Talent Download Podcast

Darren Lancaster (CEO, Amberjack) interviews Spencer Hurley (Spire Healthcare) about how talent acquisition has evolved from process-driven recruitment to a strategic function spanning assessment, workforce planning, employer branding, data and insight. Spencer outlines his career from agency to in-house roles (including Lloyd’s, ACE/Chubb, Nationwide, and DWF), describing building recruitment “hy...

In this episode of Talent Download , host Darren Lancaster sits down with Clare Power and Katryna Smyth from Police Now to explore the complexities of recruiting for a public service mission.  Celebrating a "Decade of Transformation," the team discusses how they have recruited over 3,000 diverse graduates into policing roles that many never previously considered - from neighborhood offic...

In this episode of Talent Download, host Darren Lancaster is joined by Sharon Wilson, a leading expert in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), to discuss the intersection of inclusive design and high-volume recruitment. Sharon shares her "Next Practice" philosophy: that designing recruitment processes for the 20% of neurodivergent or marginalized candidates ultimately creates a better...

In this episode of Talent Download , host Darren Lancaster sits down with Christopher Hay , Group Head of Talent Acquisition at Enstar Group , to explore the intersection of AI, productivity, and human potential in talent acquisition. Christopher provides a deep-dive look at the shift toward skills-based hiring and why traditional CVs are being replaced by objective, data-driven assessments. The c...

In this episode of Talent Download , host Darren Lancaster sits down with Nick Fewkes , Head of Delivery for Development at Amberjack , to explore the shift from "Best Practice" to "Next Practice" in learning. Nick provides a deep-dive look at why traditional classroom learning is dead and why Gen Z is actually craving more face-to-face connection. The conversation dives deep i...

In this episode of Talent Download, host and CEO of Amberjack, Darren Lancaster sits down with Alison Guest, Graduate & Apprenticeship Manager at Morrisons, to explore the powerful role of opportunity and ambition in early careers. Alison provides an authentic look at the "anything is possible" culture within one of the UK’s largest retailers. The conversation dives deep into the evo...

In this episode of Talent Download, host Darren Lancaster sits down with Kema Davies , Manager and Recruitment at Hiscox , to explore why "potential is everywhere." Kema provides an authentic and deep-dive look at the industry shift from performance-based hiring to potential-based hiring. The conversation dives deep into the role of AI in assessments, the challenges of scaling early care...

In this episode of Talent Download, host Darren Lancaster sits down with Tom Rogers, Early Careers Practitioner, to explore the seismic shift in how young talent enters the workforce. Tom provides a deep-dive look at the fading prestige of the traditional degree and why the "2:1 from a prestigious university" requirement is rapidly disappearing from the market. The conversation dives dee...

In the series premiere of Talent Download , Amberjack CEO Daren Lancaster sits down with occupational psychologists Martin Kavanagh (Head of Assessment) and Lauren Edge (Principal Consultant) to pull back the curtain on AI in the screening process. As application rates surge from 35 to 145 per job , organizations are under immense pressure to process candidates quickly without losing the "hum...