Help! I'm Going To Uni

What if you could solve a problem and build a business around it? Holly speaks with Cardiff Met PGCE Primary graduate Will about going from primary school teacher to education entrepreneur. After starting as a supply teacher, Will built his confidence and secured a permanent role. But he soon spotted a problem: too much marking and not enough time. Will explains how he used AI to tackle the problem and went on to build his own education AI business. He shares practical advice on spotting opportunities, getting experience and turning an idea into a business. In this episode… 00:25 Holly Meets Will 00:46 Supply Teacher To Startup Business 01:55 AI Marking Business 02:29 Traction And Goals 03:26 In The Real World Now 04:01 First Step Into Teaching 05:34 Business Idea Advice 06:17 Standing Out In Applications 07:13 Placements And Confidence 08:04 Using AI In Job Searches 09:13 When I Grow Up 11:13 Mentors And Motivation 12:40 Lightbulb Moment And Grants 13:56 Quickfire Questions 17:21 Why PGCE and Cardiff 19:48 Career Goals 20:28 Skills Spotlight: Problem Solving 22:11 Student Life in Cardiff 23:33 Campus and Societies 24:50 Part-Time Work 25:33 Wrap

How far would you move for your dream job? Holly speaks with Cardiff Met Dental Technology graduate Ellie about starting her career as a Dental Technician in Liverpool. She shares how networking at an exhibition led to a LinkedIn connection and a job opportunity. Ellie explains what it's like working in a fast-paced dental lab, combining digital design with creative skills. She shares practical advice on gaining experience, building a social media portfolio, preparing for interviews and putting yourself out there. Plus, how moving to Liverpool changed her life. In this episode… 00:29 Meet Ellie - Dental Technician 00:48 Graduation & Job Hunt Fears 02:19 Moving For Opportunities 04:15 What Dental Techs Do 06:18 Placement: Fast-Paced Reality 07:48 LinkedIn Portfolio Strategy 09:58 Moving To Liverpool 11:28 Interview Process Tips 13:45 Being Yourself At Work 15:26 Quickfire Questions 18:07 Mentors and Motivation 20:29 When I Grow Up 21:40 Finding Dental Tech Path 25:19 Career Goals 26:48 Skills Spotlight: Adaptability 28:50 Commuting and Social Life 30:01 Missing Student Days 30:32 Wrap

What does it really take to get a job after university? Holly speaks with Cardiff Met MSc Project Management graduate Fardous about building a career in the UK after moving from Saudi Arabia. He shares how he made the switch from civil engineering to project management and what he learned from applying for around 80 jobs. Fardous talks about improving his interview skills, building his CV through volunteering and internships, and gaining professional certifications. He also shares how Cardiff Met's Careers Service helped him prepare for interviews and how he progressed from Project Support Officer to Project Manager at the University. In this episode… 00:22 Introducing Fardous 00:46 Why Switch to Project Management 01:37 Post Graduation Anxiety 02:31 Mastering STAR Interviews 03:31 Landing Cardiff Met Role 05:12 Eighty Job Applications 06:35 Staying Motivated 07:51 Standing Out: Applications & Interviews 09:27 Quickfire Questions 12:50 Remote vs Hybrid Interviews 13:58 Money Saving Tips 14:13 Parents as Inspiration 15:03 Career Path 16:14 When I Grow Up 17:40 Choosing Cardiff Met 19:23 Part-Time Work & Studying 20:29 Career Goals 21:08 Skill Spotlight - Problem Solving 23:04 Student Life in Cardiff 23:45 Building the Bengali Society & Community 25:23 Favourite Cardiff Restaurant 26:01 Wrap

What if your first choice doesn't work out? Holly speaks with Cardiff Met Biomedical Science graduate Jemima about finding her career after missing out on her original plan to become a dentist. She got onto Biomedical Science through Clearing and says it was one of the best decisions she made. Jemima now works as a Senior Biomedical Scientist at the Welsh Blood Service. She talks about working in the NHS, finding her feet after graduation, and the twists and turns that led to her current role. Expect practical advice on applications, interviews and building experience, delivered with Jemima's brilliant dry sense of humour. In this episode… 00:33 Meet Jemima 00:52 Dentistry to Biomed 02:33 Welsh Blood Service Role 04:33 Work Culture and Routine 06:04 Graduation Worries 07:02 Horrific Microbiology 08:25 Landing the Dream Job 09:39 Job Search and Applications 11:39 Interview Tips That Work 12:40 Quickfire Questions 15:56 When I Grow Up 18:01 Motivation and Mindset 19:17 Finding Your Science Path 20:32 Clearing and Choosing Cardiff 22:05 Accreditation and Career Goals 24:15 Skill Spotlight: Adaptability 25:50 Cardiff Student Life and Learning 27:38 Wrap

How to secure a graduate job before you graduate. Holly speaks with Cardiff Met Events Management graduate Eliza about changing course, building confidence and gaining experience at university. She shares how she received a job offer while at Glastonbury, and how she now works as a Social Media Events Coordinator and podcast host at Kilroy Travel. Eliza explains how creating content, leading student societies and using LinkedIn helped her stand out to employers. Expect practical advice on navigating a competitive job market, building your confidence, and finding a career that's right for you.

How to land a dream placement as an international student. Holly speaks with Cardiff Met Public Relations and Marketing Management student Muskaan about gaining experience while studying in the UK after moving from Dubai. She shares how she secured a year-long social media placement with Disney Plus. She also talks about working on major campaigns, meeting famous faces, and how becoming Cardiff Met Students' Union Activities and Communities President boosted her confidence and leadership skills. Muskaan explains how she stayed motivated through dozens of applications, tailored every CV, and made the most of Cardiff Met's Careers Service. Expect practical advice on gaining experience, standing out to employers, and building your confidence before graduation. In this episode… 00:00 Episode Teaser 00:31 Meet Muskaan 00:49 Post Uni Career Plans 01:25 Job Market Worries 02:07 Disney Plus Internship 04:23 Landing The Placement 06:04 Standing Out In Interviews 07:02 Finding Hidden Opportunities 07:52 Getting Experience Fast 08:49 Quickfire Questions 11:37 Who Inspired You 12:41 Choosing PR And Marketing 13:40 When I Grow Up 15:33 Why Marketing At Uni 16:28 Picking Cardiff Met 18:08 Working While Studying 19:41 Winning Students’ Union Election 21:25 Skills Spotlight 22:47 Student Life In Cardiff 25:45 Wrap

How to build a business before you graduate. Holly speaks with Cardiff Met strength and conditioning graduate Jake about growing a successful coaching business while studying for his master's. He explains how creating content on Instagram helped him attract clients and what it's really like being self-employed. Jake shares practical advice on building an online presence, staying consistent and managing your time. He also talks about how Cardiff Met's Careers Service helped him launch his business, and why helping people matters more than chasing likes and views. In this episode… 00:00 Episode Teaser 00:26 Meet Jake 00:50 Graduation Plans 01:38 Choosing Masters 02:58 Money Worries 03:55 Running The Business 04:46 Niche Rugby Clients 06:14 Content Strategy 08:17 Grow Social Channels 09:28 Time Management Struggles 10:34 Careers Service Help 12:44 Entrepreneur Advice 13:30 Quickfire Questions 17:37 Jake’s Inspiration 18:32 Purpose Beyond Numbers 20:20 Finding A Career Path 26:30 Skills Spotlight 29:01 Cardiff Student Life 32:34 Favourite Cardiff Spots 33:07 Wrap

How an unpaid placement became a dream job in professional cricket. Holly speaks with Cardiff Met MSc Sport Broadcast graduate Bhavya Doshi, now Digital Content Producer at Glamorgan County Cricket Club. He shares how a placement led to a full-time role, why social media is one of the best ways into the sports industry, and what it's really like creating content for a professional cricket club. And of course all things cricket in Cardiff. Bhavya explains how Cardiff Met helped him build industry-ready skills, why gaining experience can matter more than getting paid at the start of your career, and how networking on LinkedIn opened new opportunities. Expect practical advice for anyone hoping to build a career in sport, media or digital content. And a good amount of chat about Cricket in Cardiff. In this episode… 00:00 Episode Teaser 00:27 Meet Bhavya 00:55 Landing The Glamorgan Cricket Placement 02:03 From Placement To Full-Time Job 03:06 What A Digital Producer Does 04:54 Course Skills And Mentorship 06:33 Standing Out And Unpaid Internships 08:51 Howzat - Cricket Basics 09:45 Cricket Culture At Cardiff Met 12:11 Training Grounds And Match Days 13:12 From Cardiff Met To The Pros 14:55 Cardiff Cricket Scene 16:08 The Experience At Sophia Gardens 16:38 Quick Fire Questions 19:47 When I Grow Up 20:48 Mentor - Alan Wilkins 23:12 Choosing Cardiff Met 24:44 Life In The UK 26:16 Career Goal - Make Cricket Cool 27:03 Skills Spotlight 28:45 Wrap

Building a freelance creative career and being your own boss. Holly speaks with Cardiff Met graphic design and illustration graduate Katie about turning her passion for design into a self-employed business. She explains how she built her portfolio through personal projects and found clients through social media, especially TikTok. Katie also talks about navigating the uncertainty of freelancing, staying open to new opportunities, and how Cardiff Met's Centre for Entrepreneurship helped her get started. Expect practical advice on building a portfolio, finding clients, setting boundaries and making self-employment work. In this episode… 00:00 Episode Teaser 00:35 Meet Katie 01:02 Navigating Life After Uni 02:17 Going Freelance 04:16 Finding a Design Niche 05:14 Landing First Clients 06:20 Managing Uncertainty 09:07 Promoting Yourself on Socials 10:13 University Entrepreneurship Support 11:27 Freelance Advice 12:47 Quick Fire Questions 17:27 Cardiff Coffee Shops 18:26 When I Grow Up 21:36 Choosing Cardiff Met 23:36 Switching to Illustration 25:34 Careers and Clients 28:21 Skills Spotlight 30:32 Student Life in Cardiff 32:49 Wrap

There’s no single route into a creative career. Cardiff Met graduate Duke Al shares his story. A spoken word poet, author and creative practitioner, Duke turned his passion for writing into a freelance career spanning live performances, commissions, workshops, talks and community projects. He shares how writing became an outlet for managing OCD from a young age, why he didn’t share his work publicly until his twenties, and how a volunteering trip to Zambia helped him discover his purpose. Duke also talks about his type 1 diabetes, freelancing, personal branding, social media and the realities of building a creative career on your own terms. In this episode… 00:00 Episode Teaser 00:36 Meet Duke Al 01:05 Poetry Career 02:33 Power of the Pen Workshops 03:43 Clients and Commissions 05:05 Hip Hop to Self-Therapy 05:31 Living With OCD 08:06 Sharing Poetry Publicly 09:38 Quitting for Creativity 12:16 Freelance Support Network 14:49 Social Media Reality Check 16:43 Motivation and Passion 17:26 Zambia Turning Point 20:40 Poem - What gets you of bed in the morning 22:11 Quick Fire Questions 24:38 Skill Spotlight 27:20 Master’s in Creative Writing 30:26 Wrap

The Degree Apprenticeship. What is it and how does it work? This week Holly is joined by Jibreel, a first-year Applied Software Engineering degree apprentice at Cardiff Met, to break down what a degree apprenticeship really involves. Jibreel shares his weekly routine with Legal & General and university. He talks about the balance between study and work, and the benefits of being paid and getting vital work experience at the same time as getting a degree. Jibreel explains what the application process is like (CV, online tests, video interview and assessment centre), and his top advice to cast the net and apply widely for practice. In this episode… 00:00 Episode Teaser 00:21 Holly introduces Jibreel 00:40 Degree Apprenticeships Explained 01:34 Weekly Schedule 03:50 Application Process Breakdown 06:42 Finding Apprenticeships Early 07:59 Why Cardiff and Cardiff Met 08:36 Quick Fire Questions 11:33 When I Grow Up 12:23 Who Inspired You 13:21 Finding Career Direction 16:12 Balancing Work and Uni 18:01 Accommodation 18:31 Skills Spotlight 21:05 Student Life in Cardiff 23:12 Wrap

How do you land a job after university when you keep getting rejected? Holly is joined by Cardiff Met MSc Food Science and Technology graduate Shruti. They talk about job hunting anxiety, ATS / AI CV filtering, and why keywords matter. Shruti reflects on moving from India to Cardiff, the unexpected culture shocks she overcame as well as finding student life very welcoming. She shares her experience in the food industry so far. Starting as a Quality Assurance Lead at Celtic Oriental and then unexpectedly gaining the opportunity to move into management.

Motivation and having the right people around you can make the difference when university feels tough. Holly speaks with Kyla, a BSc Psychology and MSc Health Psychology graduate who studied as a mature student and single mum. They talk about balancing parenting with university, managing imposter syndrome, and staying focused on clear goals. Kyla tells her story of launching her business Lighter Brighter Minds during her master’s, with support from Cardiff Met’s entrepreneurship team, bootcamps, and student networking. In this episode… 00:00 Teaser 00:16 Holly introduces Kyla 00:35 Balancing Mum and Uni Life 01:51 Turning Trauma into Purpose 03:43 Building Lighter Brighter Minds 06:26 From Imposter Syndrome to a First 07:29 Transition into Entrepreneurship 09:14 What is Lighter Brighter Minds 11:13 Advice for Single Parents 12:27 Quick Fire Questions 16:13 Warm Chocolate 16:33 When I Grow Up 18:16 Who Inspires You 19:04 Purpose and Parenting 20:10 Returning to Study 21:53 Seeing the Response 22:44 Why Cardiff Met 26:01 Skills Spotlight: Motivation 28:30 Mature Student Life 30:25 Wrap

Want to know what a placement year is really like? And how it can shape your career before you graduate? Holly is joined by Fin, a fourth-year Business Management (Marketing) student at Cardiff Metropolitan University. He did his placement at Enterprise Mobility and continues working for them, now as Campus Brand Manager. Fin talks about his role and how he discovered the placement through the Cardiff Met Careers Fair. He shares how the placement boosted both his confidence and communication skills, and how it helped him focus on his final year. In this episode… 00:00 Teaser 00:19 Welcome 00:39 Inside the Placement Year 01:20 Plans After Graduation 01:49 Working For A Big Corporate 02:33 What Enterprise Mobility Does 03:18 Finding Placements and Careers Fairs 03:47 Standing Out and Networking Tips 05:12 Quick Fire Questions 07:52 When I Grow Up 08:56 Who Inspired You 09:52 Finding Your Path 10:47 Why Uni? 11:43 Career Support And Cardiff Met 12:31 Ultimate Career Goal 13:08 Skills Spotlight: Communication 14:58 Rugby And Student Life 17:08 Growing Into Adulthood 18:45 Placement Tips And Networking 19:45 Wrap

How do you go from a first-week university commentary gig to travelling the world and commentating for World Rugby? Holly is joined by Cardiff Met Sport Broadcast Master's graduate Rob. He shares how saying yes to opportunities, like being a runner for Amazon Prime at the Autumn Nations, led to bigger roles through hard work, networking and doing a good job. Rob talks about finding his path on the course, building connections, and creating a personal brand portfolio that helped him land his dream work. Rob’s story is incredibly inspirational and not to be missed! In this episode… 00:00 Episode Teaser 00:40 Intro 01:02 Post Uni Feelings 01:35 Biggest Worries 02:22 Rob’s Career So Far 03:15 First Rugby Commentary 04:28 Amazon Prime Runner Gig 06:19 Rugby Sevens & Working In Spain 08:54 From Stats To Commentary 10:49 Networking Over CVs 12:00 Work Hard, Love It 13:48 Quick Fire Questions 16:47 Making Friends At Uni 17:57 Mentors and Inspiration 20:18 When I Grow Up 21:03 Tornado Chaser Story 22:52 Choosing Sport Broadcast 24:33 Applying and Getting In 27:41Personal Branding 28:11 Portfolio Instagram Tips 30:04 Life at Great Days Golf 33:32 Hands-on Learning 34:57 Wrap Up

Holly chats with India, a third-year Product Design student at Cardiff Met, about how she found the courage to switch paths and follow her passion. India shares the benefits of living at home during university, including the ups and downs of making friends, and the importance of taking care of your mental health. She also discusses how switching universities helped her find her people, build her confidence, and discover the right course. In this episode… 00:00 Teaser 00:21 India's Academic Journey 02:06 Living at Home and Mental Health 05:00 Quickfire Questions 12:43 Student Confessions – Super Noodles 14:36 Learning to Cook 16:04 University Decisions and Pressures 17:37 Why Cardiff Met? 20:31 Entrepreneurial Challenges 24:30 Future Plans 25:59 Outro

Holly chats with Kayla, a Master’s Sport Rehabilitation student at Cardiff Met, about what it’s really like moving abroad for university. From the nerves of leaving Canada to finding accommodation and joining the dance team, Kayla shares her experience of studying in the UK. She also talks about her background in kinesiology and future career aspirations in athletic therapy. Also, Holly really loves custard. In this episode… 00:00 Teaser 00:29 Kayla's Journey from Canada to Cardiff 01:40 Nerves and Accommodation 03:17 Making Friends and Social Life 04:18 British Slang 06:01 Academic Pursuits and Career Goals 09:45 Quick Fire Questions 12:08 Advice for Starting Uni 13:05 Ask Holly – Custard 16:10 Food Cravings 17:02 Studying in the UK 19:18 Living in Cardiff 20:58 Outro

Finding independence and her love for Cardiff. Soph, a third-year Textile Design student at Cardiff Met, joins Holly to share her experience of moving from a small village to city life. Living in halls, food shopping, transport and joining the Christian Union. Soph reflects on how university has shaped her. In this episode… 00:00 Teaser 00:17 Meet Soph: A Third-Year Textile Design Student 01:46 Adjusting to University Life 03:17 Living in Halls 04:10 Studying Textile Design 07:18 Quick Fire Questions 09:23 Student Confessions 11:16 Making Friends in Halls 11:46 Deciding to Go to University 13:22 Choosing Cardiff Met 14:54 Becoming a Student Ambassador 16:53 Post-Graduation Plans 20:20 Life in Cardiff 21:29 Outro

What’s it really like studying in the UK? Fakhar travelled from Pakistan to study Data Science at Cardiff Met, and in this episode, he joins Holly to share his story. From first-day nerves to finding independence, he discusses settling into life in Cardiff, making friends through university events, and why stepping out of your comfort zone can change everything. In this episode… 00:00 Episode Teaser 00:20 Meet Fakhar: An International Student's Journey 00:41 Adjusting to Life in the UK 01:33 Settling In and Making Friends 04:53 Accommodation and Independence 06:32 Quick Fire Questions 09:34 Student Confessions 11:13 Challenges of Moving Away from Home 12:01 Studying Data Science 13:57 Exploring Cardiff 16:48 Making Friends as an International Student 17:52 Diversity in Cardiff 19:04 Outro from Holly

From living in halls to whiplash on nights out and managing study stress, Amy talks honestly about the highs and lows of student life. She’s a third-year Graphic Design & Communication student at Cardiff Met and joins Holly to tell her story. Amy shares her favourite Cardiff hangouts and how opportunities at university have shaped her career plans. In this episode… 00:00 Episode Teaser 00:14 Introducing Amy 00:31 Pre-University Nerves and Saying Goodbye 02:17 Making Friends and Settling In 04:03 Living in Halls 05:17 Course Dynamics and Friends 06:39 Pre-Drinks 08:18 Ask Holly 12:16 Quickfire Questions 18:38 University Life and Advice 23:11 Career Plans 25:33 Favourite Things to Do in Cardiff 27:14 Outro from Holly