Meet Jody Cataneo, DYW School Coordinator for Millburn Academy

Introducing Jody Cataneo
Jody Cataneo recently joined the Developing the Young Workforce Inverness & Central Highland (DYWICH) team in June but has been working since she was 13. As a parent to a lively four-year-old, who a psychic predicts will one day work with helicopters, Jody’s life is full of energy! Her personal interests include reading, baking, and spending time with her favourite people. She’s also a fan of Ryan Gosling and David Beckham. Jody draws inspiration from people who are passionate about their work and are not afraid to be themselves.

What Jody Loves About Being a DYW School Coordinator
I love being able to showcase the many different options available to young people after school, giving them the confidence to be themselves and find the route that works for them. No two days are the same in this role, which is an added bonus for me!

Excitement for the New Academic Year
As a newcomer to the role, Jody is eager to establish herself within Millburn Academy and find her footing in the school community. She looks forward to getting to know both the students and staff, while creating meaningful opportunities for young people to explore different career paths.

Jody’s Journey: #NoWrongPath
Jody’s career journey has been anything but straightforward. She initially left school to study law at university, but after two years, she realised it wasn’t the right fit for her. After leaving law school, she moved into customer service and banking, before returning to university at 26 to study Psychology—a subject she loved. Jody also earned a qualification to teach English and spent nine years teaching in Barcelona and Italy. She later returned to Inverness, where she worked in administration before joining DYW. Throughout her varied career, Jody has learned that it's okay not to have all the answers at 18. Life is long, and it's important to try different things, explore different places, and take risks to discover what truly makes you happy.

Advice for Her Younger Self
Jody’s advice to her younger self is simple: “Do what feels right for YOU.” She encourages young people to embrace the opportunities life offers, even if it means taking risks. Her message is clear: don’t worry about making the right decision but make whatever decision you make right for you.

Jody’s journey reminds us that career paths are rarely linear. She’s passionate about helping young people understand that it’s okay to change directions and to take their time finding what they love. Through her role with DYW, she hopes to inspire students to follow their own paths with confidence.

Contact Jody today…

…if you’d like to explore DYW opportunities connected with Millburn Academy then please get in touch with Jody at jody.cataneo@dywich.co.uk

Or visit our DYW Inverness & Central Highland - What's on - get involved (padlet.com) platform to get a full picture of our programme of activity across our 14 secondary schools and get in touch today to find out more!