Global Skills Podcast

In this episode of the Global Skills Podcast, I sit down with Stefania Giannini, former Assistant Director-General for Education at UNESCO and former Minister of Education, Universities and Research in Italy, to explore how education must evolve to prepare learners for an AI-powered future. Together, we discuss why the challenge isn't simply a skills shortage, but a skills waste problem, where talent exists but isn't being fully developed or utilized.
We explore the growing importance of lifelong learning, personalized education, multilingualism, and the role AI can play in helping learners unlock their full potential. Stefania also shares why schools and universities must move beyond standardized learning models and focus on developing curiosity, adaptability, and the ability to ask better questions in a rapidly changing world.
Whether you're an educator, policymaker, business leader, parent, or lifelong learner, this conversation offers valuable insights into building education systems that are more inclusive, human-centered, and future-ready. As we celebrate World Youth Skills Day, this episode is a powerful reminder that preparing people for the future of work starts with transforming how we learn today.
Connect With Stefania Giannini
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefania-giannini-2bb1ab16a/
Connect with the Global Skills Podcast
Connect with the Host Vanessa Wainwright LinkedIn
Visit Our Website https://www.globalskillspodcast.com
Send us an email at editor@globalskillspodcast.com
 

In this episode of the Global Skills Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Dave Hockham, Associate Head of School at the University of Greenwich, National Teaching Fellow, researcher, and education leader, to explore why creativity and human-centered skills are becoming more valuable than ever in the age of AI. Dave shares his remarkable journey from studying theatre and clowning to leading transformational change in higher education, revealing how curiosity, adaptability, and saying "yes" to new opportunities shaped his career and approach to learning.
Together, we discuss the growing disconnect between education and industry, why organizations need to rethink learning and development, and how employers can better support people through mentoring, onboarding, continuous professional development, and lifelong learning. Dave explains why transferable skills, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking are essential for building a future-ready workforce, while highlighting the importance of creating stronger partnerships between education providers and employers.
Whether you're a business leader, HR professional, educator, learning and development specialist, or someone planning your next career move, this episode is packed with practical insights for navigating the future of work. We explore workforce development, employability, leadership, skills mapping, innovation, and the human capabilities that AI cannot replace—offering valuable takeaways for anyone passionate about building a more adaptable, inclusive, and resilient workforce.
Connect With Dr. Dave Hockham
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-david-hockham-sfhea-ntf-757a0853
Connect with the Global Skills Podcast
Connect with the Host Vanessa Wainwright LinkedIn
Visit Our Website https://www.globalskillspodcast.com
Send us an email at editor@globalskillspodcast.com
#GlobalSkillsPodcast #FutureOfWork #FutureSkills #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #HigherEducation #SkillsGap #Upskilling #CareerDevelopment #SkillsBasedHiring #SkillsMapping#FutureWorkforce

I'm joined today by Mark Ramos, a global learning and AI transformation leader who has held senior roles at Google, Novartis, and Cornerstone, and is a Fellow at Harvard's Graduate School of Education Learning Innovation Laboratory. We talk about why human agency might be the resource under the most threat in the workplace right now, and what happens to skills, careers, and middle management as AI takes over more of our daily tasks.
Mark shares a great real-world example of transferable skills in action, the thinking behind Google's internal "Googler to Googler" teaching culture, and his honest take on cognitive offloading, cognitive atrophy, and what he calls learning slop. He makes the case that healthy skepticism, not blind trust, is the real skill of the AI era. This conversation goes deeper into human potential than I expected, and I think anyone thinking about their own learning path will find something here worth taking away.
 
Connect With Marc Ramos
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcsramos/ 
 
Connect with the Global Skills Podcast
Connect with the Host Vanessa Wainwright LinkedIn
Visit Our Website https://www.globalskillspodcast.com
Send us an email at editor@globalskillspodcast.com
 
 

In this special solo episode of the Global Skills Podcast, I wanted to step away from my usual guest interviews and explore a question that has been sitting with me for years: if employers say they can’t find skilled people, and job seekers say they can’t find opportunities, what’s really going wrong?
Drawing on my experience in recruitment, workforce transformation, and skills intelligence, I share the story of a candidate who faced more than 1,000 job rejections before securing a role with a leading technology company and rapidly progressing in their career. That experience shaped my belief that talent is far more abundant than we think. The real challenge is that our systems often struggle to identify, understand, and connect people’s skills to opportunity. As AI continues to reshape work, I believe we need to rethink how we define, measure, and recognise capability.
Throughout this episode, I explore why traditional hiring practices are failing both employers and job seekers, how transferable skills are becoming increasingly valuable, and why a shared skills language could transform the future of work. I also discuss the growing importance of skills-first hiring, lifelong learning, and workforce intelligence, and why making skills visible may be one of the most important challenges facing education, employers, and policymakers today.
Connect with the Global Skills Podcast
Connect with the Host Vanessa Wainwright LinkedIn
Visit Our Website https://www.globalskillspodcast.com
Send us an email at editor@globalskillspodcast.com
 
#GlobalSkillsPodcast
#SkillsGap
#SkillsFirstHiring
#TalentManagement
#AIandWork
#TransferableSkills
#FutureSkills
 

In this episode, I sit down with Thom Staight, General Manager of Global Talent Acquisition for EMEA and Asia at Microsoft, to explore how AI is reshaping hiring, careers, and the future of work. Thom shares his journey from studying history and philosophy, into recruitment, and eventually leading talent strategy inside one of the world’s biggest tech companies. We talk about the shift from traditional recruitment to skills-first hiring, why learning agility matters more than ever, and how organizations can unlock hidden potential by focusing less on job titles and more on transferable skills.
We also dive into how AI is changing early-career opportunities, internal mobility, and workforce planning. Thom shares practical examples of how Microsoft is using AI tools to help entry-level talent solve more complex problems earlier in their careers, while also freeing experienced employees to focus on higher-value work. Throughout the conversation, we discuss growth mindset, the importance of staying curious with new technology, and why the future of talent will depend on organizations connecting skills, learning, and career development more effectively than ever before.
Connect With Thom  Staight
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomstaight/
Connect with the Global Skills Podcast
Connect with the Host Vanessa Wainwright LinkedIn
Visit Our Website https://www.globalskillspodcast.com
Send us an email at editor@globalskillspodcast.com
 

In this episode, I’m joined by Clare Dygert, a learning systems architect and chief learning strategist at SweetRush, now part of the NIIT group. We explore how AI is transforming learning, why personalized and adaptive learning is becoming essential, and what organizations need to do to truly close the skills gap. Clare shares her incredible career journey from wanting to become a school teacher to designing learning strategies for some of the world’s most complex organizations. We also discuss why employees must take ownership of their own growth, how micro-credentialing could reshape education, and why staying curious is one of the most important career skills anyone can develop.
We also dive into the future of work, transferable skills, and why learning design needs to focus on people first. Clare shares practical advice for professionals wanting to future-proof their careers, including her personal strategy of reviewing job descriptions each year to identify new skills to learn. From designing sitcom-style training for learners with cognitive disabilities to using AI as a creative thinking partner, this conversation is packed with fresh ideas on learning, leadership, creativity, and adaptability. Clare also opens up about her passion for art, team cognition, and building learning cultures where people don’t just use AI — they grow with it.
Connect With Clare Dygert
https://www.linkedin.com/in/claredygert/
Connect with the Global Skills Podcast
Connect with the Host Vanessa Wainwright LinkedIn
Visit Our Website https://www.globalskillspodcast.com
Send us an email at editor@globalskillspodcast.com
 

In this episode, I’m joined by Josh Chernikoff, who has spent more than two decades (20+ years) working alongside education founders, edtech innovators, and learning leaders. Together, we explore what it really takes to turn great ideas into real impact—getting solutions not just built, but into the hands of the learners who need them most.
Josh shares his unconventional journey—from struggling in school and becoming a tutor, to building and scaling multiple businesses in the education space. What stood out to me is his deep belief that success isn’t just about having a great product, but about truly understanding your audience, building credibility, and consistently showing up as yourself. We also unpack the evolving role of AI in education, why human connection still matters more than ever, and how smaller, mission-driven companies can compete in a crowded market.
We also dive into practical insights for educators, founders, and leaders navigating change. Josh talks about the importance of niching down, the power of personal branding, and why “people buy from people.” One of my favourite takeaways is his mindset around progress—focusing on going “1–0 each day” and remembering that “fear is a liar.” This episode is a powerful reminder that impact comes from consistency, authenticity, and a willingness to learn through doing.
 
Connect With Josh Chernikoff
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuachernikoff/
 
Connect with the Global Skills Podcast
Connect with the Host Vanessa Wainwright LinkedIn
Visit Our Website https://www.globalskillspodcast.com
Send us an email at editor@globalskillspodcast.com
 

In this episode, I sit down with Franz Gilbert, who operates at the intersection of talent, technology, and transformation. Franz shares his unconventional career journey into HR and how it shaped his perspective on building human-centered business models. We explore how learning and development is evolving beyond silos and becoming embedded directly into the flow of work, powered by AI and real-time data. Franz also breaks down the complex world of skills taxonomies, explaining why ownership of skills strategy is no longer confined to one function but is becoming a shared, system-wide capability.
We also zoom out to a global view of the workforce, discussing skills gaps, the rise of skills wallets, and the critical role governments will play in enabling workforce mobility and upskilling at scale. Franz offers practical insights for SMB leaders navigating AI disruption, highlighting how smaller businesses can actually move faster and gain a competitive edge. From agentic AI to humanoid robotics, we explore what the future workplace could look like—and why human skills like critical thinking and creativity will matter more than ever. Franz closes with powerful advice for mid-career professionals: find the work that energizes you, because passion is the key to thriving in a rapidly changing world.
 
Connect With Franz Gilbert
https://www.linkedin.com/in/franzgilbert/
Connect with the Global Skills Podcast
Connect with the Host Vanessa Wainwright LinkedIn
Visit Our Website https://www.globalskillspodcast.com
Send us an email at editor@globalskillspodcast.com
 

In this episode of the Global Skills Podcast, I sit down with Jon Allen, Head of Learning, Innovation and Research at the British Parking Association. We explore Jon’s unconventional career journey — from aspiring actor and English teacher in Brazil to recruitment, learning innovation, and shaping professional pathways in a highly complex sector.
Our conversation dives into the power of transferable skills, reinvention after redundancy, and why investing in yourself often matters more than following a linear career path. Jon also shares valuable insights on skills frameworks, leadership, EV infrastructure, and why people skills, relationship management, and adaptability are becoming non-negotiables in today’s evolving workforce.
 
Connect With Jon Allan 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanallan1profile
Connect with the Global Skills Podcast
Connect with the Host Vanessa Wainwright LinkedIn
Visit Our Website https://www.globalskillspodcast.com
Send us an email at editor@globalskillspodcast.com
 

In this episode, I sit down with Oonagh Kelly, Chief People Officer at the National Treasury Management Agency, to explore what it really takes to build a future-ready career and organization. From her early career choices rooted in passion and curiosity to leading large-scale transformation in complex environments, Oonagh shares how combining what you love with what you're good at can shape a meaningful and adaptable career path.
We dive deep into the importance of learning agility and mental agility, two skills Oonagh believes are critical in today’s rapidly changing world of work. She breaks down why traditional career paths are no longer linear, how organizations should rethink talent development, and why understanding your core skills matters more than any job title.
We also explore how AI is being implemented in practical, human-centered ways, how companies can better support people leaders, and why the future belongs to those who can pivot, learn, and evolve continuously. Whether you're starting out, navigating change, or leading a team, this conversation offers powerful insights to help you stay ahead.
Connect With  Oonagh Kelly
https://www.linkedin.com/in/oonaghkelly/
 
Connect with the Global Skills Podcast
Connect with the Host Vanessa Wainwright LinkedIn
Visit Our Website https://www.globalskillspodcast.com
Send us an email at editor@globalskillspodcast.com