Career Buzz

Katherine Rundell’s recent Guardian article raises an important warning: if students use AI to bypass reading, writing and intellectual struggle, they may produce better-looking work while learning less. Critical thinking, interpretation, communication and understanding of people developed through the humanities and social sciences will become more important in an AI-shaped society. However, framing the choice as AI or no AI misses the real educational challenge. AI is not a single intervention. Asking a generic chatbot to write an essay is fundamentally different from using a purpose-designed AI agent that refuses to provide the answer and instead questions assumptions, requests evidence, introduces alternative perspectives and stimulates active reflection.

Andrew Maxwell is the Bergeron Chair in Technology Entrepreneurship and an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering.  He serves as the Director of the Bergeron Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology (BEST) initiative and is a leading expert in innovation management, technology commercialization, and entrepreneurship. Maxwell holds a Ph.D. from the University of Waterloo, where he won the Academy of Management’s Heizer Award for his dissertation.  His academic work focuses on AI-first strategies for higher education.  He is originally from the UK -  earned a BSc in Electrical Engineering from Imperial College, London and a MBA from the London Business School.  Andrew was the co-founder of the first UK university radio station at Imperial College.    

For career counselling for you or someone you care about, start with a free discovery call: careercycles.com

Join Hoda and her guests as they bring Career Literacy to life through real stories and lived experiences.

Liv Pennie challenges us to rethink traditional career education, noting that for many adults, their school‑based career experience “is often a really negative reflection… wrapped up in one bucket of careers.” How would you describe your own experience?

You’ll also hear from high school student Christopher Ibarra, who shares how meaningful career learning shaped his future. As Christopher puts it:

If education can open chapters we never knew were possible, what chapter might a young person be waiting to discover?  Reflect and share.

Guest 1 Bio

In 2017, Liv started BECOME Education to reimagine careers education. She holds an MA in Psychology and a Postgrad in Career Development. She spent 15 years in advertising, digital product and experience design. Liv brings together these worlds of academia and innovation to close the gap between evidence and practice in careers education. BECOME Education’s work transforming careers education in schools has been recognised by the OECD as an example of global best practice.

Guest 2 Bio

Christopher is a high school student who has experienced career education firsthand. I will read his bio as he shared it with me. 

Hello everyone, my name is Christopher Vargas Ibarra! I am a senior at Bostonia Global High which is a competency-based school. My goal is to become an automotive technician and I have previous experience by having a pre-apprenticeship at the San Diego Automotive Museum where me and my co-workers restored a 1966 Ford Mustang to life after 25 years of it sitting. I also was at the City of El Cajon: Fleet Services where I serviced fire trucks, police cruisers, utility trucks, and more!

After getting engaged in front of Cinderella’s Castle at Disney World, Karen Jackson expected the planning process to feel just as magical; instead, she found herself facing the same outdated, fragmented tools she’d used during her first wedding nearly a decade earlier. 

We’ll talk to Karen about why wedding planning stress is so normalized. The reality behind the wedding industry vs. what people see online. Building a Canadian tech startup in a space dominated by U.S. platforms. And: What being a second-time bride taught her about relationships and expectations.

For career counselling for you or someone you care about, start with a free discovery call: careercycles.com

When we read about scientific breakthroughs or hear about new discoveries, we rarely see the long and often difficult path that led there. Behind every published paper lies a story of rejected manuscripts, critical reviews, experiments that failed, and moments of deep uncertainty.  Today, we explore what it really means to become a researcher. Joining us is an engineering PhD student to discuss the hidden side of graduate research—the endless revisions, the pressure to publish, the experience of having your ideas challenged, and the resilience required to persist in the face of endless setbacks. This is a conversation not only about science, but about learning to navigate uncertainty, criticism, and failure, and about how these experiences ultimately shape both researchers and the discoveries they pursue.

Utkarsh Chadha is an engineering researcher at the University of Toronto, where he completed graduate training across materials science, mechanical and industrial engineering, advanced manufacturing, and sustainability-oriented research. His work spans composite materials, polymer processing, AI-enabled manufacturing systems, and the broader role of emerging technologies in engineering decision-making. Alongside research, he has taught and mentored first-year engineering students and supported student-led research projects.  His academic journey has given him a close view of the hidden side of research: uncertainty, rejection, peer review, long publication cycles, collaboration, resilience, and the discipline required to turn early ideas into meaningful contributions.

For career counselling for you or someone you care about, start with a free discovery call: careercycles.com

Join Hoda for amazing discussions that boost your career literacy. Lili Foggle highlighted, “just about anybody can learn to interview successfully”. How confident are you in your ability to successfully interview? Urmi Hussein shared, “Your personal brand is portable, no matter where you go, you always have your brand”. How intentional are you about developing your brand? Listen, comment and share your thoughts and experiences.

Guest 1 Bio

TikTok @yourinterviewcoach

Lili Foggle is the winner of the Momentum Awards 2025 Top Specialty Coach from The Modern Coach, and holds interview coaching certifications from Career Thought Leaders and the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches. 

She has taught hundreds of her one-on-one clients—as well as many of her over 70,000 TikTok followers—how to deliver effective and confident answers in job interviews. Her proven, data-driven communication techniques help candidates stand out in a competitive field and secure the offer. 

Through the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches, she provides interview skills training and mentoring to other career coaches. Lili is a passionate advocate for the power of interview skills to transform careers and lives. She believes that with training and practice, anyone can learn to give authentic interview answers that get the job.

Guest 2 Bio 

Instagram @storiesbeyondborderspodcast

Urmi Hossain is a self-published author, speaker, blogger, and podcast host based in Canada. 

She works in financial services and holds both the CFA and CAIA designations. Through her work, she empowers women by championing mentorship, education, and public speaking. 

She serves as the Co-Chair of the organization Women in Leadership, for the Montreal Chapter. She is the author of Discovering Your Identity: A Rebirth from Interracial Struggle and the host of Stories Beyond Borders, a podcast exploring identity, migration, and culture. 

Outside of work, she enjoys reading thrillers, boxing, running, and HIIT workouts.

For career counselling for you or someone you care about, start with a free discovery call: careercycles.com

What do you do when your career, your organization, or life itself gets MESSY? My guest on Career Buzz (Wed. July 22, 11-noon ET) is Daniel Atlin whose career has included senior roles at the University of Guelph, Seneca, the University of Toronto, in government, and as host of the podcast, Messy with Daniel Atlin. We’ll explore Daniel’s story, the central narrative and sense of purpose that helped him navigate change, and his model for making sense in the face of complexity. 
 
And this isn’t only a conversation for people with “leader” in their title. It’s for anyone trying to make sense of themselves, listen for competing stories, improvise when plans stop working, and find a way forward when certainty is in short supply.  

For career counselling for you or someone you care about, start with a free discovery call: careercycles.com

Technology is advancing faster than at any time in human history. AI is transforming industries, quantum computing promises to reshape cybersecurity and national security, and digital technologies are increasingly making decisions that affect every aspect of our lives. Yet the professional regulatory frameworks governing technical expertise in Canada remain largely rooted in legislation and assumptions developed more than a century ago. In this episode, we explore how engineering regulation evolved from the late 19th century to meet the needs of the industrial age—and why those same regulatory models may no longer be sufficient in the era of AI, cyber threats, and emerging technologies. Drawing on decades of experience in engineering, technology, public policy, and professional regulation, our guest discusses why modernizing the oversight of not only engineering, but the broader applied sciences, has become essential to protecting public safety, security, welfare, and Canada's future competitiveness in an increasingly complex technological world.

Guest Bio

Peter DeVita is a licensed P.Eng and is past president of the Professional Engineers Ontario in 2001. Peter founded his electronics manufacturing company in 1977.  He is currently president of Engineers for the profession. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto holding a BASc & MASc in Electrical and Electronic Engineering.  He also holds an MBA from York University with focus on Marketing and Economics.  He has taught courses at Sheridan College, and Centennial Colleges overseeing the development of two-degree courses in software and network technology.

For career counselling for you or someone you care about, start with a free discovery call: careercycles.com

Join Hoda for conversations that boost your career literacy. Pete Robertson shares, “there’s a myth that before you start doing something, you should have all the skills and knowledge first. Actually, very often you learn by doing”. Have you ever taken on something without having all the required skills and knowledge? Aziz Kfoury pushes further, “Don’t be afraid to change roads in the middle of your journey because when you get to know yourself more, and you get to know what makes you more comfortable, what makes you want to develop, it’s alright”. What road are you on right now—and is it still the right one for who you’re becoming? Listen, comment and share your thoughts and experiences.

Guest 1 Bio

After studying psychology at the University of Warwick, Pete Robertson trained as a career adviser in 1987. His work specialised in supporting young people with disabilities and learning difficulties. 

He then trained in occupational psychology at the University of East London, becoming a career service training manager. In 2001 he relocated to Scotland and joined the faculty at Edinburgh Napier University. Since then, he has lectured on the postgraduate career guidance programme, and became a professor in 2021. 

His research interests include the relationship between #careers and #wellbeing ; theory and policy in relation to career guidance; and support for disadvantaged groups. He is a Fellow of the National Institute for Career Education and Counselling (NICEC). He is currently the President of the Career Development Institute (CDI), the UK professional body for career practitioners.

Guest 2 Bio

Located in Beirut, Lebanon, Aziz Kfoury is a Career Well-Being & Development Specialist, Business Psychologist, and Organizational Development Consultant who has become one of the leading voices in reimagining how individuals and organizations learn, perform, and grow.

He is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of LeadMe, a pioneering professional development ecosystem that empowers people and organizations to thrive through structured learning, organizational design, and psychological insight. Aziz built LeadMe Group on the belief that sustainable development is achieved when education, psychology, and strategy work in harmony. His philosophy combines data-driven systems with human-centered leadership, ensuring that every program transforms not just performance but culture.

At the heart of Aziz’s work lies a simple conviction: “Growth is not measured by hours or output, but by impact, purpose, and well-being.”

For career counselling for you or someone you care about, start with a free discovery call: careercycles.com

My guest today is Evan Jones, a high school English teacher at Petitcodiac Regional School in New Brunswick, and winner of a 2026 New Brunswick Book Award for his book, What to Do if You Don’t Know What to Do. 

For the first part of our conversation, we’re joined by Angelica Welner, a Grade 9 student at Petitcodiac Regional School and one of the test readers of Evan’s book. Angelica brings a wonderfully clear and thoughtful student voice to the conversation, including some wise advice for moms and dads: ease up on the pressure to make young people name a career too soon. 

Then Evan and I explore his own career, and we landed an effective way to talk about his story – it’s a kind of “error correction.” Too much teaching only English led him to want more subjects. Too much teaching younger children led him toward high school. Too much travel eventually helped him realize he wanted to return to Canada. Along the way, we talk about uncertainty, purpose, education, and how young people can begin to find their way without needing to have the whole map in hand. 

For career counselling for you or someone you care about, start with a free discovery call: careercycles.com

 In 2004, Robert Ketchin and his partners launched Georgian Hills Vineyards to pioneer a sustainable cool-climate wine industry along Georgian Bay.  Following extensive soil testing beginning in 1998, the team established vineyards in Beaver Valley, utilizing the Niagara Escarpment's unique microclimate to grow experimental grape varieties.  By 2010, they had successfully converted a historic barn into a fully operational winery and tasting room, showcasing distinct Riesling and Pinot Noir blends.  This entrepreneurial journey demonstrates how vision and trial-and-error transformed a five-acre plot into a defining leader of the emerging Georgian Bay wine region

Guest Bio

Robert Ketchin was raised in Scotland, and England and has over fifty years of experience in the beverage alcohol and food service industries. Robert has held senior sales and marketing positions both regionally and nationally with Andres Wines and Heineken / Amstel Brewers. In his youth he was a keen rugby player which he credits much of his success to.

For career counselling for you or someone you care about, start with a free discovery call: careercycles.com