”
00:03:21. “It really does just go back to the basics. Understanding what a company does, are they trying to grow?”
00:04:10. “I think that I’ve almost kind of married everything up through my experience.”
00:05:23. “You kind of just develop these kind of resilience skills along the way.”
00:06:25. “I actually thought I wanted to be a special needs teacher.”
00:09:29. “It was on you to get up in the morning and get to your class.”
00:13:52. “We take a client through discovery and strategy, then develop a tactical roadmap.”
00:20:10. “There’s just so much opportunity within the industry. And I think more than anywhere you can pivot once you’re in it.”
00:24:19. “For me it’s just about helping people. That’s probably a big part of my role.”

🎧 Thanks for listening to Workplus, the podcast that brings real jobs into the light.

🔗 Find more stories, tools, and guides to help young people and returners explore meaningful careers at workplus.app

📩 Know someone who would find this helpful? Share it with a parent, teacher, or future changemaker.

🎙Follow so you never miss a story.

Produced by APodcastGeek https://apodcastgeek.com/

Discover Career Paths Without Leaving Northern Ireland

In this episode of Workplus, host Richard Kirk speaks with Steven Norris, Deputy Director at Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council. Steven shares how his council is bridging the gap between schools and businesses, tackling Northern Ireland’s skills challenges, and helping young people see the rich career opportunities that exist right on their doorstep.

• Schools struggle to showcase the full range of modern career paths
• Work experience helps young people discover local opportunities
• Council’s role in reconnecting schools and businesses after the pandemic
• Volume of job vacancies versus low unemployment in NI
• Widespread lack of awareness about local sectors like engineering and logistics
• Challenges around economic inactivity and intergenerational worklessness
• Council strategies to reach people far from the labour market
• Real-world training that starts with confidence-building, not just qualifications
• Upskilling as a way to unlock entry-level opportunities
• Why purpose and fulfilment at work matter more than ever

BEST MOMENTS

00:01:36. “It came from our engagement with businesses on the ground.”
00:02:44. “All of that had kind of died away as one of the results of the pandemic.”
00:03:10. “We saw an opportunity to get involved in that gap between those two sides.”
00:04:09. “We’ve been so fortunate to have our partnership with Workplus.”
00:05:59. “All of that’s completely untrue, but there’s such an awareness gap of opportunities.”
00:09:17. “How do we lift them? How do we give them confidence?”
00:12:15. “We work with companies really, really closely to understand where the gaps are.”
00:21:04. “If you can bring one person into a job and then a better job, you’re affecting an entire household.”
00:32:07. “It gives people that structure. It gives them something to build a life around.”

🎧 Thanks for listening to Workplus, the podcast that brings real jobs into the light.

🔗 Find more stories, tools, and guides to help young people and returners explore meaningful careers at workplus.app

📩 Know someone who would find this helpful? Share it with a parent, teacher, or future changemaker.

🎙Follow so you never miss a story.

Produced by APodcastGeek https://apodcastgeek.com/

In this episode of Workplus, Richard Kirk speaks with Esther, a software engineering manager whose journey from Nigeria to Northern Ireland tells a story of grit, growth, and guidance. From working in customer service to leading engineering teams, Esther shares how an access course changed her path, why mentoring matters, and how apprenticeships are transforming opportunities in tech. Whether you're a parent, teacher, or someone rethinking your own career, Esther's story is full of insight and inspiration.

Key Takeaways
• Starting over in a new country builds resilience and confidence
• Customer service roles can be a powerful training ground for soft skills
• Access courses open the door to higher education for non-traditional students
• Software engineering is as much about teamwork as technical skills
• Apprenticeships offer practical, supported entry into tech careers
• Being results-driven helps sustain motivation through challenges
• Passion and purpose go hand in hand in tech careers
• Leadership requires listening, patience, and clarity
• Mentoring is essential for apprentice success
• Companies benefit from keeping both graduate and apprenticeship pathways open

Best Moments
00:00:03. “Apprenticeship is a good way to give young people the opportunity to learn on the job as well as study.”
00:01:32. “I moved to Northern Ireland because I got married, and my husband worked here.”
00:02:15. “The first job I had was as a census collector... it helped me get comfortable with people.”
00:03:45. “I once had more... because that wasn’t what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”
00:06:12. “It would be great... to have many women and girls going into so-called men-dominated jobs or degrees.”
00:08:04. “I just love the idea of sitting down and writing code and seeing it do something.”
00:10:21. “Even after today, whenever I see that feature... I say to myself, yes, this is my idea.”
00:12:40. “Having a happy team means you’re going to get work done.”
00:15:30. “Software engineering is not just about you sitting there on your laptop every single day.”
00:32:40. “It’s all about the positive aspects you get out of it in the end. It outweighs whatever negatives there are.”

🎧 Thanks for listening to Workplus, the podcast that brings real jobs into the light.

🔗 Find more stories, tools, and guides to help young people and returners explore meaningful careers at workplus.app

📩 Know someone who would find this helpful? Share it with a parent, teacher, or future changemaker.

🎙Follow so you never miss a story.

Produced by APodcastGeek https://apodcastgeek.com/

Green Economy Explained: Jobs, Skills, Impact

In this episode of Workplus, host Richard Kirk sits down with Gordon Parkes, Executive Director of People & Culture at NIE Networks, to unpack the rise of green skills, emerging job opportunities, and the changing perceptions of apprenticeships. From heat pumps to smart meters, Gordon shares practical insight into how Northern Ireland can lead the way in sustainability-focused careers. With 58,000 new jobs projected and a skills revolution underway, this is a must-listen for parents, teachers, and anyone navigating the future of work.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Green skills include any activity that directly or indirectly supports net zero by 2050
• “Dark green” jobs include EV charger installers and wind turbine technicians
• “Light green” jobs include planners, HR officers, and procurement roles
• Northern Ireland expects 58,000 green jobs in the next decade
• Heat pump installation is creating hybrid electrician-plumber roles
• Apprenticeships are a core talent strategy at NIE Networks
• Leadership roles in climate and sustainability are rapidly growing
• 40% of NIE Networks' senior leaders began as apprentices
• Collaboration with colleges is key for new roles like data analytics
• Green careers can support local economies and reduce fossil fuel imports

BEST MOMENTS
00:01:03. “58,000 extra jobs are forecast over the next few years.”
00:02:10. “An electric vehicle charger installer... that would be totally dark green.”
00:03:55. “Multi-skilled technicians will be needed in areas where previously there were specialists.”
00:05:18. “That’s the story we need to be selling here in Northern Ireland.”
00:07:22. “It's a fantastic service that we provide to society.”
00:08:29. “We have the latest count of 67 different job roles within our business.”
00:10:10. “The NIE apprenticeship program is now over 50 years old.”
00:13:01. “96% of those apprentices stay with us.”
00:16:01. “Smart meters will allow customers to regulate when they use electricity.”
00:20:13. “It’s all about the people and ensuring we look after them well.”

🎧 Thanks for listening to Workplus, the podcast that brings real jobs into the light.

🔗 Find more stories, tools, and guides to help young people and returners explore meaningful careers at workplus.app

📩 Know someone who would find this helpful? Share it with a parent, teacher, or future changemaker.

🎙Follow so you never miss a story.

Produced by APodcastGeek https://apodcastgeek.com/

Leadership Gap, AI Skills and Purpose at Work with Susan Hayman

In this episode of Workplus, we sit down with Susan Hayman, Engagement and Employer Solutions Manager at CIPD in Northern Ireland. With deep roots in fashion retail and a passion for building better workplaces, Susan shares her journey from Boston to Belfast and opens up about the urgent issues facing today’s employers. From the looming leadership gap to practical uses of AI, Susan brings a fresh, honest voice to the conversation around purpose, flexibility and rethinking what meaningful work looks like.

• Gen Z values impact over authority and autonomy over hierarchy
• Many millennials feel burned out by traditional leadership roles
• The leadership gap is widening across industries and regions
• Culture must start with a clear “why” that everyone can connect with
• Apprenticeships are underused but powerful talent pathways
• Retail taught Susan fast wins, clear values and purpose through experience
• AI skills are the new baseline, not optional add-ons
• Parents and carers have a powerful support role in career journeys
• Flexibility doesn’t always mean hybrid, it means options
• Education and workplace design must evolve together

BEST MOMENTS

00:02:27. “If you ever want to chat about selvage or twill weave and warp threads, I am your person.”

00:04:42. “If more organizations had a clear outline of their why and their purpose, they would see greater levels of excitement with their employees.”

00:08:00. “The purpose of my role is to improve the working worlds so that my kids have a better experience entering the job market than I did.”

00:11:22. “You don't have to work in HR to be a people professional.”

00:17:21. “If people actually want to walk down them, then we'll be focusing more on mentorship programs or reframing leadership beyond managing people.”

00:21:15. “AI… it's inescapable at this point. The implementation of it is massive.”

00:27:08. “I think the right point to start training people is when we're thinking about entering the workplace. So maybe in 14, 15, 16 plus.”

00:45:02. “You can be what you see.”

🎧 Thanks for listening to Workplus, the podcast that brings real jobs into the light.

🔗 Find more stories, tools, and guides to help young people and returners explore meaningful careers at workplus.app

📩 Know someone who would find this helpful? Share it with a parent, teacher, or future changemaker.

🎙Follow so you never miss a story.

Produced by APodcastGeek https://apodcastgeek.com/