In this episode of the Student Sessions, Liverpool John Moores University student, Charlotte, talks with us about the emotional difficulty she faced when transitioning to university life, a struggle many others are experiencing, and advice on how she overcame the overwhelming feelings of it all. Hear more from Charlotte by listening to her episode on the Student Sessions!

Is it important to target people in their early career? In this episode, we sit down with Sharon, a seasoned professional with 32 years of experience at Coca-Cola across sales, finance, and HR. Sharon shares how her team works closely with psychologists to create safe, supportive environments where young employees can express their anxieties, grow with confidence, and thrive in their early careers. Why focus on early career support? Sharon explains how investing in young talent benefits both the individual and the company—building a foundation for future leaders while gaining motivated, hard-working team members in the present. If you're passionate about workplace wellbeing, youth development, or shaping the next generation of professionals, this episode offers practical insights and real-world impact from inside one of the world’s most recognised companies.

Overcoming barriers and self-celebration, Jason Arday

Professor Arday is Professor of Sociology of Education at the University of Cambridge, Faculty of Education. He is a Trustee of the Runnymede Trust, the UK’s leading Race Equality Thinktank and the British Sociological Association (BSA). Jason sits on the Centre for Labour and Social Studies (CLASS) National Advisory Panel, the NHS Race and Health Observatory Academic Reference Group and the ITV Cultural Advisory Council.  Professor Arday’s research focuses on the areas of race, higher education, intersectionality, mental health, neurodiversity and cultural studies. In this episode, Jason shares his story of overcoming barriers and why self-celebration is an important part of our journey.

Professor Seun Kolade, Head of Research at Sheffield Business School, is a seasoned academic with a focus on digital transformation, circular economy, and transformative entrepreneur Ing. A recognised agile leader and senior fellow of the Higher education Academy (SFHEA), Prof Kolade is the author of more than 80 academic outputs, and has led numerous funded projects and international collaborations.

Imposter Syndrome, Wellbeing and Self-Care, Peter Olusoga

Dr Peter Olusoga is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Sheffield Hallam University. His PhD thesis, completed in 2012, focused on stress and coping in elite sports coaching, and his current research focuses on burnout and well-being in high-performance environments. Dr Olusoga is a BPS Chartered Psychologist, an experienced consultant, and host of the award-winning sport and performance psychology podcast, Eighty Percent Mental.  I this episode, we discuss imposter syndrome, the importance of wellbeing and tips to cope with negative self-talk.

Building relationships and connections, Alberta Mason, L’Oreal

Alberta Mason is a Senior Talent Acquisition Manager within L’Oréal UK and Ireland.  With 20 years of experience specialising in graduate and senior level recruitment, she is an innovative and passionate industry expert who, during the pandemic, amassed a tiktok audience of 10,000 through providing bite sized employability support online.  Alberta currently manages the L’Oréal for Youth programme, which is the business’s global initiative to provide more in-depth employability support for the next generation who would be entering the working world in the "new normal" following the global pandemic.  The L’Oréal for Youth employability webinars are designed to be thought provoking, innovative and interactive, with candidates emerging having gained tangible skills that will improve their future career opportunities.  In this episode, Alberta talks about how to network effectively and build relationships for future success. 

Take Action: Get out of your comfort zone, Reggie Nelson

Reggie Nelson is most recognised by the media as the young man who went ‘from East London to the City’, by knocking on people’s doors in wealthy areas for life advice.  Reggie is an Associate for a Private Equity firm in London, and a two-time published author. His latest book is a memoir called “Opening Doors”, which is available online and in all good bookstores. In this episode, Reggie gives us an insight into his journey and discusses the importance of pursuing new opportunities, building our resilience and dealing with setbacks.

Comfort zones: Getting to know and embracing the real you, Adenike Abidoye

Adenike Abidoye is a finance professional with 24 years of corporate work experience, mostly in the Oil & Gas sector.  She holds a master's degree in forensic accounting from Sheffield Hallam University, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, and an Associate member of the Institute of Certified Management Accountant of Australia and New Zealand.  Adenike is currently a Lecturer and a doctoral researcher at Sheffield Hallam University, UK and she also serves as a mentor for Black heritage students on the Sheffield Hallam University ASPIRE program.  In this episode Adenike talks all things comfort zones and why it is important that we push through these and tips for success

Navigating the Doctoral Application Process, Associate Professor Alisha Ali

Alisha Ali is an interdisciplinary and internationally recognised social scientist researching sustainable development in service industries. She is an Associate Professor and Head of Research Degrees in the Social and Economic Research Institute at Sheffield Hallam University and Vice-Chair of the Council for Hospitality Management Education (CHME).  In this episode Alisha takes us through what to expect when making Doctoral applications and what to consider when deciding on your area of research.

Tips for Effective Time Management, Lucy Ndlovu

Lucy is a PR and Communication Specialist and Founder of Progressive Talent CCIC, an Organisation aimed at advocating for Black Professional Women in the workplaces. A Community Advocate and passionate about volunteering and making an impact in the community she lives in.  Lucy is a recipient of BAME scholarship award (ASPIRE) where she received the 2022 inaugural prize. Passionate about mentoring and promoting cultural change in the community and in Organisations.  In this episode, Lucy shares her top tips on how we can manage our time effectively and how effective goal setting can help us achieve success!