Building A Tech Talent Strategy For The Future

9:30am

HomeAgendaBuilding A Tech Talent St…

Session Overview

Join this engaging fireside chat as we delve into the evolving tech landscape and the future of hiring tech talent. Drawing from the experiences of industry technology leaders, we’ll explore how to navigate the ever-shifting global talent landscape. Discover how leading companies are responding to and shaping global talent trends, and gain insights into the positive impact of fostering diversity in your tech talent pool.

Our experts will share practical wisdom on attracting, retaining, and nurturing a diverse workforce, while creating an inclusive company culture that fosters innovation and drives business growth.

Session Key Takeaways:

  • Learn how leading companies are navigating global talent trends
  • Understand the positive business impact of hiring diverse tech talent
  • Gain insights on attracting and retaining diverse talent, and building an inclusive company culture

Session sponsored by:

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  • Software & Development
  • Workforce

Delve into the transformative role of the staff engineer, its evolution, and its unmatched value to engineering teams. Explore varied archetypes, understand their implementation nuances, and hear a personal journey of navigating this role. We’ll highlight the significance of continuous individual contribution, particularly for women in tech, and offer actionable tips for those aspiring to this position.

Session Key Takeaways:

  • In-depth understanding of the role and responsibilities of a staff engineer
  • Insights into the strategic advantages staff engineers bring to organisations
  • The importance of diversifying senior roles in engineering and combating biases

This session is for…Engineers seeking career growth, Managers aiming to understand the role better, and Engineering Leadership keen on driving organisational success.

2:15pm
Workshop

Leading With Purpose: Career Strategies For Women In Tech

60 mins
  • Track - Workshop
  • HR/DEI
  • Premium Only
  • Workforce

Join a transformative session that bridges attendees with seasoned female executives and recruitment specialists. Engage in candid discussions about career challenges specific to senior women in the tech industry. Receive tailored advice from recruiters who’ve successfully placed countless women in top-tier IT roles across global tech giants.

Session Key Takeaways:

  • Strategies to identify employers who genuinely champion your professional growth
  • Proven techniques to enhance your visibility and success rate in job interviews
  • Guidance on crafting a career trajectory that resonates with both your professional aspirations and personal objectives

This session is for you if…you’re contemplating the next pivotal move in your tech career or yearning for a role that align with your personal goals, this session is crafted just for you. Join us to unlock the path to a more fulfilling professional journey.

11:30am
Workshop

Building A Robust People Analytics Strategy

60 mins
  • Track - Workshop
  • Digital Transformation
  • HR/DEI
  • Premium Only

In our fast-paced digital era, a robust People Analytics strategy stands as the cornerstone for agile, forward-looking organisations. By integrating strategic human insight with data analytics, you can transform your organisation into a nimble entity, primed for rapid and informed decision-making.

Immerse yourself in the transformative domain of People Analytics. Embark on a comprehensive journey with a structured approach to formulate a compelling People Analytics strategy. By fine-tuning your strategy, ensure it resonates seamlessly with your organisation’s overarching goals and aspirations. Along the way, master the pivotal stages and elements that are quintessential to crafting an impactful People Analytics game plan. This enlightening workshop is designed to amplify your People Analytics acumen and breathe new life into your HR initiatives.

Session Key Takeaways:

  • Comprehending the pivotal role of a well-devised People Analytics strategy
  • Essential considerations to kickstart your journey
  • Blueprint to architect your all-encompassing People Analytics approach

This session is for…those poised to embrace an analytical stance on HR objectives. While it’s perfect for HR professionals, organisational leaders, data aficionados, and agents of change, anyone intrigued by the theme is cordially invited to partake and glean insights.

2:15pm
Workshop

The Art Of Achieving The “Unrealistic”

60 mins
  • Track - Workshop
  • Career Development
  • Premium Only
  • Workforce

Imagine an industry where women were encouraged and supported to go after the “unrealistic”; where we dreamed big but strived less because we utilised the power of women in community.

In this session, we’ll dive into the power of “unrealistic” and why it’s the catalyst for the unprecedented. Participants will explore their versions of the “unrealistic”, narratives holding them back, and how to break them down. Then, by sharing these visions, we’ll tap into the strength of community and find areas of synergies with others to kick-start these journeys. Leave with a new north star that deeply excites you and people who want to journey with you.

Together, we’ll unlock the joy of embracing the “unrealistic” and use it as a catalyst for unprecedented personal and professional growth.

Session Key Takeaways:

  • Craft your own ‘unrealistic’ dream
  • Reframe limiting beliefs to drive progress
  • Build connections with like-minded individuals
  • Commit to actionable steps with newfound support

This session is for…women of all career stages who aspire to break boundaries, support one another, and collectively redefine what’s possible. Join us on this transformative journey of ambition and empowerment.

4:30pm
Workshop

Process Pivots For Sustained Digital Transformations

60 mins
  • Track - Workshop
  • Career Development
  • Premium Only
  • Workforce

Join us as we delve deep into the world of digital transformation, unlocking the mysteries surrounding the art of process pivoting. This workshop is designed to provide attendees with an understanding of the vital importance of product thinking, the artistry behind constructing tailor-made process models, and the underlying psychology of change adoption. Participants will gain an enriched perspective on the ever-evolving technological landscape, armed with strategies sourced from tangible, real-world scenarios.

In this 60-minute intensive workshop, also participants wll be introduced to a streamlined blueprint. This guide is perfect for change influencers, enabling them to not just confront challenges but to truly excel in the face of them.

Session Key Takeaways:

  • Deep insights into process pivots and their role in contemporary enterprises
  • Techniques for successful change adoption across varying organisational structures
  • A hands-on guide tailored for those at the forefront of instigating change

This session is for…Product Managers, Portfolio Managers, members of PMOs, Business Analysts, Change Managers, and anyone passionate about innovation—be they entrepreneurs or intrapreneurs. Join us and navigate the digital transformation with confidence and expertise!

12:45pm
Presentation

Collaboration, Creativity, And Connection: Bringing To Work What Technology Cannot

30 mins
  • Track - Future Impact
  • HR/DEI
  • Workforce

According to the World Economic Forum, 1.1 billion jobs are likely to be transformed by technology in the next decade. In order to remain competitive, it’s more important than ever to be aware of the skills that are most in demand as well as identify the best ways to leverage technology to empower and future-proof your teams.

With the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT, we’re witnessing a significant shift in the types of skills that are most in demand for today’s hybrid, distributed workplace. To stay ahead, it’s essential to understand how you can differentiate and future-proof yourself and your team members by developing in-demand skills, like problem solving, collaboration, and adaptability, as well as knowing the ways you can amplify those skills within your team by implementing the right technologies and recognising the ways your team members work best.

Session Key Takeaways:

  • Review what skills currently are and will be most in demand over the coming years for individuals and teams to remain competitive
  • Understand how advanced technologies can amplify skills for both individuals and teams
  • Discuss practical ways to promote inclusion, innovation, creativity and agility within your teams by understanding their work styles and leveraging technology

This session is for you if…

  • You’re wanting concrete ways to progress and future-proof your career
  • You’re looking for innovative ways to leverage technology at work
11:35am
Presentation

Play Has No Limits And Neither Do We

30 mins
  • Track - Future Impact
  • Career Development
  • Equity
  • Leadership

How tech can help remove barriers, not just for play, but also by empowering us for equitable opportunity and inclusion at work.

This is not a speech about how, as women, we can “have it all”. I want us to be empowered, to decide for ourselves, what that “all” is. I will discuss how technology helps remove barriers, not just for play but also empowers for equity and inclusion at work.
I could have talked about our beautiful products, and how tech has facilitated our innovation. What I have really noticed though, as a female senior leader at PlayStation, is that tech has proven itself vital for enabling our values.

Session Key Takeaways:

Technology can have an important role in equity. Not just for women but for all. We can use it to enable a level playing field, opportunities for learning, for playing, for collaborating, for flexibility, and advancement in careers.

This session is for you if…you are an aspiring trailblazer, interested in using technology to create new better paths to equitable leadership opportunities, and leave road signs for others!

3:30pm
Workshop

How To Project Confidence Even When You Don’t Feel It

60 mins
  • Track - Workshop
  • Career Development
  • HR/DEI
  • Leadership

There’s a big misconception that confidence is a thing you feel, but in reality, confidence is how you act. What counts is if other people THINK you’re confident.

This session will explore how we all often lack feelings of confidence and how to project confidence anyway. Emma Wicks and Tanya Goldhaber, two senior women who have braved every imaginable stressful professional situation and keep being told they’re really confident will cover the difference between perception and reality, how they’ve learned to project gravitas even when they’re dying inside, and how that’s really worked for them professionally. In smaller groups, we’ll share experiences, support each other with individual challenges, discuss techniques we’ve tried and learn how to speak up in a range of situations.

Session Key Takeaways:

  • How to can act confident even if you don’t feel it
  • How to ensure you speak up through preparing in advance
  • How to manage your feelings, if you don’t feel confident and are jealous of people who do, those people probably don’t feel confident either

This session is for you if…you let a lack of confidence stop you in speaking up or going for opportunities.

12:45pm
Presentation

Driving Positive Change In A World Of Data, Analytics & Gen AI

30 mins
  • Track - Software
  • AI/ML
  • Data
  • Software & Development

How can AI be leveraged to change the way we live and work? How can Data and AI be used to improve lives – from healthcare to sport – as well as for those of us who are neurodiverse?

Join us at this session, as we embark on an inspiring journey into the heart of data and analytics, exploring the boundless possibilities of placing data at the centre of business and the use of techniques such as generative AI. In a world where technology evolves at lightning speed, women are at the forefront of innovation, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and driving positive change.

Session Key Takeaways:

  • The role women have played, and will continue to play, in Analytics, AI and driving positive change
  • How AI will play a critical role in enhancing all of our decision making as we move forward, changing the way we live and work
  • How we can inspire the next generation through sport and technology

This session is for you if…you are a seasoned data scientist, a forward-thinking AI enthusiast or simply curious about the future of IT. This session is your opportunity to see what Oracle are bringing to the community, market and enabling businesses for the future.

11:30am
Workshop

Gender Equity & Reproductive Health: The Invisible Barrier To Inclusion

60 mins
  • Track - Workshop
  • HR/DEI
  • Non-Technical
  • Premium Only

Reproductive Health is often overlooked in the workplace, despite it having a profound effect on an employee’s well-being, experience and development opportunities. To truly address gender equity at work and close the gender pay gap, it’s time we acknowledge the effects reproductive health can have at work.

This workshop is a frank and honest look at why reproductive health should be a key part of a DEI strategy. Potential discomfort intended. It’ll be worth it.

Session Key Takeaways:

  • Understand the effect reproductive health can have on employee’s experience
  • Understand your comfort levels as a manager and senior leader
  • Action points to take to your business and start making change.

This session is for you if…you are a senior manager passionate about taking gender equity seriously and want to fight for change within your organisation.

11:35am
Panel Discussion

Panel: Driving Diversity And Inclusion In AI

60 mins
  • Track - Future Impact
  • AI/ML
  • HR/DEI

AI is being rapidly deployed across industries so it is essential to build AI that is ethical and equitable for all. This requires engaging with diverse perspectives and combating the lack of representation that has long prevailed in the tech industry.

This panel brings together leading voices in technology, policy, and activism to discuss practical approaches for building more diverse and inclusive artificial intelligence systems. The discussion will draw on the panellists’ unique experiences and perspectives to explore issues of representation and bias in AI, as well as strategies for effecting change within the tech community.

Session Key Takeaways:

  • Practical approaches to mitigating bias and increasing representation in building AI systems
  • First-hand experiences on advocating for the participation of marginalised groups
  • Advice on overcoming obstacles and driving change as women in tech

This session is for you if…you are interested in AI and want to hear from leading women who are actively building diverse and ethical AI systems.

12:10pm
Presentation

How To Recruit Male Allies

30 mins
  • Track - Implement
  • HR/DEI
  • Non-Technical
  • Workforce

Allyship is a vital part of the future of leadership, a skillset we should all be looking to foster, and is an essential part of driving gender equity initiatives. For all the talk about allyship and equitable workplaces, is the world of tech really turning the dial? With a clear economic case and organisations talking about their hunger for diverse talent, where is the gap between aspiration and execution?

Join psychologist and male ally Lee Chambers as he explores the current state of allyship, how he is engaging men in inclusion, and how to move from performative to active allyship.

Session Key Takeaways:

  • The latest research on the allyship gap
  • How to engage men in inclusion and allyship
  • How allyship can be a career booster for you

This session is for you if…you are interested in making the tech ecosystem more equitable, want to drive effective gender initiatives or want to see how allyship can be your leadership advantage.

3:30pm
Workshop

Butter Your Toast The Right Way: Prevent Overwork And Stress

60 mins
  • Track - Workshop
  • Career Development
  • Non-Technical
  • Premium Only

We all have diverse lifestyles but we all have a common goal to live a happy life. Even when our jobs feel meaningful, we’d prefer to work to live, not live to work. We benefit from also devoting time to other interests and hobbies, family and friends, leisure, and learning not related to our professions. Those are meaningful to us too. Still, it’s easy get sucked into working too hard. To avoid this, you’ll need well-articulated strategies. Let’s explore….

Session Key Takeaways:

  • Understand current challenges and myths recognise where we are
  • Recognise where we are and our drivers
  • Strategies and exercise to prevent and achieve what we want

This session is for…Everyone who is interested in achieving what they want in their life.

9:00am
Keynote

IQ Is dead. Long Live LQ: Is The Ability To Learn The Most Important Type Of Intelligence?

30 mins
  • Track - Keynote
  • AI/ML
  • Career Development

The only kind of intelligence anyone is talking about these days is AI. But perhaps our real focus should be LQ – learning quotient – the most important form of human intelligence in this new era.

At Makers we know you can teach people tech – but that the thing that really transforms people’s lives is being good at learning. And we know that LQ can be taught. In this talk we discuss why LQ is more important than ever in the AI era – and how to build it.

Session Key Takeaways:

  • Why LQ matters now more than any other form of intelligence
    How to build it
  • The critical role of emotional wellbeing and resilience in enabling LQ

This session is for...anyone thinking about how to build the skills and capabilities needed to thrive in the exponential age. 

2:50pm
Presentation

Compassionate Refactoring

60 mins
  • Track - Software
  • Software & Development
  • Technical

Within coding, the desire to consistently refactor and improve code is a common aspiration yet frequently remains unfulfilled. This session delves into the often-overlooked barriers that impede this process, with a special focus on the constraints of time and, more crucially, the lack of compassion in the coding environment. The discussion extends beyond external pressures to address the self-criticism that developers often face when dealing with imperfect code.

In an industry where perfection is highly prized, this talk highlights the importance of acknowledging and accepting the initial phase of writing suboptimal code as a necessary step towards mastery. It emphasises the transformative power of kindness and forgiveness in the coding process, proposing that embracing our coding flaws can paradoxically lead to the development of superior code. Join us for an insightful exploration of how fostering a culture of empathy and understanding in coding can unlock greater potential for innovation and excellence.

1:20pm
Presentation

What’s The Point Of TypeScript

30 mins
  • Track - Software
  • Software & Development
  • Technical

Unpack TypeScript in this session designed for both seasoned and novice developers. We’ll introduce TypeScript, explaining its enhancement of JavaScript with static typing and the resulting benefits for error detection and code management.

The session will also address TypeScript’s limitations and present alternative tools and languages, offering a well-rounded understanding of its role in the web development landscape. Join us for a focused dive into TypeScript, where we explore its impact and alternatives, equipping you with the knowledge to make informed decisions in your development projects.

3:25pm
Presentation

Unlocking Success With OKRs: Insights From Diverse Organisational Experience

30 mins
  • Track - Software
  • Career Development
  • Non-Technical

OKRs are a popular goal-setting framework used by many organisations to align and measure their efforts.

Having experienced the implementation of OKRs from different points of view throughout our careers, the session will focus on those experiences and share key learnings of each implementation.

Join Tatiana Campagna and Ruth Wall from Bionic to talk you through their journeys.

The session offers valuable insights and practical knowledge that can benefit business leaders and executives looking to implement or enhance OKRs in their organisations.

Session Key Takeaways:

  • Why you should bring people on the OKR journey with you
  • Why the objectives should be adopted across the whole business and be transparent
  • Why you should be able to measure the outcomes from the start
12:10pm
Presentation

Making Sure it is Working for Both Security and the Solution Squads

30 mins
  • Track - Software
  • Software & Development

‘A host of new and evolving cybersecurity threats has the information security industry on high alert. Ever-more sophisticated cyberattacks involving malware, phishing, machine learning and artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency and more have placed the data and assets of corporations, governments and individuals at constant risk.

The industry continues to suffer from a severe shortage of cybersecurity professionals and experts warn that the stakes are higher than ever, as the cybercrime epidemic even risks shaking public faith in such cherished ideals as democracy, capitalism and personal privacy. “Honestly, we’re all at risk,” Heather Ricciuto of IBM Security told cnbc.com, “whether you’re talking about a large enterprise or an individual.”’ Michelle Moore, PhD , University of San Diego.

This talk will help you with evolving your cyber security policy and DevSecOps transformations.

Session Key Takeaways:

  • Creating safe spaces to develop confidence
  • Ensuring security is built in from day 1 (aka shift-left)
1:20pm
Presentation

What It Takes To Make A Smart TV In 2023

30 mins
  • Track - Software
  • Software & Development

In the competitive world of smart TVs, it’s not enough to simply offer cutting-edge technology at an attractive price point. Consumers demand a seamless and enjoyable user experience, one that is both accessible and feature-rich and the operating system that powers the TV is now as important as the hardware.

In this session, Andrea Monge, Technical Program Manager at Roku takes you through the journey to uncover how software plays a pivotal role in fulfilling system and commercial requirements to deliver the defining elements of a compelling Smart TV experience in 2023

Session Key Takeaways:

  • Discover how software engineering plays a pivotal role in shaping the user experience of smart TVs
  • Gain insight into the cross functional product development process required to deliver a delightful TV user experience
  • Learn about how machine learning and experimentation can fuel a continuous improvement cycle, keeping products perpetually user centric

This session is for…software engineers interested in building complex systems and anyone interested in the smart TV market such as product managers, designers, content providers and marketing professionals.

2:50pm
Presentation

How To Progress As An Engineer While Doing What You Love

30 mins
  • Track - Software
  • Software & Development

Join this presentation to learn about my journey in maintaining passion in my work, enhancing engineering quality, influencing my company’s engineering culture, and achieving the role of a Distinguished Engineer.

Throughout our careers we find ourselves at pivoting points where we need to take decisions about direction. As women we often find ourselves pushed towards people or project management, analysis, etc. That is great for some but not what everyone wants out of their professional lives. We are lucky to live in times where an individual contributor career path exists and we can become staff+ engineers, continue focusing on solving engineering challenges and never stop coding if we choose to do so

Session Key Takeaways:

  • Embrace your differences and find your niche
  • Try… and fail
  • Enjoy what you do, do what you enjoy

This session is for you if…you are an engineer who does not want to go into a management route. If you like solving challenging situations through code while growing and reaching larger portions of your tech environment. Also if you want to be a role model in engineering excellence and culture.

5:10pm
Presentation

Women In Tech: Pioneering Paths And Challenges With Mary Agbesanwa

30 mins
  • Track - Plan
  • Career Development
  • Workforce

Join us for a compelling conversation with fintech expert and Now You’re Talking Network founder, Mary Agbesanwa, exploring the multifaceted challenges women encounter in the tech industry.

This session will delve into the narratives of groundbreaking women in tech as featured in the new book, “50 Women in Technology.” The book chronicles the journeys of 25 tech trailblazers alongside the stories of 26 contemporary women who are carving out their paths in various tech sectors, despite the hurdles they face.

Session Key Takeaways:

  • Insightful exploration of the unique hurdles women face in the tech landscape.
  • Inspirational anecdotes from women who have paved the way and those reshaping tech today.
  • Actionable advice for women striving to succeed in technology fields.

This session is for…anyone interested in the advancement of women in technology, from industry newcomers to seasoned professionals, and the allies who support them.

3:25pm
Presentation

Navigating Neurodiversity In Tech

30 mins
  • Track - InfoTech
  • HR/DEI

Whyy is neurodiversity important in technology. Shazia Hussain talks about her experiences of navigating neurodiversity in the technology sector having worked for some of the biggest tech corporations out there, JP Morgan Chase, Accenture, Barclays.. and how to build inclusive teams, support them and what the benefits are

Session Key Takeaways:

  • Why is neurodiversity important in tech.
  • What’s Einstein got to do with it?!
  • How and why is it important that we support people with neurodiversity.

This session is for…anyone who wants to understand why neurodiversity is so important in tech

4:35pm
Presentation

Beyond The Glass Ceiling: Empowering Women in Leadership For A Better Tomorrow

30 mins
  • Track - Future Impact
  • Career Development
  • Leadership

Achieving true diversity at the top is both complex and complicated, but it’s the only way forward. We are all responsible for ensuring gender balance at a leadership level. This talk provides a candid personal overview of key barriers to more women in leadership, and offers strategies to overcome those barriers towards building the career you want.

The Why: Because despite the progress being made towards gender balance in traditionally male-dominated sectors, still not enough women progress into senior and executive leadership positions. Surfacing and discussing key barriers to progression and support strategies is not just a moral imperative but also a strategic step towards building a resilient and successful society in the long term.

Session Key Takeaways:

Understanding some of the key barriers to progression and hands-on strategies for an effective career progression in a balanced way.

This session is for you if…you are an executive leader, want to be an executive leader or have reached a glass ceiling at the current stage of your career.

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Events in the Women In Technology Series

Women in Tech DC

15-16 May, 2024Washington DC, USA

European Women In Technology

26-27 June, 2024Amsterdam, NL

Women in Tech Texas

16-17 Sept, 2024Austin, USA

Women of Silicon Roundabout

27-28 Nov, 2024London, UK

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