On this episode, hosts Joe and Carrie welcome Louise Collins, Scotland's Apprentice of the Year. Louise picked up the award at the Scottish Apprenticeship Awards back in March. She was recognised for her incredible work as a trainee engineer at GE Aerospace in Ayrshire. Louise is also an ambassador for the company's efforts to attract more young women into engineering and wider STEM careers. Louise also talks about the skills she's picked up and developed along the way, including getting used to a male dominated environment, dealing with knock backs and finding a plan B in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Topics discussed:

1. Dealing with challenges as a school leaver
2. Going to college
3. Getting work experience
4. Finding her apprenticeship

Links mentioned in this episode:

• https://instagram.com/mywowscotland
• https://tiktok.com/@mywowscotland

This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

This week, Joe and Carrie chat to Brittney Gill, an Animal Keeper at Edinburgh Zoo. Brittney talks about her early learning experiences in Australia, including meeting a snake and falling in love with animals thereafter.

Brittney's career wasn't totally linear (a career very rarely is!) as she also trained as an apprentice hairdresser in between gaining qualifications and experience working with animals.

Listen to the full chat as we hear about the skills you need to succeed in this kind of job role.

For more great Career Stories from across Scotland, visit My World of Work.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• https://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/
• https://myworldofwork.co.uk/career-stories1
• https://instagram.com/mywowscotland
• https://tiktok.com/@mywowscotland
• https://youtube.com/@myworldofwork

This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

On the very first episode of Career Stories, hosted by Careers Adviser Joe and Carrie, we welcome Laura Young aka Less Waste Laura.

Laura is an environmental activist, campaigner and influential content creator in Scotland. Laura talks about her passion for a better climate future and helping people of all ages think more carefully about smarter choices to benefit our planet.

She tells us about her background, the skills she has developed, her career journey and what she'd love to achieve in the future.

This podcast was recorded in May 2025 at Podcast Studio Glasgow.

Learn more about Laura:

• http://instagram.com/lesswastelaura
• http://tiktok.com/@lesswastelaura

Discover even more amazing Career Stories Ready for more inspiring insights from the world of work? Watch real people across Scotland, telling real career stories. https://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/career-stories/1

This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

On this episode, Joe and Carrie chat to Glasgow based actor Sean Connor. Sean is perhaps best known for his work on popular Scottish soap, River City but has also appeared on stage and is an active acting coach at Theatre School Scotland also.

Sean chats about his experience working in the creative arts, his first route into the acting business and his love for helping others catch the bug for performing and creative expression.

Topics discussed:

1. Getting into acting
2. Developing professional skills in the industry
3. What the future holds!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• https://instagram.com/_sean_connor_
• https:/instagram.com/mywowscotland
• https://tiktok.com/@mywowscotland

This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

Hannah is Sales and Business Development Manager at SEC Glasgow. She sits down for a chat with Joe and Carrie to discuss her route to the top.

Hannah has built a strong reputation in hospitality and business, winning awards and being recognised for her leadership qualities along the way.

She is a champion for other young women aspiring to success in the industry and is always open to offering support and advice to those looking to make a start.

Hannah also loves music and she discusses her singing career on the side, which helps her maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Connect with Hannah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-cochrane-3b1558156/

This podcast was recorded on 30 September at The Podcast Studio Glasgow.

This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

On this episode Joe and Carrie are joined by Eilidh Wynd who is a Commercial Sales Executive at Simon Howie Foods.

Eilidh talks about her role at the Scottish company, her love of haggis (and Scottish products generally) as well as her own 'Diary of a C.E.Uh-Oh' blog.

She also tells us about her past learning and work experiences, from university to adventures in northern Spain and back to the UK, before moving into the food and drink industry.

Follow Eilidh on Instagram at https://instagram.com/i_sell_haggis

--

This episode was recorded on 27 October 2025 at The Podcast Studio Glasgow.

This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

Kicking off the new season of Career Stories, Greenock-based artist Craig Black shares his journey from being a promising young footballer to creating works of art across the world for major brands.

Craig talks to Joe and Carrie about how he gradually realised art, design and painting were always a passion for him and even as the football career dream came to an end it was actually just the beginning of a bigger opportunity.

Craig has worked for companies including the NFL, NBA, Porsche and the English Premier League. And recently he realised the dream of a lifetime when he collaborated with Disney.

Topics discussed:

1. Developing his interests at school
2. Progressing his young career at college
3. An entrepreneurial spirit and taking a leap of faith

Links mentioned in this episode:

• https://craig.black/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-black-28a89968/
• https://instagram.com/_craigblack
• https://tiktok.com/@_craigblack

This podcast was recorded on 27 October 2025 at The Podcast Studio Glasgow This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

Jake Fairley is an A & E nurse with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Jake chats to Joe and Carrie about how his past work experience gave him some essential core skills, which translate into his role in nursing. Communication, empathy a lot of patience is key! He also talks about his love of rugby and how teamwork is again, crucial to what he does at work.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mywowscotland TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@mywowscotland Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0yGHZBjuXAESvJrwD2QbLV Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/career-stories/id1831785738

Learn more about careers at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde https://www.nhsggc.scot/staff-recruitment/recruitment/

**This podcast was recorded at podcast studio glasgow in July 2025 and is hosted by ZenCast.fm

Niamh McQuade is a Cultural Venue Operations Apprentice at Stirling Castle, which is part of Historic Environment Scotland.

Niamh chats to Joe and Carrie about how much she loves her role, history and learning all the different job roles working at the castle. She also talks about her decision to move from her hometown of Oban to Stirling and the reasons for choosing that particular city and then university.

Topics discussed:

1. Developing an interest in history
2. Moving from Oban to Stirling
3. Everyday learning and developing in different roles

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mywowscotland TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@mywowscotland Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0yGHZBjuXAESvJrwD2QbLV Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/career-stories/id1831785738

Stirling Castle: https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/stirling-castle/ Stirling Castle on Instagram: https://instagram.com/visitstirlingcastle

This podcast was recorded at podcast studio glasgow in July 2025 and is hosted by ZenCast.fm

Episode 10: Dan Hancock - Mental Health Personal Trainer

Welcome to another inspiring episode of the Career Stories podcast! In Episode 10, we sit down with entrepreneur Dan Hancock to learn about his career journey from working in the personal fitness industry to developing an innovative new accredited qualification used by personal trainers and professionals across the UK. We explore his career journey, lessons learned, and get helpful advice for anyone hoping to follow their ideas and make a dream become reality.

Tune in to hear:

💪 How Dan got interested in mental wellbeing and fitness

💪 Key challenges and successes he and his business partner have experienced

💪 Tips for aspiring professionals in the field

💪 Personal stories and insights from their unique career journey

Watch the full episode now or catch on:

🎧 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0yGHZBjuXAESvJrwD2QbLV

🎧Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/career-stories/id1831785738

Follow Dan on Instagram https://instagram.com/mentalhealthpt and TikTok https://tiktok.com/mentalhealth_pt

Welcome to the latest inspiring episode of the Career Stories podcast! In this special episode, Joe and Carrie are the guests and interview each other to talk about how they went from being apprentices to fully qualified Careers Advisers.

Tune in to hear:

• How Joe realised he wanted a job with progression opportunities
• How Carrie developed her work experience in jobs before her apprenticeship
• Applying for their entry jobs at Skills Development Scotland
• Their different routes to becoming Careers Advisers

Listen to this episode on your favorite platform:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts
• YouTube

Don't forget to subscribe, leave a comment, and share this episode with anyone interested in career development and inspiration!

Welcome to another inspiring episode of the Career Stories podcast! In Episode 11, we sit down with Cameron Clark, a talented young Project Manager completing his apprenticeship with Scottish Water, to explore his career journey, his skills, applying for his apprenticeship and advice for anyone hoping to follow a similar path. Tune in to hear:

• How Cameron got started in his Modern Apprenticeship • Challenges and successes he’s experienced • Tips for anyone considering a Modern Apprenticeship • Personal stories and insights from his time at school and what he likes to do to maintain work-life balance

Listen to this episode on your favorite platform: 🎧 Spotify 🎧 Apple Podcasts 🎧 YouTube

Don't forget to subscribe, leave a comment, and share this episode with anyone interested in career development and inspiration! This episode was recorded on 30 September 2025.

This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

Team Scotland / Great Britain Basketball star and three-time Paralympian, Robyn Love joins Joe and Carrie for the latest episode to chat about her journey to the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Robyn discusses her aspirations growing up, her life at school and how she found her way into sports.

She is also an ambassador for Athlete Ally and is an advocate for LGBTQ+ equality in all sports. As a professional athlete and speaker, Robyn uses her platform to promote equality and encourage people of all ages to enjoy sports and stay healthy.

Enjoy the episode and remember to follow us for more!

Legal eagles will enjoy the latest episode of Career Stories, which features two aspiring lawyers from Harper Macleod LLP. Joining Joe and Carrie on the podcast is banking trainee Arnold Masayila and Kyna Malcomson who has just finished her final law exams at Edinburgh University.

Arnold, who lived his early life in Zimbabwe, talks about his career journey; from studying in London to moving to Scotland and completing his studies at Stirling University. While Kyna discusses how her business apprenticeship at Harper Macleod’s office in Lerwick gave her the impetus to explore a career in law.

On the subject of career expectations, Arnold explains how his parents’ traditional expectations set him on a choice between careers in medicine and law…but it was the fictional Uncle Phil (of Fresh Prince of Bel Air) that swayed his desire to become a lawyer. It was also a family relationship that got Kyna considering her path. Learning from her dad, she considers herself handy on the tools as a mechanic – but it didn’t feel like a long term thing for her, which led to exploring other avenues.

Arnold also talks about his love of American Football and how a gap year helped him take the time to mentally prepare for the next phase of his academic and work-based learning. Beyond sports he is also a champion for diversity in work and loves to celebrate parts of his African heritage (particularly when it comes to music and food) with his colleagues. He was named Young Professional Rising Star at the Black Scottish Awards in October 2025.

Listen now for lots of insightful chat on what both guests are learning and how their roles work in practice with Harper Macleod. Kyna shares her take on what it actually means to study law and why other young people shouldn’t feel daunted by the prospect of entering the profession.

Like and subscribe to catch all the latest episodes of Career Stories.

For even more Career Stories insights, visit https://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/career-stories/1

The latest guest on the Career Stories podcast is Andrew McCrystal, our host Joe's twin brother!

Andrew is a police constable in the Retail Crime Taskforce division of Police Scotland and based in Glasgow.

In this episode, he talks about his working life before becoming a police officer and how he made the decision to apply. Andrew then talks about the journey he's had over the past 10 years with Police Scotland and all the things that fulfil him in his role.

He also gives essential advice to anyone thinking of applying to become a police officer and the skills, characteristics and mindset required to succeed.

Make sure to subscribe to catch this and all future episodes of Career Stories. And please come over and follow us on the socials too. 👇

https://instagram.com/mywowscotland https://tiktok.com/@mywowscotland https://linktr.ee/myworldofwork

Hosts Joe and Carrie welcome you to the Career Stories podcast. Each episode will see guests from across the world of work talk about their jobs, careers and skills.

Make sure you follow to get alerts for each new episode.

On the latest episode of Career Stories, Jamie and Carrie are joined by Sonja, a Senior Associate Software Engineer at JP Morgan, based in Glasgow.

Sonja is a former Graduate Apprentice and has progressed through the ranks at the company. She talks about how she got interested in software engineering, considered apprenticeships in comparison to university and then the application process.

Sonja is also a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in apprenticeship. As a member of the Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board’s Apprentice Engagement Group and Co-Chair of the Employer Equalities Group, she used her own experience to promote STEM apprenticeships to young women from minority communities.

Remember to like and subscribe to catch all future episodes.

Discover more Career Stories on My World of Work 🔗 https://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/career-stories/1

On the latest episode of Career Stories, Jamie and Carrie are joined by Laura Fulton aka 'Teach with Mrs F'.

The Renfrewshire-based teacher has built a following on Instagram and TikTok by showcasing what life looks like for a primary school teacher. Her content includes a mix of behind-the-scenes looks at lesson preparation, getting ready for school term and the reality of being a teacher outwith school hours. The ‘Teach with Mrs F’ account also gives followers insight on the skills required to be a teacher, including the mental resilience needed in the role.

Jamie and Carrie also ask Laura about the ‘why’ of becoming a teacher as well as the satisfaction and challenges she gets from the role.

They also dig into the balancing act of being a full-time teacher and building (and maintaining) a social media community, which requires daily input – weekends included.

Remember to like and subscribe to catch all future episodes.

Discover more Career Stories on My World of Work 🔗 https://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/career-stories/1

Follow Laura on her socials at https://instagram.com/teachwithmrsf_ and https://tiktok.com/@teachwithmrsf

On the latest episode of Career Stories, Joe and Carrie are joined by two soldiers from the British Army.

Corporal John Haxton of the Royal Engineers and Craftsman Lee Sinclair of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers joined our hosts to chat about their routes into the army, their training and the skills they have learned along the way.

Listen to learn more about the different paths each soldier took before joining the Army and get insights on what it takes to be successful in the forces.

Cpl. Haxton and Cfn. Sinclair also tell us about their hobbies, how they spend their downtime and the benefits the Army provides for people who love to learn.

Remember to like and subscribe to catch all future episodes.

Discover more Career Stories on My World of Work 🔗 https://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/career-stories/1

Find out more about British Army careers at 🔗 https://www.army.mod.uk/

In this special episode, Carrie hands over to Anthony on hosting duties for a special episode featuring Head of Referee Operations at the Scottish Football Association - Willie Collum.

Anthony and Willie are joined by fellow referees, Duncan Nicholson and Jana Brady who talk about the skills and characteristics required to make it to the top of the game.

Listen to hear about how to get into refereeing, the opportunities being a ref offers and also where it can be tough!

Enjoy this special episode.

Joiner to influencer: Chris from Keel’s Joinery shares his career journey, skills growth and social media rise.

In this episode, hosts Joe McCrystal and Carrie Stewart chat with Chris from Keel’s Joinery & Construction about his path into joinery, how early jobs (from B&Q to working as a home help) shaped his work ethic, and why he believes apprenticeships give young people a great start in their career. Chris also shares how he built an engaged audience on Instagram and TikTok by showing real life on the tools, the realities of running a business, and the balance between craft and content.

What you’ll learn: • The reality of getting into a career in joinery and construction
• Why apprenticeships are a practical route for young people to earn, learn and build confidence
• The behind‑the‑scenes hard work that goes into becoming a trades creator on Instagram and TikTok
• Tips on work–life balance, building skills, and staying grounded

If you enjoyed this conversation, please consider following for more Career Stories, and share it with someone who’s exploring apprenticeships or a trade career.

Air a’ phrògram seo de Career Stories, tha Joy Dunlop còmhla ri Carrie agus Jamie (ar co-aoigh sònraichte agus Comhairliche Dreuchdan).

’S e craoladair neo-cheangailte, aoigh thachartasan, neach-foghlaim agus seinneadair tàlantach a th’ ann an Joy. ’S i aghaidh foghlaim na Gàidhlig ann an Alba cuideachd, agus ’s i as ainmeile airson a dreuchd mar neach-taisbeanaidh air Speak Gaelic, a thèid a chraoladh air BBC Alba. Chithear Joy cuideachd gu cunbhalach a’ taisbeanadh ùrachaidhean na sìde air BBC Scotland.

Tha am prògram seo ceangailte ri Seachdain na Gàidhlig (World Gaelic Week) agus cluinnidh tu Joy a’ toirt beagan abairtean beaga Gàidhlig do Carrie agus Jamie airson an cleachdadh.

Anns a’ phrògram seo, tha Joy a’ bruidhinn air:

Mar a dh’ionnsaich i a’ Ghàidhlig fhad ’s a bha i a’ fàs suas ann an iar-thuath na h-Alba A’ cruthachadh a dreuchd fhèin ann an craoladh agus na meadhanan A’ dol an sàs ann am foghlam na Gàidhlig agus a’ brosnachadh a dualchas cultarail A bhith na stiùiriche agus a’ leasachadh sgilean gnìomhachais

On this episode of Career Stories, Carrie and Jamie (our guest co-host and Trainee Careers Adviser) are joined by Joy Dunlop.

Joy is a freelance broadcaster, event host, educator and talented singer. She is also the face of Gaelic language education in Scotland, most commonly known for her presenting role on Speak Gaelic, which airs on BBC Alba. Joy can also be seen regularly presenting the weather updates on BBC Scotland too.

This episode ties in with Seachdain na Gàidhlig (World Gaelic Week) and you'll hear Joy give Carrie and Jamie a couple of wee Gaelic phrases to practice.

In this episode, Joy talks about:

How she learned Gaelic growing up in the north west of Scotland Carving her own career in broadcasting and media Getting involved in Gaelic language education and promoting its cultural heritage Being a director and developing business skills

Èisteachd sona dhut. (Happy listening)