How One Student Used Audio Storytelling to Build Skills Employers Love
Reading Time: 8 Minutes
Co-Curriculum Spotlight with Nicola Foley: The Power of Audio Storytelling, Resilience, and Radical SelfAdvocacy
When most people think about podcasting or radio, they imagine microphones, catchy jingles, and smoothsounding presenters who talk effortlessly on air.
But for Nicola audio storytelling is far more than a hobby—it’s a lifeline, a creative outlet, and a powerful training ground for workplaceready skills.
As the host of The Monday Night Reset on CareSound Radio—broadcast live for carers across Scotland—and the creator of her own podcast since 2018, she has built an impressive portfolio of work under circumstances that would stop many in their tracks. This is a story about more than audio production. It’s about resilience, selfbelief, adaptability, and building a network that makes success possible
Nicola Foley
Degree: Master of Science Digital Media and Communication
Below, Nicola takes us behind the scenes of her audio journey and the skills she’s gained along the way. Ready to hear how she makes it all work? Here’s her story, told through our CoCurriculum Spotlight interview.
The 'What I Actually Do' Moment
Running a podcast or radio show is so much more than hitting “record.” How would you describe the real work behind your podcast/radio project to someone who has never created audio content before?
So, for the audio work specifically: I host The Monday Night Reset, which is a live radio show on CareSound Radio for carers in Scotland, and I’ve had my own podcast since 2018, I started this whilst studying audio at uni to practice my interviewing, recording and editing skills.
Nicola working in the CareSound Radio Station
For the live radio show: I research topics and resources that are relevant to carers, write the script, select music, load all the songs and stops into Myriad (the station’s software) which takes about an hour, I then present the show live for an hour, no second takes! If I mess up, I have to try and recover in the moment (not always successfully!)
For podcasts: It’s all about researching, scripting, recording, Interviewing, editing (cutting mistakes, adjusting levels, cleaning up background noise), selecting music and sound effects, creating intros and outros, exporting the final file, writing show notes, uploading to hosting platforms and finally promotion! Phew!
The reality though, is that I’m a full-time carer and I’m neurodivergent. I have an autism mentor at uni, a mental health mentor, a trauma counsellor, a study skills tutor, support from Number 3 Autism, Scotland All-Strong gym, art classes, and ADHD group. Without these things filling in the gaps, I couldn’t do any of it. The production work happens in fragments around appointments, my son’s needs, whatever crisis is happening. Building and maintaining that support network, is really what makes the radio show and podcasts actually happen. I think building a network of your own whilst you are at uni is one of the most valuable things you can do for your future career.
Skills You Didn't Expect to Learn
Content creators often pick up surprising abilities along the way. What’s one skill you’ve developed through running your podcast or radio show that might surprise a hiring manager?
Honestly? Being a proactive self-starter and going for what you want, no matter how unlikely that seems. The confidence to just send that email. To reach out cold to people and organisations even when you think you have no chance of getting a reply.
The radio show happened because I looked for a local radio station, found CareSound Radio, and sent them an email explaining who I was. I didn’t have any connections there, I just asked. Same thing when I interviewed Nicola Sturgeon for a podcast assignment, I just reached out and asked. The worst they can say is no, but sometimes, they say yes.
Everyone graduates with a degree; that’s just the baseline these days. What actually creates opportunities is being willing to put yourself out there and ask for what you want, even when you’re scared they’ll ignore you or say no. That’s the skill I didn’t expect to develop, but it’s been the most valuable one. Don’t be scared to ask.
The ‘Behind the Scenes’ Reality
Every show has its less glamorous parts – from latenight edits to scheduling guests. What’s the most unexpected or tedious part of running your podcast/radio show, and how has dealing with it shaped your work ethic or consistency?
The most tedious part is probably just the relentless consistency of it. The show has to go out every Monday night whether I’m exhausted from caring responsibilities, not slept (which is every night!) dealing with a family crisis, or drowning in uni deadlines. There’s no calling in sick, no “I’ll do it tomorrow instead.” It’s live radio, so I have to show up, even if that’s means taking my son with me, and doing it scared.
The technical side can be frustrating too, tech crashing, audio levels being off, spending an hour troubleshooting something that should take five minutes. And it’s all volunteer work, so there’s no pay for any of this. I do it because it matters to the carer community in Scotland and I love radio; it’s one of the first things I remember wanting to do as a child. What it’s also taught me is that consistency isn’t about feeling motivated or inspired. It’s about doing it anyway, even when you really don’t want to, because people are relying on you. That’s just reality when you’re managing caring responsibilities anyway, you don’t get to opt out when it’s hard.
"Consistency isn't about feeling motivated - it's about doing it anyway, even when you really don't want to."
The Juggling Act
Balancing postgraduate study with producing content is no easy task. What’s your personal rule or system for managing your time so you can study, plan episodes, and record consistently?
I don’t have a system, I can’t. I just do what needs doing whenever I can do it, and somehow, it always all gets done. The radio show is scheduled for Monday nights, so that’s fixed. Uni deadlines are fixed. Everything else fits around caring responsibilities and appointments, which are unpredictable.
The only “rule” I have is, don’t promise what I can’t deliver. I know my capacity is limited and unpredictable, so I don’t overcommit. If I say I’ll do something, I make sure I can actually do it, even if that means turning down opportunities that sound good but aren’t realistic for my circumstances.
I think that would be valuable in any career, knowing your limits and being honest about them. A lot of workplaces expect you to just say yes to everything and figure it out later, but that’s how I burn out. I’ve learned to protect my capacity because I have to, and that’s healthier than the alternative.
When Things Go OffScript
Technology glitches, guest cancellations, and recording mishaps are common in audio production.
Can you share a moment when something went wrong with your podcast or radio show? How did you handle it, and what did it teach you about resilience and problemsolving?
This is a tough question for me because I am autistic, so I don’t cope well when things go wrong! It’s the main reason I script my podcasts and radio show. When things go wrong in post-production I hyperfocus and just keep working on a solution, but when its live radio that’s a whole other story. My 4th show I was thinking okay I might be getting the hang of this, when I accidentally and unknowingly double clicked play after I had finished speaking, this led to the system skipping a song and ended up with the news coming on 4 mins early. I went running through to the station manager really mortified, but he had seen and heard it all before and was very relaxed about it, fortunately for me. I think the best thing you can do in a situation like that is try and keep calm whilst understanding that nothing ever goes perfectly. Mistakes are part of life and how we learn. A few people have told me, that even on large national radio stations, they enjoy the parts when something goes wrong, even the great Sarah Cox had dead air a few weeks ago, so it happens to the best of the best!
Learning to Work with People
Podcasting and radio often involve collaboration — with guests, cohosts, listeners, or producers.
How has your podcast/radio experience changed the way you communicate, interview, or collaborate with different types of people?
As I have said I’m autistic, so working with people I don’t know is incredibly challenging for me. Interviewing guests, coordinating with station staff, responding to listeners, none of that comes naturally and is always going to present a challenge. Zoom has helped with this a lot as I can do it from home where I feel safe and its good consistent audio.
CareSound Radio FaceBook page
What podcasting and radio have forced me to do is develop scripts and structures for interactions. I prepare questions in advance, I have opening phrases I use, I’ve learned to recognize when I need to clarify something or when I’m misreading a social cue. It’s not instinctive for me the way it might be for neurotypical people, but I’ve built frameworks that help me communicate effectively even when it’s uncomfortable.
I’ve also learned to be upfront about being autistic when it matters. If I need written communication instead of a phone call, or if I need time to process before responding, I just say that now. Most people are fine with it once they understand, and being honest about my needs makes collaboration actually possible instead of just exhausting.
It’s still hard, but I’m better at it than I was when I started. And I think being forced to develop those communication skills in a context I care about (advocacy) made it easier than trying to learn them in a job I didn’t believe in.
Redefining 'Experience'
Many students think “experience” only counts if it’s on a CV under ‘work.’ How has creating a podcast or radio show proven to you that valuable experience can come from passion projects as well as formal placements?
The radio show and podcasting have given me more practical skills than most formal placements would. I’ve learned audio production, project management, how to work to deadlines, how to communicate with different audiences, how to build professional relationships. None of that is on a traditional CV under “work experience,” but it’s all real professional development.
I think the assumption that experience only counts if someone’s paying you for it is rubbish, honestly. I’ve been producing content since 2018. That’s years of purposeful work serving a specific community. The fact that it’s volunteer work doesn’t make it any less valuable, if anything, it proves I’m doing it because I believe in it, not just for payment.
Nicola presenting CareSound Radio
And the reality is, as a full-time carer who’s neurodivergent, traditional employment isn’t an option for me right now. The flexibility of creating my own projects means I can build professional skills around my caring responsibilities instead of trying to fit into a rigid job structure that doesn’t work for disabled people. That’s valuable experience too, learning how to create opportunities for yourself when traditional paths aren’t accessible.
After reading this interview, take a moment to think about your own co-curricular life:
what activity, responsibility, or passion in your life has helped you develop skills that an employer would value – even if you’ve never thought of it as “work” before?