“As far as jobs go, I’ve done them all,” says Cara Dattani when asked about their career trajectory. “I’ve been a lifeguard and a swimming teacher. Retail, copywriting, hospital radio. It’s been totally random, but it all makes total sense in the grand scheme of things.”

Like many people, Dattani has allowed themselves the opportunity to explore different industries throughout the course of their life, but has now landed in the field of TV. More specifically, sport TV, which presents a whole new set of challenges.

Half Welsh, half Indian and identifying as non-binary in a predominantly white cis male environment, Dattani admits that career progression in their industry has often been difficult.

As a result of this, Dattani is contemplating a pivot to focus more on the refugee charity they co-run in their spare time. Based in Manchester, HostNation is a volunteer-led befriending service which connects refugees to residents. Initially a ‘side hustle’ for Dattani, they have since stepped up to take a more active role.

As part of The Big Upskill – a campaign we’ve launched with Google to equip more people with the digital skills they need to change careers or re-enter the workforce – we spoke to Dattani about how the Google Career Certificate in Project Management is helping them look at their career options for the future, while gaining valuable skills to enhance their current freelance work. Here’s what they said…

“I always knew I wanted to work in TV. I remember being eight years old and saying to my grandpa that when I grew up I wanted to be Gabby Logan.

It took me a while but I’ve now landed in the career I dreamed of, working as a freelance TV producer for the BBC, as well as other production companies. 

It’s been a few years now and I’m firmly entrenched in the major events cycle, which includes everything from the World Cup to Glastonbury. However, while I love the creative freedom and fast pace of the job, I’m at the point where I want to develop but the framework simply isn’t there. 

Sure, there have been conversations about where my career can go – I know I’m good at my job – but the infrastructure isn’t in place to offer me the kind of opportunities I want.

I’m hungry and ambitious, but feel a bit stuck professionally. Rather than moan about it, I’ve realised that upskilling might be key in helping me bring something else to the table.” 

“Another key factor for me when thinking about a career pivot is the work I do in my free time for HostNation, a refugee-befriending charity based in Manchester that I co-run with a friend.

I find the work incredibly fulfilling, and decided that in order to unlock new opportunities within this sector I needed to boost my skill set. That’s what prompted me to sign up for a Google Career Certificate in Project Management. 

Before I started the course I thought I already had good project management skills because of the field I work in. I’m now starting to realise just how much more there is to learn and understand, especially when it comes to delegation and planning.

The whole concept of prioritisation is something we do naturally, but before the course I would have just put out the fire that’s closest to me rather than look at the process holistically. So, it’s really interesting to now be breaking these processes down on an academic level.

Events is the one area that I’d really like to develop within the charity, and this course is equipping me with all the skills I need to make it happen. 

The befriending format of HostNation works well, but I would love to expand on that. We have this database of incredible humanitarian volunteers who are all keen to help in any way they can, and this lends itself well to the kinds of projects I’m envisioning.”

“One of the best things about this journey and this course has been seeing how useful it will be across the board. I’m not sure I’m ready to fully step away from broadcasting, but I’m learning things that might allow me to take on longer, more complex projects that demand more structure and delegation.

Longer TV projects will then mean I can allocate more time to HostNation as I’ll be taking a step back from that ‘always on’ mindset of the events circuit. Taking that time back will help me create new projects for HostNation. 

Also, the whole concept of agile project management has been an absolute game-changer for someone, like me, who’s self-employed. Right now, I’m juggling freelance work charity obilgations and part-time study – this course is definitely helping me manage my time effectively.

Giving yourself every opportunity to develop is key when considering any kind of career pivot. I have days where I think I’m ready to take the plunge and throw myself wholeheartedly into humanitarian work, but equally, I also understand that I don’t have to make the decision right now. 

Ultimately, I can’t see a world where these skills aren’t useful and applicable. I’m not sure what the short term looks like, but I can definitely say that the information and learnings I’ll take with me will lend themselves to whatever room I’m in.” 

Offering flexible online training programmes to help more women learn job-ready skills in high-growth, high-demand careers, the Google Career Certificates are ideal for those looking to upskill in their own time. Available via Coursera, as well as via free scholarships through selected partners, simply click here to find the right Google Career Certificate for you.