Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Youth Unemployment, Work Shadowing, and the Future of Work | Jimmy’s Jobs of the Future

Thanks to LinkedIn for partnering on this episode. Learn more about how the UK labour market is changing in the age of AI in LinkedIn’s latest report: ⁠https://lnkd.in/labour-market-report⁠ 

In a special early interview at 10 Downing Street, Prime Minister Andy Burnham joins Jimmy to discuss why too many young people are struggling to get their first break, and what government, employers and senior leaders can do about it.

Reflecting on his own journey from an unpaid local newspaper reporter to Prime Minister, Andy explains why family connections often matter more than qualifications, why work shadowing can transform a young person's confidence, and why every leader should help open the door for someone without an established network.

They also discuss the future of education, apprenticeships, AI, recruitment, social capital and why Britain needs to value technical careers as much as university degrees. Andy shares what he looks for when hiring, why creativity and communication remain essential skills in the age of AI, and the leadership lessons that have shaped his career.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

00:29 Sponsor

01:49 PM Priorities on Youth Jobs

02:50 Early Career and Drift

05:35 Social Capital and Access

06:53 Hiring and Leadership Skills

08:51 Ambition Beyond London

09:42 English Degree and Creativity

12:24 Kids View of Job Market

13:49 Placements and Employer Role

17:26 AI and Future of Work

18:30 LinkedIn Data Break

19:51 Apprenticeships and Reform

21:28 Nostalgia Game and Advice

26:24 Closing Note and LinkedIn

Credits:

Jimmy McLoughlin OBE

Thuy Dong

Aggie Mellor

Annabel Wilcken

Ethan Pearman

Josh Eames

Laura Dunn

Special thanks to:

Sunny Winter

Nguyen Anh Duc

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This week, a special crossover episode: Jimmy's Jobs of the Future meets What We Don't Know.

Check out What We Don't Know here Hayaatun Sillem, host of What We Don't Know, spent eight years as CEO of the Royal Academy of Engineering - the first woman, and the first person in over two decades, to hold the role. Before that: 8 years of biochemistry, a walkout from the lab that ended her PhD overnight, and a stint advising Parliament on everything from forensic science to carbon capture. She also co-chaired Lewis Hamilton's commission on the representation of Black people in UK motorsport, and is now a founding trustee of his charity, Mission 44. In this conversation, Jimmy and Hayaatun cover the moment people mistook her for anyone but the CEO, the leadership skill she thinks is most underrated, the decision to leave a job she loved while she was still doing her best work, and why she thinks "more jazz than classical" is the only way to lead through uncertainty now.

********** Follow us on socials! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimmysjobs Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jimmysjobsofthefuture Twitter / X: https://www.twitter.com/JimmyM Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-mcloughlin-obe/ Want to come on the show? [email protected] Sponsor the show or Partner with us: [email protected] Check out our clips channel here! ⬇️ https://www.youtube.com/@JimmysJobsClips Credits: Host / Exec Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE Producer: Sunny Winter

Producer: Thuy Dong

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Heathrow isn't just an airport - it's one of the UK's largest workplaces.

Every day, more than 200,000 passengers pass through Heathrow, supported by around 100,000 people working across hundreds of different roles. From firefighters and engineers to security teams, baggage handlers and AI specialists, it's a city-sized operation that has to work flawlessly, every single day.

In this episode, Jimmy sits down with Thomas Woldbye, CEO of Heathrow Airport, to explore what it really takes to run one of Britain's most complex organisations.

They discuss:

• Why Heathrow employs around 100,000 people
• The leadership challenges of running a 24/7 operation
• How AI is changing the future of airports
• Why security queues have fallen to under five minutes
• The case for Heathrow's third runway
• How Heathrow balances growth, sustainability and passenger experience
• What makes a great leader in high-pressure environments

Whether you're interested in leadership, infrastructure, business, operations or the future of work, this conversation offers a rare look behind the scenes of one of the world's busiest airports.

Chapters:

00:00 The UK's Biggest Workplace 01:28 Why Heathrow Is Britain's Biggest Workplace 05:12 What Does the Heathrow CEO Actually Do? 09:45 Leading 100,000 People 15:34 Behind the Scenes of Running an Airport 20:48 Security, AI & The Future of Travel 27:41 Why Heathrow Wants a Third Runway 34:26 Can Heathrow Keep Growing 40:55 Sustainability vs Growth 47:18 Crisis Leadership & Decision Making 53:07 Careers at Heathrow 58:14 Leadership Lessons from Running Heathrow 01:03:10 Quick Fire Questions

********** Follow us on socials! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimmysjobs Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jimmysjobsofthefuture Twitter / X: https://www.twitter.com/JimmyM Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-mcloughlin-obe/ Want to come on the show? [email protected] Sponsor the show or Partner with us: [email protected] Check out our clips channel here! ⬇️ https://www.youtube.com/@JimmysJobsClips Credits: Host / Exec Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE Producer: Sunny Winter

Producer: Thuy Dong

This is a partnership with Heathrow Airport.

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Johnny Reynolds on Jobs of the Future: Skills, Scale-Ups, Net Zero and AI This is a replayed 2023 interview with Johnny Reynolds, now returning to run the Department for Business amid major UK government reshuffles under new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, including moving AI to the Cabinet Office.

Jimmy and Johnny discuss visiting businesses such as Football Manager’s studio and Nissan’s Sunderland plant, arguing the state should help people manage economic change, especially through net zero, automotive transition and opportunities like green steel. 00:00 UK Government Shakeup 00:32 Why Replay This Interview 01:54 Football Manager Visit 04:19 Factory Tours and Learning 05:47 North East and Change 08:38 Future Sectors and Trade 13:27 Workplace Flex and Hybrid 15:41 Manchester Boom Story 18:00 City and Listing Concerns 20:57 Scaling Up UK Startups 24:52 How Reynolds Works 28:29 What Business Wants Most 30:12 Policy Levers for Growth 30:39 Skills Shortages and Immigration 32:25 Reforming the Apprenticeship Levy 34:06 Devolution and Local Skills Planning 35:12 From Law to Parliament 38:42 How the MP Job Changed 42:24 Working-Class Roots and Values 45:36 AI Disruption and Regulation 49:18 Entrepreneurship and Risk 51:25 Dream Jobs and Capital Allocation 53:15 Books Podcasts and Wrap-Up

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SheerLuxe Founder on Hiring, Creator-Led Media & Selling the Business for £40M Jimmy interviews Georgie Coleridge Cole about building SheerLuxe over nearly two decades into a creator-led digital media business, what she looks for when hiring (culture add, broadcasters/curators/tastemakers), and how the company is structured across editorial, social, content, design, marketing, commercial, and video teams with around 100 staff and strong retention.

She explains SheerLuxe’s approach to new channels using gut instinct, prioritizing engagement and the right content “order” by platform, and a people-first model that drives trust and monetization.

Georgie details early fundraising before the financial crisis, becoming profitable within about three years, and maintaining disciplined growth. She discusses launching Blush Talent Management to manage internal and external talent, and reflects on selling SheerLuxe to Future for £40M, why she publicized the number, and what she wants to focus on next, including education, ex-offending initiatives, and support for under-16 social media restrictions.

Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:47 Sheerluxe Team Structure 03:05 Editorial vs Content Workflow 05:14 Growth Stages and New Channels 08:32 Launching Platforms by Instinct 13:42 Employee Generated Content Origins 17:11 Early Hires and Retention 22:25 Funding and Profitability Lessons 26:38 Leadership Style and Chief of Staff 29:27 Hiring for Culture 30:37 Blush Talent Launch 34:01 Internal and External Roster 34:53 Why Share the Sale Price 39:46 Slow and Steady Growth 42:55 Life After the Exit 45:06 Purpose Beyond Business 51:38 Social Media Age Limits 55:43 Status and Aspiration Shift 01:00:26 Closing Thoughts

********** Follow us on socials! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimmysjobs Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jimmysjobsofthefuture Twitter / X: https://www.twitter.com/JimmyM Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-mcloughlin-obe/ Want to come on the show? [email protected] Sponsor the show or Partner with us: [email protected] Check out our clips channel here! ⬇️ https://www.youtube.com/@JimmysJobsClips Credits: Host / Exec Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE Producer: Thuy

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Amazon’s Upskilling Push: Career Choice, Skilled Hiring, and Supported Internships At a new Amazon fulfillment center, Amazon UK & I Country Manager John Boumphrey discusses job announcements, hiring needs, and major upskilling efforts, including the Career Choice program that funds nationally recognized qualifications up to £3,000 a year in the UK, training about 30,000 people in the UK and 300,000 globally, with a planned $1B investment by 2030 to train an additional 500,000 people.

He explains employees often retrain for tech and hard-to-hire roles such as mechatronics for increasingly robotic warehouses, and describes a skills gap despite 1 million under-24s in the UK not in education or training. John details ongoing UK hiring and investments, including new sites in Northampton and Peterborough and a previously announced £14B UK investment.

John emphasizes work experience, communication, teamwork, and reflection, highlights Supported Internships for young people with learning disabilities and autism, and shares his executive hiring approach focused on evidence-based examples and continuous learning. 00:00 Upskilling at Amazon 01:22 Courses and Career Paths 02:18 Mechatronics and Robotics Roles 02:57 The Hiring Paradox 04:03 UK and Europe Expansion Plans 06:02 What Amazon Wants in Hires 07:12 Work Experience and Inclusion 08:35 Supported Internships Stories 10:42 Hiring Senior Leaders 12:41 Lifelong Learning Wrap Up

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Tom Kerridge on Why UK Restaurants Are Failing: Rising Costs, VAT the Problem, and the Fight to Save Hospitality

Watch the full documentary: https://youtu.be/LKaEiZ5TE5Q At Tom Kerridge’s Whitehall restaurant, we explores why UK hospitality is struggling despite strong demand: rising utility bills, food inflation, minimum wage and national insurance increases, and business rates have eroded already thin margins, contributing to three hospitality closures a day across an industry involving 4.5 million people. Tom explains his hiring priorities and outlines London kitchen pay ranging from over £40k to six figures in senior roles. He argues government support that helped during COVID (furlough, VAT reduction) has vanished, calls for hospitality to have its own dedicated ministry, and criticizes Labour’s communication and lack of action on VAT. He also discusses how TV and commercial work subsidizes his five restaurants and shares his journey to sobriety at 40 after years of extreme drinking. 00:00 Inside a Busy Service 00:15 Kerridge’s Profit Struggle 01:02 Why Restaurants Are Closing 02:08 Building Great Teams 04:17 Pay and Career Progression 04:55 Costs Crushing Margins 08:29 Hospitality’s Social Impact 13:36 Kitchen Tour and Stations 15:55 Plating the Crab Crumpet 18:06 Making Lobbying Relatable 20:00 Why Not Run For Office 22:01 Fixing Hospitality Policy 23:53 Labour Comms And Leadership 27:06 TV Work Funds Restaurants 29:36 How Cooking TV Changed 31:00 Why Independents Are Struggling 32:22 Quitting Alcohol For Good 36:08 Staying Sober In Hospitality 37:32 Which Minister Can Cook ********** Follow us on socials! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimmysjobs Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jimmysjobsofthefuture Twitter / X: https://www.twitter.com/JimmyM Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-mcloughlin-obe/ Want to come on the show? [email protected] Sponsor the show or Partner with us: [email protected] Check out our clips channel here! ⬇️ https://www.youtube.com/@JimmysJobsClips Credits: Host / Exec Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE Producer: Sunny Winter https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnywinter/ Junior Producer: Thuy

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Lord Matthew Elliott on Vote Leave, Modern Campaigning, AI Microtargeting, and the Jobs Foundation Jimmy interviews Lord Matthew Elliott, former Vote Leave CEO and author of “Ten Years On,” about building and running political campaigns, recruiting and developing talent, and measuring success through objectives, media impact, and interim targets. Elliott contrasts traditional campaigning with today’s faster, noisier, social-driven landscape, describing Vote Leave’s use of polling, fundraising, Facebook/Google ads, and the iconic bus tour with Boris Johnson, plus the operational roles behind it. He discusses how AI and data-driven microtargeting, especially in the US, could reshape elections, and predicts more short-lived single-issue campaigns. Elliott reflects on Brexit’s effects, arguing the UK avoided “Project Fear” outcomes and has performed comparatively well versus some European economies. He also shares his adult autism diagnosis, links it to his focus and work, highlights low autistic employment rates, and outlines the Jobs Foundation’s mission to promote business-led jobs, training, and pro-growth policy. Chapters: 00:00 Brexit Ten Years On 01:14 Meet Matthew Elliott 02:43 Building Campaign Teams 04:40 Recruiting Early Talent 07:50 Developing Spokespeople 09:22 Measuring Campaign Success 11:12 Modern Campaign Playbook 13:23 Cutting Through Noise 15:44 Brexit Campaign Today 18:11 The Iconic Bus Strategy 20:08 Behind the Bus Operation 23:34 AI and Microtargeting 27:31 Winning Swing Voters 31:33 Why Brexit Hit Hard 34:37 Culture Replaces Class 35:45 Why Culture Wars Rise 37:28 Short Term Politics Trap 40:50 Running Government vs Campaigning 43:05 Future of Campaigning 44:29 Autism Diagnosis Story 48:53 Autism and Employment Gap 51:58 After Vote Leave Fallout 54:56 Building Jobs Foundation Coalitions 58:18 NEETs AI and Flexibility 01:00:51 Brexit Reassessment Debate 01:04:13 Regulators Planning and Growth 01:07:10 Coalition Building Skillset 01:08:36 Closing Thanks ********** Follow us on socials! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimmysjobs Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jimmysjobsofthefuture Twitter / X: https://www.twitter.com/JimmyM Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-mcloughlin-obe/ Want to come on the show? [email protected] Sponsor the show or Partner with us: [email protected] Check out our clips channel here! ⬇️ https://www.youtube.com/@JimmysJobsClips Credits: Host / Exec Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE Producer: Sunny Winter https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnywinter/ Junior Producer: Thuy

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Nihal Arthanayake: From Radio 1 to Corporate Storytelling - Class, Diversity & the BBC’s Blind Spots

Nihal Arthanayake, former BBC Radio 1 presenter, joins Jimmy’s Jobs of the Future to trace his career, from promoting rap nights at 16 and fronting Collapsed Lung to being dropped by a major label and pivoting into music journalism and PR before becoming a Radio 1 DJ in 2002.

Nihal explains how radio shifted from gatekeeping to curating as social media and algorithms changed music discovery, and recounts his 23 years across Radio 1, Asian Network and 5 Live, including planning his exit and ultimately being engineered out after speaking out.

He argues the BBC’s biggest bias is class, says it “lies about diversity,” keeps people of color in boxes, and fears the Daily Mail more than ideological labels suggest.

We also discuss interview craft, his book on conversation, and how doing stand-up comedy increased his confidence.

00:00 Intro

01:22 Welcome and Early Dreams

02:51 First Money in Music

05:33 Collapsed Lung Breakthrough

09:22 Go Discs and Muddy Funksters

12:34 Dropped and Reinventing as Journalist

13:46 Why British Rap Lagged

15:36 Gatekeepers to Algorithms

18:14 Landing Radio 1 Asian Beats

22:29 Representation and BBC Culture

31:24 Calling Out Window Dressing

40:05 Is the BBC Left Wing

46:32 Politics and Interview Nerves

49:33 Nerve Wracking Guests

51:08 Peterson Clegg Clash

52:53 Interview Style Lessons

55:06 Talking Ends Conflict

57:36 Mutual Friend Story

01:00:00 Research Like A Pro

01:05:19 No Gotcha Headlines

01:09:12 Media Tech Farage

01:14:55 Politics Brutal Switch

01:26:14 Kids Time Football

01:30:55 Stand Up Confidence

Credits:

Host/Exec Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE

Producer: Sunny Winter

Producer: Thuy

**********

Follow us on socials!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimmysjobs

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jimmysjobsofthefuture

Twitter / X: https://www.twitter.com/Jimmy

MLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-mcloughlin-obe/

Want to come on the show?

[email protected]

Sponsor the show or Partner with us:

[email protected]

Check out our clips channel here! ⬇️https://www.youtube.com/@JimmysJobsClips

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Jimmy Wales on Wikipedia, Trust, and AI’s Disruptive Future This week's guest, Jimmy Wales, discusses how Wikipedia grew from an experimental, volunteer-edited side project spun out of the failed top-down Nupedia, from early “Hello, world” days and primitive accounts to organic traffic and press, and now a nonprofit with about 650 staff supporting tech, operations, fundraising, legal, and trust-and-safety while volunteers govern content.

Jimmy explains why he wrote a book on trust amid documented declines in trust in institutions, contrasting Wikipedia’s imperfect but “honest” reputation and open editing model, and argues trust fundamentals are timeless, advising young workers to build trust through reliability and teamwork while rejecting toxic workplaces.

We also cover Change My View’s collaborative culture, rising wealth inequality and risks of regulatory capture, concerns about misguided regulation like the UK Online Safety Act, AI’s varied benefits and copyright-policy dangers, looming job disruption (truckers, junior lawyers) and potential unrest, and how Jimmy experiments with agentic AI projects and practical automation while emphasising knowledge, history, and adaptability.

Chapters: 00:00 Trust Is Collapsing 00:17 Meet Jimmy Wales 01:55 Time Travel Questions 04:16 Wikipedia Origin Story 07:06 Funding And Early Growth 11:26 How Wikipedia Runs Today 12:56 Brand Merch And Fandom 15:54 Why Write About Trust 17:59 Trust At Work 22:40 Change My View Culture 25:02 Wealth Inequality Backlash 29:43 Regulation Risks For AI 39:04 Editing And Source Sleuthing 42:12 History Skills For AI Jobs 45:05 Driverless Trucks Shockwave 46:29 Retraining Gap and Polling 47:56 White Collar Jobs at Risk 50:52 Trust Collapse and Violence 52:34 Housing Costs Radicalize Youth 55:20 Career Advice in AI Era 58:29 Ghost Admiral Smart Home 01:01:54 Why Knowledge Still Matters 01:06:03 AI for Public Consultation 01:09:13 Government Services and NHS 01:11:36 London Maxing and City Life 01:15:19 Raising Daughters with Trust 01:20:21 Daily Life and AI Projects 01:25:47 Closing Thoughts and Thanks

Credits:

Host/Exec Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE

Producer: Sunny Winter

Producer: Thuy Dong

********** Follow us on socials! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimmysjobs Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jimmysjobsofthefuture Twitter / X: https://www.twitter.com/JimmyM Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-mcloughlin-obe/ Want to come on the show? [email protected] Sponsor the show or Partner with us: [email protected] Check out our clips channel here! ⬇️ https://www.youtube.com/@JimmysJobsClips

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How Adobe Quietly Powers the World (and the AI Fight for Creators)This episode of Jimmy’s Jobs of the Future visits Adobe’s London headquarters to explore how Adobe’s influence extends beyond Photoshop and PDFs into marketing technology that powers personalized experiences for major brands and institutions like Tesco, the Premier League, banks, Channel 4, Sky, Disney, and governments.

VP Simon Morris explains Adobe’s creative, document, and marketing solutions, how customer data is unified to deliver tailored communications, and highlights a campaign recreating Edvard Munch’s physical brushes as Photoshop tools. The discussion covers Adobe’s UK-wide initiatives, including tools for Women’s FA Cup clubs, the Adobe Digital Academy, and government skills programs.

Policy lead Stefanie Valdes-Scott addresses AI governance, creator protection, copyright, trust, content attribution via content credentials, and the unresolved tension between AI-enabled creativity and creators’ fear of losing control of their work.

00:00 Adobe Hidden Influence

01:57 Quick Adobe History

02:45 Inside London HQ

04:15 Brands Powered By Adobe

05:40 Premier League Personalization

07:28 Banking Experience Design

10:05 Creativity Meets Data

13:11 Hiring Modern Marketers

14:08 Tools For Everyone

17:33 AI Productivity Debate

20:25 UK Initiatives And Skills

22:32 Creator Copyright Fears

24:01 Policy And AI Governance

25:31 Copyright And New Rights

30:30 Content Credentials Trust

32:55 Final Takeaways

********** Follow us on socials! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimmysjobs Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jimmysjobsofthefuture Twitter / X: https://www.twitter.com/JimmyM Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-mcloughlin-obe/ Want to come on the show? [email protected] Sponsor the show or Partner with us: [email protected] Check out our clips channel here! ⬇️ https://www.youtube.com/@JimmysJobsClips Credits: Host / Exec Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE Producer: Sunny Winter https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnywinter/ Junior Producer: Thuy

Camera Operations: Felix Cohen

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