In the past year, I have interviewed leaders across government, business, and education. One message is clear: no one knows with certainty what the jobs of the future will be. But if anyone has a perspective on how to prepare for them, it’s Jacqui Lloyd. From a career that started in daycare to shaping the skills and capabilities of the future at some of the world’s most prominent technology companies – Microsoft, and most recently, Citi – Jacqui has dedicated her career to inspiring, enabling, and empowering others. A multi-award-winning LGBTQ speaker and advocate, as well as an EMCC-accredited coach, she brings a unique perspective to the intersection of talent, inclusion, and the future of work. I sat down with her last week to learn more about her journey, her insights, and what it really takes to build a workforce ready for tomorrow.

Kathryn Parsons: Jacqui, you’ve done incredible work establishing apprenticeships at some of the world’s biggest companies, including Citi. For someone unfamiliar with apprenticeships, how would you describe them?

Jacqui Lloyd: It’s simple: earn while you learn! Apprenticeships offer people the chance to step into an organisation, earn a salary, and spend at least 20% of their time gaining professional qualifications and becoming competent in a specific role. And they’re available in almost every sector – you can do a modern apprenticeship in nearly any job you can think of. It’s a world away from the old-fashioned view that apprenticeships were just for mechanics or engineers.

More importantly, apprenticeships aren’t just for school leavers. I’ve worked on programmes for people returning to work after a career break, as well as those looking to completely switch industries. It’s an incredible way to make career transitions possible.

KP: So apprenticeships aren’t just an alternative to university?

JL: Exactly. They’re a powerful way to bring diverse talent into businesses – especially people who might not have followed the traditional university route. Too often, organisations have a rigid view of what “talent” looks like. I love finding talent that might otherwise be overlooked – people who didn’t go to university because it wasn’t financially viable or just because they learn best by doing. Apprenticeships open doors to careers people never thought they could have.

I’ve seen this firsthand. I’ve worked with people who grew up near Canary Wharf but assumed they’d never set foot inside an investment bank, let alone work in one. I wanted to change that.

KP: Who was Jacqui before Microsoft, and Citi? How did you end up working at some of the world’s largest companies?

JL: If you had told teenage me that one day I’d be working in talent strategy for some of the world’s biggest firms, I wouldn’t have believed you. I didn’t do particularly well in my GCSEs and  A-Levels were a disaster. When I left school, I felt like I had been written off. It was obvious I wasn’t going to university and had no career advice from school. I was presented with just two options: “hair or care”. I wasn’t interested in hair, but I loved babies and young children, so I became a qualified nursery nurse. I worked with children with learning difficulties and disabilities, which I absolutely loved – and it’s also where I met my wife, Gerry.  I learnt so much from those children and young people and will be forever grateful for that time in my career. 

From there, I took a job with social services as a daycare regulation officer, registering and inspecting early years care. Eventually, I worked for Ofsted, enforcing the Children’s Act.  In 2007 I was given the opportunity to study for a sponsored degree.

I saw it as my chance to prove to myself what I was capable of. I applied to the University of Sheffield because it had the best early years education program. The only problem? They only offered a postgraduate master’s degree. But I think they saw something in me, because they let me in! Finishing my master’s was one of the proudest moments of my life.

In 2010, I took voluntary redundancy. Just as I was figuring out my next move, Sheffield reached out and asked me to teach on the same course I had just completed. I was floored. To top that, they then asked me to write a PhD proposal. For someone who had once felt written off by the education system, it was surreal.

My research focused on the experiences of LGBTQ educators. I had spent my career in early education mostly closeted, and I wanted to make a difference for LGBQT early years educators.

KP: But you didn’t end up becoming Dr. Lloyd?

JL: No! I had a crossroads moment. Academia wasn’t my calling. A connection with a leader at Amazon, who then went on to head up Talent Acquisition at Microsoft,  changed everything. She saw potential in me and took a bet on me. 

This was quite a pivotal moment for me as she invited me to an event which was being hosted at Microsoft. I nearly didn’t go – I was terrified. Imposter syndrome was screaming at me. I thought I wouldn’t be able to hold a conversation with all these impressive people. But my wife gave me a pep talk, and I went. I spent most of the night loitering at the back, but  Microsoft saw something in me.

Before I knew it, I was working on talent strategy at Microsoft, focused on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion,  yet my imposter syndrome nearly stopped me in my tracks. But I kept pushing forward. I made a promise to myself: even if I didn’t know how to do something, I would say, “I don’t know… yet. But I’ll give it a go.” That mindset changed everything for me.

KP: Tell me more about the culture of learning at Microsoft?

JL: During the time I worked at Microsoft, Satya Nadella joined as CEO, and he was all about a “learn-it-all” culture rather than a “know-it-all” one. That resonated with me. It gave me the confidence to say yes to opportunities that scared me. I went from quivering at the thought of public speaking to representing Microsoft on stage at The Royal Society. And that’s when I found myself leading apprenticeship programs – because it was all about learning.

KP: What’s your advice to someone who feels like they can’t re-skill or change careers?

JL: I always share my story. People can be so fixed in their idea of what they’re capable of. I was certainly experiencing self-limiting beliefs and I know only too well, how that can negatively effect you. If you’ve been out of the workforce, your confidence takes a hit. My advice? Get comfortable being uncomfortable and remember that every day is a school day. These have become my mantras for life. There are always opportunities to learn – if you’re open to them.

Most importantly, organisations need to take a bet on people. I was successful because others took a chance on me, and now I pay that forward. Talent doesn’t always look how you expect it to.

KP: What’s next for you?

JL: A couple of years ago I decided to ‘eat my own lunch’ and completed an apprenticeship. I had been coaching for years but wanted to build on my knowledge and experience, and formalise my learning,  so I completed  a Level 5 Coaching Apprenticeship, which is so exciting. The learning never stops for me. Therefore I am looking forward to building out my coaching practice and utilising my skills and expertise in DEI and Apprenticeships to help other organisations and individuals reach their potential.  

KP: And AI – are you scared?

JL: Not at all! I love technology. AI is exciting. Of course, we need to be mindful of bias, when building and designing technology solutions but humans will always play a critical role in organisations. I would encourage people to embrace AI for the tasks which can be executed efficiently by technology, and then focus on key human skills that they can bring to their roles, such as critical thinking, problem solving, communication and emotional intelligence. I genuinely believe companies that double down on diversity will thrive. Diversity fuels innovation. My message to businesses thinking of stepping back from DEI? Be brave. The rewards are huge.

 

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