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.”

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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 maths in schools, how policy can unlock systemic change, and why non-traditional paths into the software sector matter more than ever. With insight, clarity, and passion, Neil makes a compelling case for a future where everyone can build and belong in the world of software.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Work gives people purpose, opportunity, and connection
• Only 1 in 4 post-primary schools in NI has a dedicated software teacher
• Industry insights days and mentoring schemes are equipping teachers with practical tools
• Software and AI need to be normalised in schools just like maths or English
• Industry can help fill the gap where schools lack dedicated computing staff
• Apprenticeships and academies offer vital alternatives to traditional university routes
• Government policy change is key to unlocking education and infrastructure improvements
• AI tools are making it easier for students to start building from an early age
• Human traits like communication and problem-solving are as critical as technical skills
• Sales is a vital, overlooked career path within the software sector

BEST MOMENTS
00:02:54. “Some people are good at some things, and some people are good at other things.”
00:04:16. “Only 1 in 4 of our post-primary schools has a sort of dedicated software teacher.”
00:05:21. “The best way you can do it is to help kids to understand and start to build.”
00:09:07. “We’ve set up Industry Insights Days, so we’ve got teachers come in and learn.”
00:15:02. “An apprentice really benefits because they go in from day one and they start to learn.”
00:27:14. “Why not harness that? Sales selling is one of those people are pretty good at naturally.”
00:34:14. “Get 40 additional software apprentices who are women among your wider companies.”
00:40:23. “You gotta take a punt. Now, I think of apprenticeships as sometimes... not always.”
00:47:16. “It all makes sense when you look back. Then left a role and worked full time trying to make it as a photographer.”

🎧 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

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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. This conversation is filled with practical advice, real-life wins, and powerful reminders that good work is possible, even while juggling school runs and software bugs.

Key Takeaways
• Apprenticeships make tech careers more accessible to parents and career changers
• Remote work is a game-changer for working parents
• Self-taught coding can lead to real jobs in software
• Apprenticeships offer flexible routes to earning a degree
• Software roles go far beyond just writing code
• Testing involves investigative, problem-solving skills
• Real-world work enhances academic learning
• Flexible hours allow better family-work balance
• Women should not be intimidated by tech
• Employers benefit from investing in apprenticeships

Best Moments
00:01:00. “I was sort of ready to get back into work. But I couldn't go back to college full time.”
00:03:29. “That was really inspirational for me. Just like a witness that you can actually go and get yourself a job without official qualifications.”
00:04:28. “I did the application. I wasn’t really sure whether I would get it. But I got an interview and a job.”
00:07:05. “Programing like actually writing code is not the only area you can go into in software.”
00:09:04. “Remote working is fantastic. I think it's like the only good thing that has come out of Covid.”
00:12:14. “You don't have to actually go in. So that is like, that's brilliant. It's a brilliant model.”
00:15:29. “I think women are faced with an impossible choice of having a career or having a family.”
00:18:32. “If you have a bit of an analytical way of thinking, it's really not unachievable.”
00:20:00. “Apprenticeships open the door to those kind of people... who want to upskill into software.”

🎧 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.

🎙 New episodes every Thursday at 8am. Follow so you never miss a story.

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