Volkanic Skill Playing Card 🌋: Resilience 

Do the younger generation have resilience? We think so, but resilience can look different from situation to situation, person to person and generation to generation. The world is rapidly changing, many young people with work experience and formal degrees/apprenticeships are struggling to find jobs and gain opportunities but the shift isn't just happening at entry level, mid-senior talent are also experiencing layoffs and challenges securing employment too. Across generations we can see the same skill, resilience, is being exercised but in different ways and with different priorities. 

Our guest Carl knows a few things about resilience, a skill he has exercised on multiple occasions throughout his life. Carl is from Gen-X, he is the founder of Earn Learn, a former record and radio producer and was a university lecturer for over a decade. He has a very open discussion about what Resilience looks like for him, drawing on some key life experiences from his youth and sharing what life looked like for his generation growing up, compared to GEN-Z and GEN-ALPHA today. 

Carl candidly shares his life experiences and HOW he navigated some of his toughest moments. He shows by example to anyone listening, that no matter how tough it gets, how lost you feel or how challenging navigating your career and life can get, there is always another way and other avenues that you can transition your skills into. 

He also takes us on a trip down memory lane (or should I say imaginary lane as we GEN-Z can recall anything before this century haha 🤣) to share some interesting parallels between life now and life "back in the day!"

Follow Carl on LinkedIN 

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/carlbartonuk 🦊https://earnlearn.co.uk/

Please be advised that this episode discusses sensitive topics that may be upsetting to some listeners; we have posted support materials below for anyone who may need it. 🧡

https://stbasils.org.uk/ (Youth Homelessness Support)

https://giveusashout.org/ (Mental Health Support - 24/7 text support) 

https://www.thecalmzone.net/ (Helpline 0800 58 58 58) 

00:00:00 Episode Intro 

00:02:45 Intro to Gerren

00:05:01 Gerren Joins 

Motorsport demands high-performance, period. Ever thought that was just technical skills? If so, think again.

The sport commands exceptional human skills beyond being technically proficient. When you're watching your favourite F1, GT or other racing series' drivers speed around the track, there is a team of amazing engineers, strategists etc behind the scenes who need to be able to communicate effectively, work cohesively, have extreme attention to detail and possess ample resilience when margins are so tight. 

Gerren is one of those wonderfully talented people, who is an aspiring engineer in high-performance motorsport and advocate for diversity and inclusion within the industry. Her episode is filled with her hard work and passion for motorsport as well as her determination to support the next generation. She works and studies in a very high-performing field, one where technical skills often get the spotlight, but she raises key points regarding the human ones on the podcast and why they’re just as important…

Like many young people, Gerren’s journey hasn’t been straight forward but she has bounced back countless times and has been agile when facing hurdles. In today’s unpredictable world, she truly is the embodiment of resilience for the younger generation and a voice that'll resonate, reassure and inspire so many young people. 

Connect with Gerren Ntiri on LinkedIN https://uk.linkedin.com/in/gerrenntiri?trk=public_post-text

“The opinions expressed on this podcast belong to and are that of the individuals”.

 🌋 Volkanic Skill Playing card: Communication

00:00:00 Episode Intro & Intro to Thandie 

00:02:32 Thandie Joins 

00:03:18 What does "Young people aren't alien, they're just a different generation" mean to Thandie?

00:06:11 The 'gift of the gab'- how Thandie used her communication skills to gain opportunities in a competitive field 

00:07:38 Not a fan of formal networking? No stress, Thandie talks 'finding your tribe' 💪

00:09:36 Communication is connecting with people

Today, we’re joined by a Volkanic eruptor, the multi-hyphenate Thandie Sibanda 🎉, who’s living life in the fast lane and taking on the world of Motorsport, F1, Sports, Music and Journalism by storm!

Thandie is candid and relatable, she weighs in on the conversation around “what it’s like to be young today”, gives her thoughts on the communication differences between GEN-Z and older generations (Throwback to the the yellow pages… 🤪) and shares why communication is a key skill for the younger generation to develop in today’s world.

Thandie’s communication skills are apparent when you meet her and she brings an infectious ENERGY when she enters a room, something that translates into her episode. 

She’s uses her lived experience to share advice with the next generation on navigating your teens/20s and HOW she erupted her communication skills to make them work for her, subsequently leading her to gain more opportunities and exposure in an increasingly competitive world! 

🌋 Follow Thandie on Instagram and LinkedIN 

https://www.instagram.com/thanddd/?hl=en

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/thandie-sibanda-704382162

References: 📖

47% of 16-21 would prefer to be young in a world without the internet source:

https://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/insights-and-media/media-centre/press-releases/2025/may/half-of-young-people-want-to-grow-up-in-a-world-without-internet/

The opinions expressed on this podcast belong to and are that of the individuals. 

🌋 Volkanic Skill Playing card: Leadership 

In this episode we pick the brain of a millennial, the brilliant Helen Marshall, who takes a trip down memory lane sharing what life was like for her generation when leaving education, how she navigated the hurdles and opportunities as a young person and something about dial up internet???

Helen is the Chief Learning Officer at Thrive, she's a multifaceted corporate L&D leader, speaker, founder and podcast host who consistently supports others and her teams to reach their full potential. 

Let's face it, as a young person leadership can sometimes feel like a popularity contest (*flashback to school*) or perhaps in certain environments it can be harder to get spotlighted if your more introverted than your peers, Helen uses her relatable experience to share how every person can become a leader, even if you feel you don't fit the status quo of what "a leader should look like."

“The opinions expressed on this podcast belong to and are that of the individuals”.