Latest / The Comeback Career Podcast with Fexingo: Returning After a Gap, Stay-at-Home Re-Entry / How a Former Teacher Returned as a Learning and Development Manager
Transcript
- Lucas: So there's this stat from LinkedIn's workplace learning report that says spending on corporate training has nearly doubled since 2020, and I think it's one of those quiet trends that's creating a real opening for people who've been out of the workforce. Luna: That's interesting. I wouldn't have guessed that. What's driving it? Lucas: A lot of it is the pace of change, right? Companies are having to upskill employees constantly because of new software, remote work dynamics, even AI adoption. And they can't always hire external consultants for everything. So they're building internal learning and development teams, and that's where someone with a teaching background can be a perfect fit. Luna: Sounds like we should talk about a specific person. Who did you find? Lucas: Her name is Sarah, and she's a former middle school science teacher who took seven years off to raise her kids. She just landed a role as a learning and development manager at a tech company with about three hundred employees. And the thing is, she didn't stumble into it. She engineered it. Luna: So what was her first move? I imagine after seven years out, the resume felt stale. Lucas: Exactly. She told me the first thing she did was stop thinking about her resume as a chronological list and start thinking about it as a skills inventory. She looked at what teachers actually do every day, and she reframed it in corporate language. Lesson planning became curriculum design. Classroom management became stakeholder engagement. Parent-teacher conferences became client communication. Luna: That's a reframe I've heard before, but it still feels powerful. How did she make it concrete though, beyond the resume? Lucas: That's where she got smart. During her gap, she started creating a portfolio. Not paid work, but she built a small library of training modules on topics like onboarding and data privacy. She used free tools, recorded herself presenting, even designed a couple of simple e-learning lessons. That portfolio became her proof of skill. Luna: So she wasn't just claiming she could train people. She showed actual samples. That's a differentiator. Lucas: Right. And it's a tactic anyone can copy, even with minimal tech skills. You don't need expensive software. There are free tools for recording and editing, and you can host it on a simple webpage. The point is to have something tangible that says, 'Here's what I can do.' Luna: Did she worry that being out of touch with current trends would hurt her? I mean, seven years is a long time. Lucas: She did, but she turned it into an advantage. She spent the last year of her gap doing what she called 'active listening.' She started following HR and l and d people on LinkedIn, joined a few professional groups, and listened to podcasts like this one. By the time she interviewed, she could talk about current trends in microlearning and blended learning, and she could even reference the same reports I just mentioned. Luna: So she did her homework. But I'm curious about the actual job hunt. Did she apply cold, or did she network her way in? Lucas: Mostly network, and she was really strategic about it. She reached out to former colleagues who had moved into corporate roles, and she asked for informational interviews rather than job leads. In one of those conversations, she mentioned her portfolio, and that led to a referral for the job she eventually got. The hiring manager later told her the portfolio was what sealed it. Luna: Interesting. So the portfolio wasn't just for the interview. It was also a networking tool. Lucas: Exactly. And it's a great example of how a gap doesn't have to be a liability. In her case, it was actually a period of intentional skill-building, even if she didn't fully realise it at the time. Luna: What about the salary? You mentioned a jump earlier. How did that work out? Lucas: So she was making about forty-five thousand as a teacher. She just negotiated eighty-five thousand for the l and d role. That's nearly double. And she told me she wouldn't have had the confidence to negotiate if she hadn't done that market research during her gap. She knew the range for that role in her city, and she went in prepared. Luna: That's a huge leap, especially for someone coming back after a long break. What's the catch? Is there a downside people should know about? Lucas: The catch is that learning and development roles can be seen as a 'nice to have' in some companies. When budgets tighten, training is sometimes the first thing cut. So it's important to look for companies that genuinely invest in employee development, not just those that talk about it. Sarah got lucky because her company has a strong learning culture. Luna: Good point. So how should a listener evaluate whether a company is serious about l and d? Lucas: Look for signals like a dedicated learning platform, a budget line for training, and whether they have a chief learning officer or similar role. Also, ask in the interview: 'What's the budget for professional development per employee?' If they can't answer, that's a red flag. Luna: That's a great question to ask. I'm also thinking about the broader trend. Why are companies investing more in this now? Lucas: Partly it's the war for talent. Employers know that offering learning opportunities is a key retention tool, especially for younger workers. Also, automation and AI are changing job roles, so companies need to reskill existing employees rather than hire new ones. That's a more cost-effective strategy than layoffs and rehiring. Luna: And that's where a teacher's skill set becomes incredibly valuable. They know how to break down complex concepts, create engaging lessons, and assess whether someone has actually learned something. Those are all core l and d competencies. Lucas: Exactly. And it's not just teachers. Anyone who has trained others in any context, whether it's coaching kids' sports or leading a volunteer group, can start building that portfolio and positioning themselves for these roles. Luna: So what's the biggest mistake people make when they try this pivot? Lucas: They try to hide the gap instead of owning it. Sarah's approach was the opposite. She put 'career break for family' right on her resume, and then she filled that period with the self-directed projects she was doing. She turned the gap into a period of professional development, which is more honest and more compelling than pretending it didn't happen. Luna: That's a powerful shift in mindset. And I love that she used the gap to build something, not just wait it out. Lucas: Right. And honestly, that's something we see a lot on this show. The people who come back strongest are the ones who used the time off to reflect, learn, and create, even if they didn't have a grand plan at the start. Luna: Speaking of that, you know, shows like this take a lot of time to put together, and we're able to keep it ad-free because a handful of listeners chip in monthly through buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a small group, but it's what keeps us going. Lucas: Yeah, it's genuinely listener-funded, and we're grateful for every bit of support. But let's get back to Sarah's story, because she also had to navigate the interview process itself. What were some of the questions she got? Luna: I bet they asked about her lack of corporate experience. How did she handle that? Lucas: She anticipated it. She had a stock answer that went something like, 'Teaching is a high-stakes environment where I had to manage multiple stakeholders, adapt to changing curriculums, and deliver measurable results. Those skills transfer directly to corporate training.' And she backed it up with examples from her portfolio. Luna: It's all about confidence and preparation. And I suppose having that portfolio made her feel more secure going in. Lucas: Definitely. She said it was like bringing a teacher's lesson plan to a job interview. It gave her structure and a sense of control. She even had a sample module she could walk them through, which made the interview more of a workshop than a q and a. Luna: That's smart. What advice would she give to someone who's considering this path but is still in the middle of a gap? Lucas: She says to start small. Pick one topic you're passionate about and create a ten-minute training video. It doesn't have to be perfect. Just get the reps in. Then share it with a friend or a former colleague and ask for feedback. That's how you build the portfolio one piece at a time. Luna: And don't wait until you feel ready. You'll never feel ready. Just start creating. Lucas: Exactly. And the other piece of advice is to use your network, but do it thoughtfully. Ask for advice, not favors. People are more willing to help when you're seeking their expertise, not just a job. Luna: So for someone listening who's a former teacher or just someone who loves to teach, what's the one thing they should do this week? Lucas: This week, write down five skills you have that are relevant to corporate training. Then, pick one and create a five-minute micro-lesson on a topic you know well. That's your first portfolio piece. It doesn't have to be fancy, just done. Luna: And that's a tangible step anyone can take. I love that. Lucas, any final thoughts on Sarah's story? Lucas: I think her story shows that a career gap isn't a death sentence. With a little creativity and a lot of intentionality, it can actually be the launchpad for a more fulfilling and better-paying career. And that's a lesson worth holding onto, whether you're returning to work or just considering a change.