Are you a beauty, spa, or wellness professional ready to take your career to the next level? Whether you're a therapist or manager looking to transition into education and training, I'm No Rookie is the podcast for you.
I’m Ayo Bamgbose, your host, mentor, and fellow professional with over 20 years of experience in the beauty, wellness, and education sectors. I’ve walked the path from the treatment room to the classroom, and I’m here to guide you on your own journey.
This podcast is designed specifically for professionals like you—passionate, skilled, and eager to make a bigger impact.
Each fortnight, we’ll dive into topics that matter most, including how to leverage your expertise, develop new skills, and position yourself as an educator or trainer in this vibrant industry.
From practical strategies and industry trends to inspirational stories, every episode is packed with insights to help you thrive in your next chapter.
Join me on I’m No Rookie, and let’s turn your experience into a lasting legacy of teaching, mentorship, and growth. Your next step starts here—are you ready? Let’s dive in.
#116: QTS vs QTLS: Which One Do You Actually Need?
You find a teaching or lecturer role that sounds like a great fit. You have the industry experience, teaching experience and qualifications, then you spot QTS or QTLS in the person specification.
Does that mean you're not qualified for the role? Do you need to gain another qualification? And what's the difference between QTS and QTLS anyway?
In this episode of I'm No Rookie, Ayo Bamgbose looks at the difference between QTS and QTLS after noticing both appearing regularly while searching for tutor and lecturer opportunities. She shares what she discovered, who each route is relevant to and why your starting point shouldn't automatically be another qualification.
What You'll Learn
In this episode, you'll learn:
The difference between QTS and QTLS and the types of teaching settings they're associated with
What you currently need to be eligible for QTLS and what the six-month professional formation process involves
Why looking at real job descriptions can help you decide which qualifications or professional status you may need next
Most importantly, you'll hear why it makes sense to start with the career and teaching environment you want, then work backwards to identify what you actually need to get there.
Resources Mentioned
Thinking about QTLS?
QTLS is awarded through the Education Training Foundation. Check the current eligibility requirements, application dates, fees and professional formation process before applying.
Education Training Foundation: [Find out more about QTLS] (https://etfoundation.co.uk/membership/status/qualified-teacher-learning-skills-qtls/)
Thinking About Becoming an Educator?
If teaching or training is something you've been considering, don't rule yourself out before you've explored what's possible.
Developing Educators Academy offers the CIBTAC Level 3 Award and Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training, as well as the Level 3 Assessor qualification.
Download the course brochure (https://www.developingeducatorsacademy.com/brochure)
Enjoyed this episode?
If you found this conversation helpful, I'd really appreciate it if you subscribed to I'm No Rookie and left a review on your favourite podcast platform.
Your reviews help more experienced beauty, spa and wellness professionals discover the podcast and realise they're not alone in thinking about what comes next.
Connect with Me
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayo-bamgbose-assoc-cipd-ma-msc-bsc/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayo-bamgbose-assoc-cipd-ma-msc-bsc/)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/developingeducatorsacademy (https://www.facebook.com/developingeducatorsacademy)
Website: https://www.developingeducatorsacademy.com/ (https://www.developingeducatorsacademy.com/)
15 Sept 2026
#115: Your Career Might Be Changing Before You Realise It
Sometimes your career starts changing before you've made a firm decision about where you're going next.
You might find yourself becoming interested in different opportunities, learning new skills or stepping into spaces that weren't part of your original career plan. What makes this stage difficult is that you can't always see where it's leading while you're in it.
In this episode of I'm No Rookie, Ayo Bamgbose reflects on how starting her PhD introduced her to opportunities she didn't know existed, from presenting research and writing academic papers to submitting abstracts and proposals.
She explores what can happen when experienced professionals allow themselves to become beginners again and why you don't always need to know exactly where a new direction will take you before taking the first step.
What You'll Learn
Why some career opportunities only become visible once you start moving in a new direction
How stepping outside familiar environments can change what you see as possible for your career
Why becoming a beginner again can introduce you to opportunities you couldn't have planned for
Thinking About Becoming an Educator?
If teaching or training is something you've been considering, don't rule yourself out before you've explored what's possible.
Developing Educators Academy offers the CIBTAC Level 3 Award and Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training, as well as the Level 3 Assessor qualification.
Download the course brochure (https://www.developingeducatorsacademy.com/brochure)
Enjoyed this episode?
If you found this conversation helpful, I'd really appreciate it if you subscribed to I'm No Rookie and left a review on your favourite podcast platform.
Your reviews help more experienced beauty, spa and wellness professionals discover the podcast and realise they're not alone in thinking about what comes next.
Connect with Me
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayo-bamgbose-assoc-cipd-ma-msc-bsc/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayo-bamgbose-assoc-cipd-ma-msc-bsc/)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/developingeducatorsacademy (https://www.facebook.com/developingeducatorsacademy)
Website: https://www.developingeducatorsacademy.com/ (https://www.developingeducatorsacademy.com/)
1 Sept 2026
#114 What Are You Assuming Instead of Checking?
Sometimes we rule ourselves out of opportunities based on assumptions we've carried for years.
Perhaps it's a job you don't think you're qualified for, a career change that feels out of reach, or an experience from your past that still influences the decisions you make today.
In this episode of I'm No Rookie, Ayo shares what happened when she finally questioned an assumption that had influenced her career choices for almost twenty years, and why sometimes the first step forward is simply finding out the facts.
What You'll Learn
How old experiences can continue to influence the career opportunities you consider today.
Why assumptions can quietly become barriers when we never stop to question them.
Why taking action can be as simple as asking a question, checking the requirements or getting the information you need.
Thinking About Becoming an Educator?
If teaching or training is something you've been considering, don't rule yourself out before you've explored what's possible.
Developing Educators Academy offers the CIBTAC Level 3 Award and Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training, as well as the Level 3 Assessor qualification.
Download the course brochure (https://www.developingeducatorsacademy.com/brochure)
Enjoyed this episode?
If you found this conversation helpful, I'd really appreciate it if you subscribed to I'm No Rookie and left a review on your favourite podcast platform.
Your reviews help more experienced beauty, spa and wellness professionals discover the podcast and realise they're not alone in thinking about what comes next.
Connect with Me
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayo-bamgbose-assoc-cipd-ma-msc-bsc/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayo-bamgbose-assoc-cipd-ma-msc-bsc/)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/developingeducatorsacademy (https://www.facebook.com/developingeducatorsacademy)
Website: https://www.developingeducatorsacademy.com/ (https://www.developingeducatorsacademy.com/)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
26,323
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
8 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 71 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
94
Social presence
0
YouTube
72
Engagement
51
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