Best Future Of Work Ni Podcasts (2025)

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Green Economy Explained: Jobs, Skills, Impact 22:06

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4h ago22:06

22:06

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 i…

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What Employers MUST Do to Keep Gen Z Engaged | Workplus Ep. 11 54:42

6d ago54:42

54:42

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 urge…

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I Back Myself - Julie Smith 52:25

10d ago52:25

52:25

“There’s probably something about confidence that I back myself, that I can do more or I can strengthen this particular skill. I can learn to do a new thing.” Julie Smith Julie Smith and I talk about the realities of confidence, humility and self-doubt and how these play out in both life and leadership. Julie describes confidence as “trust in yours…

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The Hidden Careers in Software (It’s Not Just Coding) | Workplus Ep. 10 56:18

14d ago56:18

56:18

Building a Software-First Future for All In this episode of Workplus, host Richard Kirk sits down with Neil Hutcheson, CEO of Software NI, to explore how education, industry, and government can work together to embed software and AI into everyday life. Neil shares how his organisation is advocating for computer science to become as foundational as …

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How Ordinary People Build Extraordinary Tech Careers | Workplus Ep. 9 23:45

21d ago23:45

23:45

How Ordinary People Build Extraordinary Tech Careers In this inspiring episode of Workplus, host Richard Kirk speaks with Mia, a software tester and apprentice with Teamwork. From full-time mum to tech professional, Mia shares her journey into the software industry, offering hope and insight to anyone considering a return to work or a career pivot.…

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Beyond the Words - Solo Episode 34:38

23d ago34:38

34:38

This is a special episode to mark the 5th anniversary and the launch of the audio book version of Leading Beyond the Numbers. In this episode I share: 5 reflections from 5 years of podcasting: Hosting or facilitating Holding space and listening The most surprising thing... The power of voice Why this podcast still matters to me A short interview by…

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The Transformational Impact of Employment | Workplus Ep. 8 35:16

28d ago35:16

35:16

The Transformational Impact of Employment In this episode of Workplus, Richard Kirk speaks with Michael, a senior leader at Belfast City Council, about his journey from the Glens of Antrim to global consultancy, and now to reshaping lives through employment academies. Michael shares how his personal and professional path informs his work helping ot…

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Building Futures: The Lasting Impact Of Engineering Careers | Workplus Ep. 7 27:48

1M ago27:48

27:48

Building Futures: The Lasting Impact of Engineering Careers In this episode of the Workplus podcast, host Richard Kirk is joined by Claire, Director of Engineering at Oxford Instruments. Claire shares her inspiring journey from a Northern Irish all-girls school to leading a global engineering team developing scientific imaging technologies. She dis…

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We Eat Stories - Mari Giuseppe 50:03

1M ago50:03

50:03

"We don't eat nutrients, we eat stories." Mari Giuseppe Mari Giuseppe and I delve into the intricate relationship between food, culture and self-perception. Mari, a dietician with a unique approach, explains how food isn't just nutrition; it's deeply intertwined with the stories we tell ourselves. We discuss the pressures of cultural ideals, the im…

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Continuous Learning in the Age of AI | Workplus Ep. 6 45:27

1M ago45:27

45:27

Continuous Learning in the Age of AI In this episode of Workplus, Richard Kirk speaks with John Healy about his remarkable career journey from accidental engineer to tech leader. John reflects on the importance of adaptability, lifelong learning, and purpose-driven work as he shares how he navigated roles at JP Morgan, Citi, Allstate, and Invest NI…

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Why Apprenticeships Are Transforming Tech Careers | Workplus Ep. 5 33:10

2M ago33:10

33:10

Why Apprenticeships Are Transforming Tech Careers In this episode of Workplus, host Richard Kirk speaks with twin sisters Olivia and Louisa, software engineering apprentices at Teamworks. From their early passion for tech to building products used by elite sports teams, they share an honest and inspiring story of growth, challenge, and the power of…

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A Very Different World - Laura Haycock 44:19

2M ago44:19

44:19

"When I first become aware that I was experiencing perimenopause, or at least put a name to what I had been experiencing for years without knowing what was going on, it was a very different world. That was just 10 to 15 years ago." Laura Haycock Laura Haycock and I talk about her recently published book, M-Power, which addresses menopause as a crit…

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What Real Careers Really Look Like: Áine’s Path Into Tech | Workplus Ep. 4 36:12

2M ago36:12

36:12

In this episode of Workplus, Richard is joined by Áine McCaughey, Principal Software Engineer at Instil. Áine didn’t grow up dreaming of a job in tech. In fact, she nearly became a biochemist or a secondary school teacher. But a bold nudge from a trusted teacher led her to try computer science, and that changed everything. Áine shares how she found…

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From Engineer to Employer: Building a Business in Tech | Workplus Ep. 3 42:39

2M ago42:39

42:39

In this episode of the Workplus podcast, Tara Simpson, CEO of Instil and founding member of Software NI, shares her incredible journey from self-taught teenager to leading one of Northern Ireland’s top software companies. Tara opens up about how a ZX Spectrum in the 1980s sparked his love for technology, why mentorship transformed his career, and h…

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Availability is Not a Skill - David Lee, Dr Susanne Evans & Me 1:08:25

2M ago1:08:25

1:08:25

"I'm a great one for saying yes to things because I like saying yes to things .... and my husband always says, availability isn't a skill, Susanne. So, I have to remind myself of that sometimes." Dr Susanne Evans Susanne, David and I speak about burnout. Not as a concept, but as something that we may well have to navigate in our work-lives. We talk…

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What Employers Really Want From Schools | Workplus Ep. 1 48:21

2M ago48:21

48:21

In the very first episode of the Workplus podcast, Kathleen O’Hare shares her powerful perspective on how education in Northern Ireland must change to prepare young people for the future of work. From the need to move beyond outdated exams, to breaking the stigma around vocational careers, to ensuring every young person leaves school digitally conf…

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From School to Software Engineer: Why Apprenticeships Work | Workplus Ep. 2 28:29

2M ago28:29

28:29

In this episode of the Workplus podcast, Gina Lonergan shares her inspiring journey from school student to associate software engineer at Liberty IT through an apprenticeship. Gina reveals how early work experience, practical learning, and a supportive workplace helped her build a thriving career without university debt. From coding and product des…

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Workplus | Trailer 0:50

3M ago0:50

0:50

This project has been a long time coming. Born out of hundreds of conversations with parents, teachers, employers, and young people across Northern Ireland. It’s built around a simple idea: What if careers advice started with real people and real jobs…not just job titles? In this podcast, we sit down with welders, coders, youth workers, artists, ac…

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Future Proof - James Culmer-Shields 51:53

3M ago51:53

51:53

“I want to create something which fit that space and would help those people... to future-proof themselves.” James Culmer-Shields James Culmer-Shields and I recently sat down at my kitchen table and talked about something that touches all of us: how we stay well enough as we age to live the lives we want to live. James has spent decades in the worl…

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All Stories are Useful - Jay Perry 54:13

3M ago54:13

54:13

"So by that definition, all stories are useful. The question is: to what end?" Jay Perry Jay Perry and I explored what happens when we begin to see story not as decoration or distraction, but as data - the language we use to survive, connect and create. Jay shared his definition that “a story is language put to use” and reminded us that “all storie…

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The Artist Inside Us - Alexander Inchbald 53:08

4M ago53:08

53:08

"There is a pilot light running in all of us, and to me that pilot light is the artist inside us." Alexander Inchbald Alexander Inchbald and I have an in-depth conversation about creativity and the courage to listen to something larger than ourselves. Alexander equates our inner spark - our "light" - with the artist within, present in all of us, ev…

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What My Heart Beats For - Compilation Episode 39:10

5M ago39:10

39:10

"At this particular moment, am I in alignment with, am I in resonance with my values, with what I stand for, with what my heart beats for?" Migena Gjerazi In this special compilation episode, I revisit conversations from Episodes 100 to 200, to bring together moments from conversations to explore how choice isn’t always obvious, but it’s always the…

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The Joy of Conversation - Episode 200 - A solo episode 39:58

6M ago39:58

39:58

I didn’t set out to reach 200 episodes—I set out to follow the joy. And in this episode, I reflect on how joy hasn’t come from numbers or milestones, but from the moments in between - from the magic of sitting down and having real, honest conversations. Over the years, I’ve explored everything from emotional intelligence to leadership transitions, …

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Playfulness - Chris Marshall 49:47

6M ago49:47

49:47

"Playfulness is our natural state of well-being. We are playful when we are well." Chris Marshall Chris Marshall and I explore why playfulness isn’t frivolous or childish but fundamental to how we thrive at work and in life. We discuss how playfulness helps us embrace complexity, navigate uncertainty and show up as our whole, human selves. Chris sh…

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Stay Inquisitive Longer - Martin 'Murph' Murphy 46:39

6M ago46:39

46:39

"... you take people outdoors. They get into a resourceful state, you're able to explore more. You can use nature. I call it wayfinding, just like you use a compass and things like that. You can use the path you're on as a metaphor. And because you're outdoors, you can stay inquisitive longer." Murph Murph and I explore the incredible benefits of m…

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Hear the Silence Emerging - Carissa Bub 55:00

7M ago55:00

55:00

"You can hear the silence emerging in the room. You can hear the sound of silence. There's a peace that comes with, a harmony that comes from it. It offers an opportunity for more sharing, more cooperation, less competition. So it's very generative." Carissa Bub Carissa Bub and I explore the transformative power of silence in leadership and life. W…

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And They Pay Me - Ana Clements 49:34

7M ago49:34

49:34

"When I realised how much joy there was to be had in life, full stop, in your job and in people paying you to do something you actually enjoy, blew my mind. After 20 years of office work, I was like, wait, wait, I get to have fun and they pay me. I was really surprised by that." Ana Clements Ana Clements and I explore the journey of rediscovering p…

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We're All Imperfect - Dr Susanne Evans, David Lee & Me 56:39

8M ago56:39

56:39

"...because we're all imperfect if we have any kind of power, including even just like having a strong personality, that we can be doing things that we don’t even realise are intimidating or shutting down other people." David Lee In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Susanne Evans and David Lee for one of our irregular but always insightful conversa…

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Transfixed with James Thirlwall 43:17

8M ago43:17

43:17

"I was completely transfixed by the idea of these very tiny teapots and these tiny tea cups that were serving small amounts of tea." James Thirlwall James Thirlwall and I explore the connection between tea and creating connection. I venture out of my usual space to record in a delightful and intimate setting: a tiny teahouse in East Oxford. We delv…

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Unlimited Futures - Solo episode 40:00

9M ago40:00

40:00

"Any given moment contains unlimited futures that can become real. The reality that occurs is the one you pay attention to." [Quoting] Penney Peirce In this inaugural episode of 2025 I reflect on three recent inspirations — a movie and two exhibitions — that explore themes of creativity, certainty and choice. Drawing connections between the iterati…

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Beyond the Status Quo - Compilation 43:40

9M ago43:40

43:40

In this year-end episode of 'Life Beyond the Numbers,' I explore the theme of going beyond the status quo. The episode features a compilation of interviews and stories from previous episodes focused on creating a more fulfilling work life by emphasising the human side of our work-lives. I share a selection of snippets with insights on topics such a…

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The Actions That We Take - Katie McLaughlin 38:26

10M ago38:26

38:26

"The actions that we take are the things that are going to get us results, whether we like it or not. And so looking at those results, which business leaders are looking at all the time. We're always looking at those results. Are we meeting our outcomes? Are we meeting our metrics? And if we're not getting those results, well, we're not taking the …

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Just a Couple of Centimetres of Care - Marc Haine 51:00

10M ago51:00

51:00

"For everything that we do, if you cared this much - just a couple of centimetres of care - it would make all the difference in the world". Marc Haine Marc Haine and I discuss how small, intentional acts of care can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. From building trust to creating a culture of excellence, this episode is packed with in…

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Fulfilment - Kate Jones 43:43

11M ago43:43

43:43

"We can do so much better for ourselves in terms of the way in which we live and the degree of fulfilment and meaning that we derive from life." Kate Jones Kate Jones shares her unique approach to fostering personal and organisational fulfilment. We explore her Wheel of New Horizons, a framework for helping successful yet unfulfilled individuals re…

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Creating New Knowledge - Jackie Eaton 36:19

11M ago36:19

36:19

"If they're not applying creative and intuitive thinking in addition to critical and judgmental thinking, then they're not creating new knowledge for the organisation. They're just taking old knowledge and rearranging it. And for me, that's not adding value." Jackie Eaton Jackie Eaton shares her unique career path from obtaining a mathematics degre…

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Willing to Take Risks - Liz Jarman 51:56

12M ago51:56

51:56

"...they were willing to take risks for the experience .... and I think I've really taken that on." Liz Jarman Liz Jarman and I discuss her planned departure as CEO of Living Goods at the end of 2024. She shares her fascinating approach to succession planning, leadership transitions and a non-linear career path. We chat through some of her achievem…

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Sense of Humour - Beth Sherman 47:47

12M ago47:47

47:47

"Don't be funny, be human - you don't have to force it. Have a sense of humour. Have the ability to look at situations and see the humour that you do when you're outside of work. How often do you go home from work and you're sitting at the dinner table saying to your partner, or your family, you just wouldn't even believe what happened today..." Be…

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Your Experiences - David Lee & Me 1:00:26

1y ago1:00:26

1:00:26

"This is about what you are experiencing. And I think the beauty of your experience is it's your experience and no one can argue with that." David Lee and I delve into the significance of emotional self-regulation and co-regulation, highlighting the impact they have on psychological safety and productive workplace environments. We discuss concepts …

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#184 Finding Your Way - A Solo Episode 25:44

1y ago25:44

25:44

I am thoroughly enjoying reading "Wayfinding: The Art and Science of How We Find and Lose Our Way" by Michael Bond and have drawn from it to put together this episode. The parallels between how we do this out there in the wild and within the daily confines or our work-life struck me. I've used excerpts from this book, in particular the psychology o…

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Energy Levels - Steve Wright 43:51

1y ago43:51

43:51

"There's schools of thought around us; the quantum nature of humanity in terms of us being energy and vibrations. And whether you think of it as woo-woo, pseudoscience or whatever, I'm not concerned about that as much as understanding that when we got on this call, our energy levels were higher than usual and matching each other. And I think that i…

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On Purpose - Phil Brown 52:44

1y ago52:44

52:44

"It's doing it on purpose, and knowing you can do it on purpose; that's what's really important when it comes to negotiations." Phil Brown Phil Brown and I delve into the nuances of negotiation. Phil emphasises the significance of human interaction, confidence-building, and specific skills such as active listening, questioning, and observation. He …

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Human Dynamics - Tasneem Virani 50:57

1y ago50:57

50:57

"So even in that dynamic of a relationship, how can I have a growth mindset and see my mother or father in the way they are now? How can I have conversations that may have triggered me in the past? But now I know I'm an adult, not that child reacting, to build my parent in the future. It's the same with organizations. It's the human dynamics." Tasn…

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Top 10 of 10k 1:00:30

1y ago1:00:30

1:00:30

The podcast reached a milestone of 10,000 downloads during the month of June. It has been listened to in 80+ countries and of those 10 what are the top 10 by downloads? And do those top 10 have a central theme to them? I was delighted to find that yes, of course they did. Many of the guests that I speak to talk about aspects of their work-life jour…

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#179 Compassion - A Solo Episode 28:01

1+ y ago28:01

28:01

In this episode I explore the concept of compassion and self-compassion. I unpack what compassion is and why it’s crucial in our lives, the incredible benefits of self-compassion for both mental and physical health and cover some ways you can begin to cultivate compassion for yourself and others. Special insights from the work of Kristin Neff and D…

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#178 A Metaphor For Our Lives - Alison Smith 48:08

1+ y ago48:08

48:08

"I then realised that if gardening can be a metaphor for supplier management, nature's landscapes could be a metaphor for our lives." Alison Smith Alison Smith and I discuss her unique approach as a facilitator, coach, and author, of using nature and its landscapes as powerful metaphors to bridge understanding in business and life. Over a 24-year j…

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#177 Sleep - Dan White 48:14

1+ y ago48:14

48:14

"There's four key components that I focus on in my work and my programs. The environment [ ]. There's behaviour. You would be shocked if I told you that almost every single thing that we do from the moment we wake up until the moment we go to bed, is an amalgamation of the quality later that night of how we sleep." Dan White Dan White and I discuss…

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#176 Trust - Kevin Chevis 50:09

1+ y ago50:09

50:09

"The one thing ..... there's so many. I would probably say, as a reaction to your question, trust yourself and other people." Kevin Chevis Kevin Chevis shares valuable insights from his extensive career in a variety of leadership roles, highlighting his diverse experiences, including with mergers, acquisitions, and navigating financial challenges. …

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#175 Book Launch - LinkedIn Live Replay with Introduction 1:01:15

1+ y ago1:01:15

1:01:15

"Susan, I've taken enough time with these questions. Firstly, I just want to say, I'm thankful that I've met you. And two, this is an absolutely brilliant book and I love it." Matt Phelan In this episode I celebrate the launch of my new book Leading Beyond the Numbers: How accounting for emotions tips the balance at work. The book was launched duri…

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#174 Variation is the Norm - Susan Ni Chriodain 44:30

1+ y ago44:30

44:30

"Variation is the norm, that actually we're all unique. We are all different. And even how we approach learning and decision making, we're all different." Susan Ni Chriodain In this special episode of 'Life Beyond the Numbers,' I take on a unique role as the interviewee, giving Dr. Susanne Evans the reins to explore the themes, inspirations, and ke…

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#173 Momentum - a solo episode 29:22

1+ y ago29:22

29:22

"When momentum really comes into play so much of the background noise fades further into the background. And then momentum builds momentum. You become unstoppable, mostly!" Susan Ni Chriodain In this episode you are invited to explore the multifaceted journey of writing and self-discovery, offering a glimpse into the challenges and rewards. I delve…