Jimmy's Jobs of the Future

Boxlight Creative Studio

Former Downing Street adviser, Jimmy McLoughlin interviews top entrepreneurs, politicians, and just about anyone at the top of their game on where they think the future of our economy is going through the prism of jobs. 

  1. 3d ago

    [SPECIAL] When the world's most powerful CEOs enter Downing Street

    Inside Number 10: Jimmy on Tim Cook, getting a wedding letter from Theresa May, and Starting Jobs of the Future We decided to swap the seats this week: Jimmy is the guest. He went on The Independent's In The Room to talk about the three years he spent deciding who got through the door of Number 10 and what that taught him about how people actually get hired. Helen MacNamara, the former Deputy Cabinet Secretary, and Cleo Watson, former special adviser to Theresa May and Boris Johnson, run a summer series called Lessons from Number 10 - what it's really like to work behind that black door. Jimmy worked with both of them. Which, given this show spent the last month asking how you get in the room when you know nobody, is a fairly on-the-nose demonstration of the answer. In this conversation: what the Prime Minister's Business Director actually does all day, why Number 10 has no floor plan and what that does to a new starter, how he got entrepreneurs into the building instead of the companies with big lobbying teams, what business consistently misunderstands about government and the other way round, why bringing business leaders into politics so often doesn't work, the trade trips and the logistics of losing CEOs in foreign countries, and the day it all stopped being fun. Also: the origin story of this podcast. A question Theresa May asked him one morning about where jobs actually come from - and why he's been trying to answer it ever since. Thanks to Helen, Cleo and the team at In The Room for letting us play this here. Their show is at @intheroom.pod, and it's part of The Independent Podcast Network, produced with Next Chapter Studios. Jimmy's Jobs of the Future is a show about work, careers and how people actually get hired - long-form interviews with the people who do the hiring. Next week: Jimmy vs the Producers, on Andy Burnham interview. You can read Jimmy's piece on the BTS of our Andy Burnham interview here: https://jimmysjobs.substack.com/p/did-i-like-andy-burnham Follow us on socials at @jimmysjobs, and follow Jimmy on Instagram at @jimmymcjournal for more content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  2. Aug 4

    The Real Threat to Your Career Isn't AI | Steve Rigby, Rigby Group CEO

    AI, Sovereign Compute, and the Future of Family Business in the UK | Steve Rigby on Jobs of the Future In 2026, Steve Rigby joins Jimmy’s Jobs of the Future to discuss why AI adoption in large companies will be slower than hype suggests because it requires difficult process transformation plus governance and security, while SMEs can move faster with low barriers to entry. He argues the UK is behind on preparing society and government for disruption, citing data that 39% of MPs have never used AI and calling for a multi-department “war footing,” including urgent AI data-center expansion and sovereign compute backed by government offtake. Rigby explains his role as chair of Family Business UK, the impact of new 20% tax charges on intergenerational transfers, and why the UK incentivizes selling businesses over long-term ownership. He outlines the Rigby Group’s scale, family succession planning, his philanthropy and education programs, and his efforts to influence policy via media, LinkedIn, and a new podcast. 00:00 AI Shift Like the 90s 00:43 Why Big Firms Move Slow 01:46 Reskilling and Job Risk 04:14 MPs Not Using AI 06:50 Data Centers and Compute 08:49 AI Sovereignty Plan 10:31 Chairing Family Business UK 11:22 Tax Changes Hit Succession 12:51 Rigby Group Overview 15:14 London Family Office Hub 16:40 Non Doms and Tax Carrots 19:39 UK Incentives and Mittelstand 22:40 First Jobs and Joining Family Firm 25:28 Building Tech Retail in the 90s 27:42 Family Business Life and Succession 29:40 Preparing the Next Generation 32:21 Kids Careers Outside the Firm 33:29 What Intelligence Really Means 34:08 Learning Styles Matter 34:42 Tech Powered Classrooms 36:24 Cradle to Career Impact 38:23 Inspiring Futures Model 40:12 Plural Career Time Split 41:44 Influencing Policy and Media 44:40 Family Business UK Growth 46:39 Podcast for Hard Issues 48:59 Sleep Data and Health Tech 52:22 Competitive Sports Journey 57:12 Giving Values and Dividends 57:58 Future of Family Firms 01:00:40 Mittelstand and UK Incentives 01:02:28 Podcast Pick and Wrap Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  3. Aug 1

    Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

    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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  4. Jul 24

    From Boots the Chemist to Lewis Hamilton's Boardroom | Dr. Hayaatun Sillem

    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? hello@jobsofthefuture.co Sponsor the show or Partner with us: hello@jobsofthefuture.co Check out our clips channel here! ⬇️ https://www.youtube.com/@JimmysJobsClips Credits: Host / Exec Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE Producer: Sunny Winter Producer: Thuy Dong Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  5. Jul 23

    How Heathrow Runs Britain's Biggest Workplace | CEO Thomas Woldbye

    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? hello@jobsofthefuture.co Sponsor the show or Partner with us: hello@jobsofthefuture.co 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  6. Jul 14

    Georgie Coleridge Cole, Sheerluxe Founder | Building a £40M Business By Ignoring the Rules

    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? hello@jobsofthefuture.co Sponsor the show or Partner with us: hello@jobsofthefuture.co Check out our clips channel here! ⬇️ https://www.youtube.com/@JimmysJobsClips Credits: Host / Exec Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE Producer: Thuy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  7. Jul 6

    Amazon: The Plan to Get 30,000 People Into Work

    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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

Former Downing Street adviser, Jimmy McLoughlin interviews top entrepreneurs, politicians, and just about anyone at the top of their game on where they think the future of our economy is going through the prism of jobs. 

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