I’m No Rookie

There can be an assumption that career progression means continually moving up to the next qualification. You complete one level, so naturally, the next step must be the level above. But where does experience fit into that progression? In this episode of I'm No Rookie , Ayo shares her own experience of progressing through education and training qualifications over more than a decade. From becoming...

Nobody enjoys being told no. Whether it's a job application, an opportunity you've put yourself forward for or something you've spent weeks working on, rejection can make you question whether you were good enough in the first place. I've recently had two papers rejected for publication, but the experiences were very different. One came with constructive feedback that helped me improve my work, ret...

You find a teaching or lecturer role that sounds like a great fit. You have the industry experience, teaching experience and qualifications, then you spot QTS or QTLS in the person specification. Does that mean you're not qualified for the role? Do you need to gain another qualification? And what's the difference between QTS and QTLS anyway? In this episode of I'm No Rookie , Ayo Bamgbose looks at...

Sometimes your career starts changing before you've made a firm decision about where you're going next. You might find yourself becoming interested in different opportunities, learning new skills or stepping into spaces that weren't part of your original career plan. What makes this stage difficult is that you can't always see where it's leading while you're in it. In this episode of I'm No Rookie...

Sometimes we rule ourselves out of opportunities based on assumptions we've carried for years. Perhaps it's a job you don't think you're qualified for, a career change that feels out of reach, or an experience from your past that still influences the decisions you make today. In this episode of I'm No Rookie , Ayo shares what happened when she finally questioned an assumption that had influenced h...

How many times have you told yourself, "I'll do it next year"? For many experienced professionals, wanting something different doesn't simply go away. We tell ourselves we'll make the move after Christmas, when work settles down or when life feels less hectic. Then another year passes and we're still thinking about the same change. In this episode of I'm No Rookie, Ayo Bamgbose looks at the hidden...

Have you ever found yourself thinking about becoming an educator, only to push the idea to one side because life got busy? Then, a few months later, the thought comes back again. If that's happened to you, you're not alone. Some career ideas disappear almost as quickly as they arrive. Others seem to stay with us, quietly returning time and time again. But why? In this episode of I'm No Rookie , I...

Have you ever attended something with no expectations, and it ended up shifting how you see your career? In this episode, I share a moment from a workshop I attended during my PhD that made me pause and reflect. It was not about learning something completely new. It was about recognising what I was already doing and seeing it differently. This episode is for you if you have been thinking about you...

At some point in your career, the idea comes up. You’ve built your skills. You’ve gained experience. Clients trust you. And then the thought appears… maybe it’s time to start teaching. For many salon and spa owners, adding courses feels like a natural next step. It sounds like growth. It sounds like impact. It sounds like another stream of income. But there’s a side to this decision that doesn’t g...

You can plan a solid lesson, explain everything clearly, and still feel like your students are not fully connecting with what you’re teaching. It is a frustrating place to be, especially when you know you are doing everything right on paper. In this episode, Ayo shares a moment from her teaching journey that made her pause and rethink what was really happening in the classroom. It is a shift many...

AI is changing how we learn. You can generate lesson plans in seconds. You can ask questions and get instant answers. You can even structure an entire course without ever opening a textbook. So it raises a real question. If information is now so accessible, do qualifications still matter? In this episode, I share a moment from a recent business pitch where I was asked whether AI would impact my ac...

There is a moment many of us experience in our careers. You are given an opportunity that feels slightly bigger than you. You do not feel fully ready. You are not sure if you tick every box. But something in you says yes anyway. In this episode of I’m No Rookie , I reflect on what has truly shaped me over 15 plus years in education and training. From stepping into my first trainer role without a t...

You have completed your teaching qualification. You passed your micro-teach, submitted your assignments, and received your certificate. On paper, everything suggests you are ready to step into an educator role. So why have you not applied yet? In this episode of I’m No Rookie , I explore a pattern I see far too often. Experienced professionals who are qualified, capable, and knowledgeable, yet sti...

You might see a lecturer job advertised and feel ready to apply straight away, especially if you have completed your Level 3 Award in Education and Training. It feels like the logical next step. However, this is where many experienced professionals hold themselves back without realising it. In this episode, Ayo shares what she has noticed from regularly reviewing educator job adverts and why havin...

In this episode, Ayo Bamgbose breaks down something that often gets overlooked when professionals say they want to move into teaching. The reality is, teaching in our industry is not one single path. It can lead to very different careers depending on the direction you choose. Drawing from her own journey from therapist to trainer, lecturer, and now academy owner, Ayo shares honest insights into wh...

In this episode, Ayo shares a real moment from her PhD journey that completely changed how she thinks about confidence. What started as a well-prepared presentation quickly turned into something unexpected, and the outcome was not what she anticipated. If you have ever felt like you need to be fully prepared before you speak, teach, or present, this episode will give you something to reflect on. W...

You’ve done the training. Now it’s time to be seen. Many educators don’t struggle with confidence or capability. They struggle with visibility. You can be studying a teaching qualification, mentoring others, delivering training, or supporting learners and still feel invisible when it comes to opportunities. Not because you’re doing anything wrong, but because so much educational work in our indust...

Moving into education can feel like a solo journey, especially at the beginning. You might be studying, thinking about your next step, or quietly observing from the sidelines, wondering how people actually build relationships in education without feeling awkward or out of place. This episode is important because it reframes connection as part of your development, not something you wait to do once...

AI tools like ChatGPT are already part of learners’ study habits, whether educators feel ready for that or not. Many learners are using these tools confidently, but without fully understanding what they are producing, how it was generated, or how it should be used within education and assessment. This episode is important because it shifts the focus away from fear, bans, and policing behaviour, an...

Educator job adverts on LinkedIn can quietly knock your confidence. You might read one and feel capable, then read another and start sure you’re missing something. Different titles, different requirements, and language that doesn’t always reflect how teaching and training actually play out in real work environments. This episode matters because many experienced professionals don’t struggle due to...

The microteach is one of those moments in a teaching qualification that carries far more weight than it needs to. For many professionals moving into education, it becomes a source of anxiety, not because the session is difficult, but because it feels like a judgement on whether they belong in a teaching role at all. This episode is important because so many capable therapists, managers, and traine...

During a recent CIBTAC audit for Developing Educators Academy, one simple conversation with an examiner made me stop and reflect on my role as an academy owner. We often focus on teaching and assessing, but running a training academy requires more than delivery skills. It also requires a clear understanding of quality systems, compliance, and oversight. In this episode of I’m No Rookie , I share w...

Have you ever said yes to something you were excited about, only to find yourself rushing through it because your diary was already packed? I know that feeling well. There was a time when I thought being busy was the same as being successful, but I’ve since learnt the hard way that busyness is no badge of honour. In 2021, I began a full-time Master’s program in International Spa Management at the...

There are two sides to my confidence. One comes from my knowledge, my experience, and the results I help my students achieve. The other comes from how I feel in my own body. For me, education and well-being are inextricably linked. When one slips, the other feels harder. At the end of 2021, I was at my heaviest. Grief, lockdown, and the busyness of work had left movement at the bottom of my list....

Have you ever considered teaching but decided that taking on a full-time lecturer role might be too much? You are not alone. Many of us reach a point where we want to share what we know, but we are not ready to commit to a timetable and the politics that sometimes come with permanent roles. In this episode of I’m No Rookie, I share why I am choosing the guest lecturing path. This is not about me h...