What does telling the story behind the numbers have to do with building a meaningful career? Everything.

In this episode of Workplus, host Richard Kirk sits down with Claire Woolsey, Senior Manager of Financial Planning & Regulation at NIE Networks, whose career journey — from a village bakery and university summer jobs to leading a team at the heart of Northern Ireland's energy transition — proves that you don't need a maths A-level to thrive in finance. You just need curiosity, people skills, and the courage to take a leap of faith.

From a joint law and accountancy degree at Queen's, to a training contract at EY, to a 20-year career at NIE Networks that she genuinely loves, Claire's story shows how following your interests — even when you're not sure where they'll lead — can take you further than any fixed plan.

Whether you're a parent, teacher, young person exploring careers, or someone considering a move into finance or the energy sector, this episode is packed with honest insights about career progression, leadership, and what it really means to do work that matters.

In This Episode:

- Why geography, history and politics at A-level led to a career in accountancy
- The part-time jobs that built the skills Claire uses every day as a senior leader
- What a training contract at EY really involves — and why Saturday classes are part of the deal
- The temporary role at NIE Networks that became a 20-year career
- What financial planning looks like when you're forecasting a decade into the future
- How NIE Networks supported Claire through maternity leave, job shares and flexible working
- Why the most important skill in finance is telling the story behind the numbers
- What it means to lead a team with purpose — and make people feel genuinely valued
- NIE Networks' triple Investors in People accreditation — the only company in the UK to achieve it
- Claire's advice to her 16-year-old self: follow your passion, embrace the tough moments, grasp every opportunity

00:00 - Opening quote: Leading the team is the privilege of my role
00:28 - Welcome to Workplus
01:06 - Meet Claire Woolsey
01:20 - School days: geography, history, politics — and PE
02:50 - Part-time jobs: the bakery, the lifeguard pool and the electoral canvass
05:00 - The skills those jobs built — and why they still matter
07:05 - Choosing a degree: law, accountancy and a year in the States
08:12 - Why you don't need maths at A-level to work in finance
09:29 - The story behind the numbers
10:00 - From EY to NIE: a leap of faith on a temporary contract
12:57 - What's changed at NIE Networks in 20 years
14:29 - Flexible working, job shares and balancing a career with family
15:18 - Financial planning and the energy transition
16:08 - Regulatory finance and what a price control involves
16:35 - Leading a team of eight with purpose
19:25 - Advice to her 16-year-old self
20:03 - What's so good about work?
21:27 - 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 https://www.workplus.app/.
Know someone exploring their career options? Share this with a parent, teacher, or future leader.

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#CareerDevelopment #Finance #NorthernIrelandCareers #WorkplusPodcast #NIENetworks
#EnergyTransition #Apprenticeships #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

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Produced by APodcastGeek https://apodcastgeek.com/

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.

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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/