Industry-Specific Career Paths

I was in Copenhagen a few weeks ago for fashion week, and this time my girlfriend came with me for a few days. Getting an outsider’s perspective of fashion week was pretty eye-opening — How do all these people have so much luggage? Why don’t they smile at the hotel? Don’t they know they’re staying here for free? She couldn’t help but point out just how up and down the whole thing was for me. There’s no simple contentment at fashion week — I was either energized or exhausted, excited or drained. Now that I’m back to my real life in Berlin, I can’t help but think about how fashion week — actually, just working in fashion in general — is catastrophically bad for your mental health. This is not an industry that’s well known for treating people well, and that’s before we talk about money. It’s funny, for an industry that is so openly consumerist, nobody talks about how they afford their lavish lifestyles. It’s an open secret that fashion is overrun with nepo babies, but if you’re not sitting on a trust fund then you’re still pressured to spend, spend, spend like the rich kids. Again, you can imagine the toll that puts on people — this isn’t just a tough industry to work in, it’s one that constantly reminds you of what you’re lacking (do you own any archival Margiela? Will you ever own any archival Margiela?). Sure, comparison is an inevitable part of being human, but fashion takes it to extremes — and it’s not good for us. This week's newsletter is about the emotional and financial toll that working in fashion puts on us, and you can read it here: https://lnkd.in/d_f6q6Bp

Breaking the Class Ceiling After my last post on fashion’s misogyny problem, one comment from stopped me mid-scroll: “The industry is still dominated by women who come from wealth… These girls can afford to do internships for free. Therefore have no incentive to speak up and make a change from within. Some class diversity is the missing piece.” As someone who grew up in a working-class family, it resonated with my lived experience, the PRs that loved the sound of their own voives and the C-suite executives that amplified my imposter syndrome. My reply was simple: True class diversity is the missing piece — and it’s often the most overlooked and/or misunderstood one. Because while some corners of fashion are dominated by privileged (largely white) women, the men sitting across the table are often even more privileged (and even more white). The truth is, privilege isn’t just about gender or ethnicity. It's a gatekeeping of all "others". It’s about class — who can afford to stay, to intern for free, to take risks without ruin. As a recent CNN Style feature (link in the comments) pointed out; “McQueen wouldn’t have made it today. He needed a benefactor in Isabella Blow. There aren’t that many people like Izzy kicking around now.” It's a quote that stirred the comment section, but I wholeheartedly agree. It's not impossible for a child of a taxi drivers to make it 2025 but it's extremely unlikely. Why? With tuition fees up 41%, London rents over £20,000 a year, and catwalk slots costing £30,000, the pathway for working-class creativity has all but collapsed. British Fashion Council CEO Laura Weir is trying to change that — waiving show fees, taking designers back into schools, and decentralising access to opportunity. “It is profoundly difficult to be working-class in Britain,” she told CNN. “The barriers are numerous.” And she’s right. But the barriers are deeper rooted than those faced by emerging designers. Also, those barriers don’t end with design. They cut across PR, publishing, marketing, styling — all the “invisible” creative labour that makes fashion function. And into the wider creative industries too! Fashion’s next frontier isn’t just gender or race diversity. It’s class too. Because when only the privileged can afford to create, we lose what made fashion radical in the first place: risk, urgency, and the raw brilliance born from having nothing to lose. Give working-class kids access to the arts — and history shows what happens. You get McQueen. You get Westwood. You get revolution.

This might be the worst time in decades to leave the military. 130,000+ jobs gone from major corporations already this year. AI eliminating entire job categories overnight. Even tech giants are cutting 15-20% of their workforce. If you're transitioning out of service this year, you're walking into a bloodbath. But here's what the doom-scrollers won't tell you: While UPS cuts 20,000 jobs and Intel sheds 24,000 positions, critical infrastructure companies are desperately hunting for people who understand operational excellence, security, and mission-critical systems. The sectors crying out for military talent: 1️⃣ Data centres - Growing 11% annually, with £40bn investment unlocked in the UK alone. They need people who understand redundancy, physical security, and 24/7 operations. Sound familiar? 2️⃣ Defence contractors - Global defence spending surged 9.4% in 2024 to $2.7 trillion. They need cleared personnel who speak their language. 3️⃣ Energy infrastructure - £40bn annual investment in UK clean energy projects. £35bn grid upgrade by 2031. They need people who can manage complex systems under pressure. 4️⃣ Satellite/Space operations - The space economy has nearly doubled in a decade, growing 7-8% annually. They need people comfortable with technical operations in austere environments. And it's not just the UK - the US is pouring $720 billion into grid infrastructure through 2030, while data centre investment hit $210 billion last year alone. While everyone else fights over the same shrinking pool of corporate jobs, veterans can tap into sectors that specifically value military experience. You compete where discipline matters. Where security clearance has value. Where understanding critical systems is non-negotiable. Where failure is not an option. Yes, the job market is brutal. Yes, AI is changing everything. But if you're smart about where you look, you'll find industries that see your military experience as the solution to their biggest challenges, not just another CV in the pile. The companies laying off thousands? They're cutting customer service, marketing, and middle management. The companies hiring veterans? They're building the infrastructure that keeps the lights on and powers the AI revolution. Choose your battles wisely. And DM me if you need support discovering what's next 🙌

Too many lawyers sell themselves short. They get pigeonholed into purely legal roles because they don’t know how to effectively market their skills to other domains. But the reality is that the skills you develop as a lawyer can take you far beyond the traditional legal sphere. Here are a few reasons why: Lawyers are highly organized and process-oriented. We excel at turning complex problems into simple steps, creating systems, and paying meticulous attention to detail. These skills are invaluable in operational roles. Lawyers are excellent communicators. We’re adept at distilling multi-faceted, highly technical challenges into narratives that focus on the essential, easy-to-understand components. This is a necessary skill for any leader. Lawyers have an uncanny ability to grasp complicated business models quickly and see the big picture. We're used to diving into the nitty-gritty details while keeping an eye on overarching strategy. Lawyers deal in risk assessment and mitigation on a daily basis, which makes us uniquely qualified to take on roles involving business strategy and decision-making. So, how can lawyers leverage these skills to grow beyond traditional legal roles? There are a few common paths I see. Here are some examples within each: 1. Expanding to a GC+ role, like: - Andy Dale at OpenAP (GC + Chief Privacy Officer) - Conor French at Zipline (GC + Chief Regulatory Officer) - Galya Blachman at Enliven Therapeutics (CLO + Head of BD) - Shaun Sethna, our own GC at The L Suite, who manages Content (event programming) and HR in addition to Legal 2. Moving entirely to non-legal leadership roles, like: - Alex Su at Latitude (Chief Revenue Officer) - Abigail Johnson at Sapphire Ventures (COO) - Jason K. at OpenAI (Chief Strategy Officer) - Kristin Sverchek at Lyft (President) - Kent Walker at Google (President, Global Affairs) - Julie Sweet at Accenture (CEO) 3. Starting a company, like: - Jen Berrent at Covenant - Cecilia Ziniti at GC AI - Caroline McCaffery at ClearOps - Ashish Walia and Raad Ahmed at Lawtrades - Jason Boehmig at Ironclad - Shashank Bijapur at SpotDraft - Winston Weinberg at Harvey - Tony Lewis and Kelsey C. from Aumni (sold to JPMorgan) - Eric Berry from TripleLift (sold to Vista Equity Partners) - Renaud Laplanche from LendingClub (now public) and Upgrade There are many, many more examples that I didn’t have space for. The lesson here? Don't let yourself be painted into a legal box. The skills you have learned as a lawyer are incredibly versatile and valuable across various business functions. You just need to learn how to market them.

War is not theoretical. It is real. Brutal. These 12 women? Not making war. Building what stops collapse. Tough systems. Tougher minds. 📌 Dr. Latanza Adjei Builds systems to stop grid failures before they happen. Fuses cyber and physical defense for power infrastructure. Protects energy flow from threats, natural or intentional. Trains future leaders in resilience, not just recovery. 📌 Debra D. Facktor Connects the sky to strategy through aerospace systems. Leads satellite tech enabling real-time defense awareness. Builds cross-sector teams bridging space and security. Turns orbit into foresight, not just observation. 📌 Heather Gordon, PhD Builds AI tools that predict before threats unfold. Her models guide strategy in crises and conflict zones. Turns data noise into clear battlefield decisions. Leads with code, and responsibility. 📌 Alexandra E. Graham, PhD, MBA Develops radar systems that spot danger in microseconds. Her sensors power air, sea, and ground response. Blends signal processing with global tech strategy. Designs what detection looks like, before it’s too late. 📌 Larissa S. Fenn, PhD, MBA Engineers materials that shield without slowing down. Her coatings protect vehicles without the weight. Bridges lab science and field-tested durability. Builds defense tech from the molecule up. 📌 Feodora Kurtz Maps the future of defense through emerging tech. Scouts innovation across aerospace and security sectors. Advises on deals that shape tomorrow’s arsenal. Brings strategy to the edge of what’s next. 📌 Kenitra Halyard Keeps critical systems running when threats hit hardest. Leads secure ops for national energy infrastructure. Plans for what can’t go down, and won’t. Builds continuity into the heart of defense. 📌 Sridevi Narayan-Sarathy, PhD Designs resilient food systems for crisis logistics. Her biotech innovations support military supply chains. Links biology, defense, and infrastructure at scale. Makes readiness something you can grow. 📌 Devangi Gandhi Builds smart facilities that think like secure systems. Integrates automation with airtight defense protocols. Her work protects what houses everything else. Turns buildings into active lines of defense. 📌 Radhika Shukla Secures the cloud where defense comms live. Builds platforms that resist breaches, not just patch them. Her work protects mission-critical data in real time. Makes security a foundation, not a fix. 📌 Alia Potterbaum Moves the materials that keep defense running. Leads secure logistics for energy and infrastructure. Plans supply lines with zero margin for error. Keeps readiness ready, down to the last bolt. 📌 Julia Madhani Manages global partnerships in defense supply chains. Aligns aerospace teams across borders and timelines. Builds trust where tech and strategy converge. Keeps collaboration moving at mission speed. These women work in hard systems. They are not making war, they’re building what prevents collapse. Uncomfortable? It should be.

According to the LinkedIn 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓, green talent is growing 3.4 times faster than overall talent demand. Yet only 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥. This gap is reshaping what the future of work looks like. Between 2020 and 2024, global green talent grew by 27 percent, while India grew even faster at 32 percent. Green job postings on LinkedIn increased by 22 percent last year. Sectors like renewable energy and construction now show 40 percent higher demand for green skilled professionals, and finance and consulting have seen a 26 percent surge in ESG and sustainability related roles. Sustainability is no longer a specialised domain. It is becoming a foundational capability across industries. In Asia Pacific, where green upskilling demand is rising the fastest worldwide, India is among the top markets where the gap between green skills demand and supply is widening at the quickest pace. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐣𝐨𝐛. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲. From client work and observing teams, one pattern is consistent. Professionals who can translate sustainability into everyday decision making get invited into different conversations. Their work becomes strategic rather than transactional. 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝𝐈𝐧 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞 Sustainability strategy Environmental management Circular economy thinking Carbon accounting Renewable energy systems ESG reporting Climate risk assessment People who start using language like “we optimise for resource efficiency” or “we evaluate material impact before execution” begin to stand out. They signal readiness for a future that is already here. Sustainability is becoming a marker of credibility, not a job title. 𝐀 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 Relevance in the coming decade will belong to those who embed green thinking into their current roles long before they apply for a green job. 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐱 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲? Source: LinkedIn Green Skills Report 2025 #LinkedInGreenSkills #COP30 #FutureOfWork #CareerGrowth #Sustainability #GreenSkills #GreenerTogether #LinkedInNewsIndia

Construction vs AI in 2025: Advice to young people asking for career advice: Young professionals keep asking me for career guidance. I feel for them - I never got any useful advice myself. Construction has always been the "steady option": - Persistent demand for skilled workers - Relatively digitally-resistant (for now) - Trades earning exceptional money in today's market - Can't outsource physical building work But the industry faces serious image problems: → Long hours and demanding conditions → Not perceived as "sexy" or innovative → Tradesmen not seen as vital for the industry  → People leaving in droves → Head contractors operating on razor thin margins → Toxic culture in some regions (UK particularly) The smart approach for today's young people considering a career in construction? Find the intersection: skillset + AI expertise + digital knowledge Companies like Hutchies are doing it right: - Taking on cadets - Rotating them through different departments - Helping them find their niche - Building skills across disciplines My advice to young people considering construction: 1. Look for companies that offer apprenticeships or rotation programs 2. Learn how to leverage apps and AI for construction efficiency 3. Focus on skills that enhance rather than compete with automation 4. Build expertise in areas machines can't easily replace The most valuable construction professionals of the future won't just know building. They'll know how to make technology build better. What's your advice for young people considering construction careers? Share below 👇

So you want to become a financial planner? You’ve heard it’s a brilliant career. It is. But where do you start? 🤔 Here’s a list I wish I’d seen when I was starting out. 6 real routes into financial planning, whether you’re a fresh graduate, a career changer or an expat ready for a new chapter. 🌍 1. Big-name Academies • St. James's Place Financial Adviser Academy • Quilter Financial Planning School • The Openwork Partnership Academy • Aviva Adviser Academy • Evelyn Partners Graduate Programme • M&G Investments •Mattioli Woods 2. Boutique Firms & Chartered Practices • Paradigm Norton Financial Planning • First Wealth | Certified B Corp • Foster Denovo • Baggette + Co. Wealth Management • Melbourne Capital Group 🌏 (in Malaysia 🇲🇾) • boosst - Financial Planning •Ascot Lloyd 3. Paraplanning or Admin Routes The ‘learn by doing’ path. Start behind the scenes and grow. • Administrator → Paraplanner → Adviser • Many smaller IFAs will support you if you show passion. • Study alongside your role. Build depth. 4. Apprenticeships & University Pathways • Degrees in Financial Planning (Coventry University Sheffield Hallam University The Manchester Metropolitan University University of the West of England Birmingham City University University of South Wales • Level 4 Financial Adviser Apprenticeships Often overlooked. But smart, funded, and growing. 5. DIY, Self-study & LinkedIn No academy? No problem. • Study DipFA, Chartered Insurance Institute, The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (The CISI) or LIBF independently • Post your journey on LinkedIn • Network. Volunteer. Ask for a mentor. • Join Plannex ® (formerly NextGen Planners) The Verve Foundation You have fabulous training organisations such as Bespoke Training Solutions, Redmill Advance - Adviser CPD & Exam Support and Brand Financial Training to support you. 6. Expat & Offshore Opportunities Already Diploma-qualified (or close)? • Move abroad: Malaysia 🇲🇾, Thailand 🇹🇭, Middle East 🌍, Portugal 🇵🇹, Spain 🇪🇸 • Serve global clients. Get mentored. Join an international firm like ours. • Big adventure. Huge impact. Whichever route you take just take one. And if you’re unsure where to start, drop me a message. I’ll do my best to help. I hope this post helps you. 🤞 This could be the start of a new exciting journey into our wonderful world of financial planning! 👍😊 Rob 🩵 #FinancialPlanning #CareerChange #NextGenPlanners #MelbourneCapitalGroup #TraineeAdviser #AdviceGap #AdviserGap #ParaplannerToAdviser #InternationalFinanancialPlanner #AsiaRoles #UKAdviserPathways #Mentoring #ProfessionalGrowth

From Steel Melting Shop to Consulting via India’s Largest Automotive Manufacturer: My Journey of Pivoting If you’re a young professional dreaming of pivoting into consulting but feeling stuck in a technical or non-business role, let me share a piece of the story. I began my career in the Steel Melting Shop at Jindal Stainless, where the focus was on operational efficiency, and tracking various production and maintenance KPIs. Then transitioned into Research and Development of Maruti Suzuki India Limited. At the time, I never imagined that this foundation would someday lead me to consulting. But it did. Here’s how: 1️⃣ Building Transferable Skills: Working on the shop floor taught me problem-solving, decision-making under pressure, and the ability to analyze processes for optimization. These skills may seem industry-specific, but they are the backbone of consulting too. 2️⃣ Embracing a Growth Mindset: I constantly sought to understand why things worked the way they did. This curiosity pushed me to learn beyond my role, from production analytics to cost-saving measures — planting the seeds of a consulting mindset. 3️⃣ Taking Calculated Risks: Transitioning from the core industry to consulting wasn’t easy. It required upskilling, networking, and stepping out of my comfort zone. Certifications in analytics and business tools like Power BI, SQL, and SAP helped bridge the gap. 4️⃣ Storytelling Your Experience: During interviews, I didn’t hide my technical background. Instead, I turned it into my unique advantage, showcasing how my manufacturing expertise could help businesses improve efficiency and profitability. Today, as a consultant specializing in data and analytics, I collaborate with stakeholders from diverse industries, solving business challenges with innovative solutions. But it all began in the heat of a steel furnace, where I first learned the art of problem-solving. To anyone looking to pivot into consulting: 🌟 Leverage your current strengths: No matter where you are, the skills you gain can have broader applications. 🌟 Upskill intentionally: Learn the tools, frameworks, and approaches valued in consulting. 🌟 Network with purpose: Build connections with professionals who can guide and mentor you through the transition. Your background is not a limitation; it’s your differentiator. With determination and the right steps, you can forge your path. #Career #YoungProfessionals #DataAndAnalytics #ProblemSolving #consulting

I need everyone to pay attention to this workforce trend. 👀 We keep hearing about the rise of AI... But you know what’s rising with it? The demand for trades. Not eventually, but right now. To power AI, you need data centers. To build data centers, you need electricians, plumbers, welders, HVAC techs, system designers...real-world builders. Here's some data to back up the theory: 🔌 North America’s data center vacancy just hit a record low of 1.6%...meaning supply can’t keep up with demand. [source: CBRE] A 1.6% vacancy rate means that almost every available data center is already being used. And there aren't enough physical facilities (with power, cooling, wiring, plumbing, etc.) to run their systems at scale. 💰 U.S. data center spending is now over $40B annually, growing 30% year-over-year. [source: Reuters] Real money is already being spent on PHYSICAL infrastructure, not just software and chips. Every part of the build cycle needs to move faster, including the physical labor piece. And when we think about this labor. It should be granular. From planning and site prep to construction, wiring, plumbing, and ongoing maintenance. It all has to be in place. 📈 Employment for electricians is projected to grow 9% through 2034, which is faster than average. That’s ~80,000 openings every year. [source: BLS] A note on these skills, it's not just AI that needs this work. It's also in industries like clean energy, smart infrastructure, advanced manufacturing & robotics, and logistics. (Do your own research here). Here’s what all this means: You don’t need to write a line of code or vibe build anything to ride the AI wave. You can physically wire it, weld it, install it, and scale it. The next millionaires might not be software engineers....They might be the ones who own the companies that build the foundation that AI stands on. If you’re mid-career and rethinking where opportunity lives…Don’t just look at the cloud. Look at the infrastructure and systems that's holding it up. Resources: + The Home Depot currently has a free skilled trades training program that covers the basics of General Construction, Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing, Painting, and more. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/g8fhVDdi + Google also has a skilled trades program called STAR that's free + paid. They train in construction, carpentry, mechanical, electrical, and fiber optics. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gpMxQTtv ☕ Déja White