The Back to Me Podcast

About The Back to Me Podcast

Founder and CEO of The Back to Me Podcast (@thebacktomepodcast), Yoli Tamu (@yolitamuofficial) hosts this college-focused podcast inspired by college students across the nation. The Back to Me Podcast was created to answer many questions posed by college freshmen entering this new environment and college graduates heading out into a new world as young adults. Every week, students will be inspired and encouraged by self-affirming interviews and tips to succeed in college and in a career they love.

Publisher

Yoli Tamu

Category

education · religion & spirituality · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

31 Jul 2020

Latest episode

21 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

224 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   21 Oct 2026

   225. Earn While You Learn in Automotive Careers with Steve Borio

   What if a high school field trip introduced you to your future career and eventually brought you back to teach the next generation? As we continue our “Built to Move” Trade and Transportation series, we welcome Steve Borio, Automotive Technology Instructor and Ford ASSET Instructor at Cerritos College. With 30 years of automotive experience, including 27 years at a Ford dealership, Mr. Borio shares how an early visit to Cerritos sparked his interest in the field. Along the way, he discovered that helping others learn the job was just as rewarding as working on vehicles. He introduces the Ford ASSET program, an earn while you learn pathway that combines classroom theory with mentored, hands-on experience at a Ford dealership as students work toward an associate degree and Ford certifications. From electric vehicles and emerging diagnostic technology to management opportunities, explore a field that requires continuous learning and offers possibilities beyond just turning a wrench. Whether you are a student, parent, or career changer, this conversation offers a practical look at training, dealership partnerships, and building a professional network. In the classroom and shop, Mr. Borio emphasizes more than technical skills. Through real dealership examples, guided practice, and mentorship, he helps students develop critical thinking, diagnostic confidence, and professional habits such as communication and accountability. He is committed to creating a welcoming environment for women, first-generation students, and those entering automotive with little experience, helping them see themselves as capable professionals with a place in the industry. To learn more about Mr. Borio and the Ford ASSET program, visit Cerritos.edu and connect with him via email at sborio@cerritos.edu.

2. 

   14 Oct 2026

   224. Finding Your Path in HVAC/R with Stephen Shute

   Ready to explore working with your hands and using your brain in ways you never expected? As we continue our “Built to Move” Trade and Transportation series, we welcome Stephen Shute, HVAC/R Organizer at United Association (UA) Local 250 and Industry and Technology Instructor at El Camino College. With 44 years of experience in heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration, Mr. Shute shares the opportunities for career growth in this essential trade. From residential systems to commercial and industrial facilities, aerospace, and medical environments, he reveals a field that reaches far beyond keeping homes comfortable. Discover how to pursue this pathway through the UA Local 250’s Apprenticeship Program and what it takes to succeed. In his role as a UA Local 250 union organizer in Los Angeles, California, Mr. Shute focuses on community engagement and workforce development, helping remove barriers for local community members seeking entry into union apprenticeship programs and careers in the building trades. He has also represented UA Local 250 in advocating for major regional projects and Project Labor Agreements, such as clean energy infrastructure initiatives that support local job creation. To learn more about Mr. Shute and the UA Local 250 Apprenticeship Program, visit their website at SoCalHVACR.info to apply by January 2027 and to learn more about their training, visit HVACR.JJATC.com. You may also connect with Mr. Shute via email at stephen.s@ua250.org.

3. 

   7 Oct 2026

   223. Mapping the Future of Trade and Transportation with Dr. Tom O’Brien

   What does it mean to prepare students not only to earn a degree, but to thrive in a rapidly changing workforce? This month, we introduce ‘Built to Move,’ our new Trade and Transportation series! In this episode, Dr. Thomas O’Brien, Associate Dean in the College of Professional and Continuing Education at California State University, Long Beach, returns to share how higher education, workforce development, international education, and industry partnerships can work together to create meaningful career pathways for traditional and nontraditional learners. Discover how students can build English-language skills alongside discipline-specific training, earn self-paced AI certificates, and translate work and life experience into college credit and credentials employers recognize. It is time to see yourself as a global citizen with career opportunities that extend beyond one field, one employer, or one location. ⁠ Dr. O’Brien completed both his Doctorate of Philosophy in Urban Planning/Transportation and his Masters in Planning at University of Southern California (USC). He is also the Director of the CA Local Technical Assistance Program (CALTAP) Center and Deputy Director of the METRANS Transportation Consortium, a partnership of CSULB and the University of Southern California. He previously served as Executive Director of the Center for International Trade and Transportation (CITT) also at CSULB. His teaching and research focus on logistics, supply chain management, and goods movement policy, as well as transportation workforce development. To learn more about Dr. O’Brien and his work, connect with him on LinkedIn or email him at Tom.Obrien@csulb.edu.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

3 ratings