women in tech
[unfiltered]
AGENDA
Women in Tech [Unfiltered] is a full day conference hosted at Friends Meeting House in Manchester. Content is split across our main stage, plus two breakout rooms for our workshops!
MAIN STAGE
08:30AM
Arrival & Registration
Friends Meeting House Manchester. Take your seats in the main hall at 09:10am.
MAIN STAGE
09.15AM
OPening Remarks
MTF is honoured to announce that the Lord Mayor Councillor Yasmine Dar. will be opening Women in Tech [Unfiltered].
Lauren Gibson
Women in Tech [Unfiltered]
Lord Mayor
Councillor Yasmine Dar.
PET TO THREAT
Kanika Selvan, an IT Change Consultant talks through the little known phenomenon of ‘Pet to Threat’. As a woman of colour, challenges in the workplace intersect as race and gender both coincide, Kanika offers an overview of the research and data, then challenges the audience to step back and ask themselves if they are a ‘pet’ Or a ‘threat’ in their organisations?
She rounds up, offering some of her own experiences and some actionable take-aways for those wanting to challenge and change the experience for women of colour in tech. You will like this talk if you are the kind of person who wants to see things from a new perspective, have a passion for change or simply love dogs… because kanika has brought her terrier Macduff to share the stage with her.
Kanika Selvan
CHANGE CONSULTANT & MANAGING DIRECTOR AT BEETROOT CONSULTING
THE SILENT STRUGGLE
Toni’s talk unfolds the concealed challenges encountered while advancing to the position of Managing Director, with a focus on the increasing solitude in her own role.
She will then delve into the decision to embark on an independent entrepreneurial journey, providing a raw and truthful account of the subsequent learnings and hurdles faced. By sharing her experiences, she aims to offer valuable insights and key takeaways for individuals contemplating the path of setting up their own business either as the main source of income or as a side income.
Toni Phoenix-Coles
CO-FOUNDER, DEFINE TALENT
STAGE CLOSED
10:30am
Stage Closed
Grab a coffee in the concourse, network in the breakout room or visit the tech expo!
MAIN STAGE
11:00AM
Allies & Mentors
Hear from allies to the Women in Tech community offering mentorship
FIRESIDE CHAT: FIGHTING THE SYSTEM
Studies show that 52% of UK black women to quit their jobs and 68% of black employees report to dealing with workplace racial bias. 33% of blackwomen feel like valued team members and 36% feel like they are treated with respect in the workplace… so it begs the question at the centre of this fireside chat, what does this say about our organisational HR systems that this continues to prevail?
This mixed media discussion, lifts the vail on the conversation about racialised women and the HR systems, that many report not only fail them, but they end up fighting. We hear real stories from racialised women in the tech space.
We open up to a discussion on this delicate topic that is often hidden from view.
VERNON RICHARDS
SENIOR QUALITY EXPERT ENGINEER
SOBIA IQBAL
HEAD OF HR & OD | THE BIG LIFE GROUP
KANIKA SELVAN
MANAGING DIRECTOR, BEETROOT CONSULTING
STAGE CLOSED
12:15pM
STAGE CLOSED
Retire to the concourse for lunch!
MAIN STAGE
1:10pm
WElcome Back
Return to the main stage
FIRESIDE CHAT: BEING MENOPAUSAL - WHY WE ROCK AND HOW YOU CAN HELP
Menopause is inescapable for a huge proportion of the world. Until recently it was rarely discussed, poorly understood, and is still really hard for those affected to talk about. But it can have a huge impact on all areas of life, not least the workplace. A shocking 10% of those experiencing perimenopause and menopause symptoms give up on work altogether and ditch their jobs because they can’t function effectively and there is little support available. Another 1 in 4 consider leaving their roles because of the effect that this hormonal change can have. Let’s break those taboos, talk about what kind of support we need and celebrate all our awesome kick-ass menopausal colleagues!
JANET COULTHURST
CHIEF OF STAFF, 6POINT6 | PART OF ACCENTURE
CLARE SUDBERY
TECHNICAL COACH, SUDBERY SOFTWARE ENGINEERING LTD
GROWING AND LOSING A PAIR
RUTH MILLS
IT CONSULTANT AND SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER AT NAIMURI
MAIN STAGE
2:30pm
STAGE CLOSED
Grab a coffee in the concourse, network in the breakout room or visit the tech expo!
TEAM MEMBER TO MANAGER: CAREER CHANGE, NOT A PROMOTION
Princess will be sharing insights on ‘Why management is not a promotion.’ Join her as we explore the transformative power of embracing leadership roles.
The talk will delve into the concept that transitioning from a team member to a manager is not merely a step up the corporate ladder but a significant career change. Drawing from personal experiences and lessons learned throughout her diverse career path, we will explore the distinct skill sets required for leadership roles and the broader perspectives needed to navigate the transition successfully. Through anecdotes, real-world examples, and practical advice, Princess aims to inspire other women to view managerial roles as exciting career changes that open new doors and opportunities.
Let’s challenge the promotion myth and explore managerial roles as exciting career changes.”
PRINCESS MAVURU
DATA ENGINEER, CAPGEMINI
KEEPING THE BALLS IN YOUR COURT
Jennifer talks candidly about the barriers that women in leadership face, especially women in tech leadership. She explores the six most common pitfalls that women in leadership can face as well as offering suggestions on how to avoid these. Along the way, Jennifer will share with you some of her own experiences as a female in leadership, some of the “constructive” feedback she has been given, and how she has come to be at ease with her own leadership style.
If you’re in leadership then you’ll enjoy some of the parallel experiences Jennifer talks about, and if you’re looking to move into leadership then this talk will provide you with a toolkit of things to look out for and how to avoid them.
JENNIFER DOOTSON
DIRECTOR, LIGHTBULB MOMENTS
MAIN STAGE
3:45 pm
STAGE CLOSED
Grab a coffee in the concourse, network in the breakout room or visit the tech expo!
Manchester Tech Festival will fail. AND WHEN IT DOES, IT WILL BE CAREER ENDING FOR YOU
AMY NEWTON
FOUNDER & FESTIVAL DIRECTOR, MANCHESTER TECH FESTIVAL
MAIN STAGE
4:30PM
99 Seconds Talks - Women led Businesses
Women let business? Take to the stage because it’s your time to shine! If you have something to talk about we want to hear from you – all we ask is you keep it to 99 seconds! Perfect for those looking to get into speaking!
MAIN STAGE
4:45PM
Wrap Up & Close
Join us at DISH MCR for our after party!
WORKSHOPS & BREAKOUTS
From Code to C-Suite - climbing the tech career ladder
Over the past few years fantastic progress has been made in increasing representation in tech across a variety of diversity axes, including the number of women entering, returning to and leading engineering organisations.
However the gender pay gap remains stubbornly out of step – the latest data published by the Office of National Statistics shows that while the national average is 7.7%, the gap is much higher in technical roles – 10.8% for software developers, and even 12.3% for IT project managers. That’s a difference of more than £7000 per year!
In this talk, we’ll have a look at how we can tackle this challenge from both sides:
For Individuals wanting to develop and progress in their career we’ll explore tools and techniques for negotiating salary and promotion, and how to become comfortable having conversations to ensure your contribution and value is compensated fairly.
And for Leaders – a look at how to benchmark & track progress in your organisation. We’ll outline some ideas and initiatives that we’re trialling to identify and support amazing female talent to take on more responsibility (and be rewarded for it), and check on how your personal biases may play into all of the above!
BECKI HOWARTH
SENIOR PRODUCT DELIVERY MANAGER, KRAKEN FLEX
Want funding as a woman founder? Here’s 3 things I wish I knew
In this workshop, Ayan shared her insights on how to gain funding as a woman founder.
Ayan Mohamed
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DIGITECH OASIS
HOW TO ENSURE YOU BECOME A BADASS FREELANCER!
ROXANA LAWTON
DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION PROGRAMMES & HOST, IN4GROUP
WHERE ARE THE BLACK WOMEN IN TECH?
This workshop started in a whatsapp voicenote. Sherelle and Kanika, both black women, navigating the Manchester tech scene. The question that came up time and time again… where are the black women in tech?
A few months on, MTF have welcomed Sherelle Fairweather, Digital Strategy Lead at Manchester City Council and Kanika Selvan, Technical Change Consultant and Founder of Beetroot Consulting, to present the challenge and their discussion on black women in the northwest tech scene.
Through an interactive workshop, participants will get a whistle stop tour through the data and insights that have so far been pulled from various sources, on the black female experience of our industry. This includes data gathered with the support of Manchester Digital, part of an ongoing piece of work being done in collaboration, to see how we can challenge this issue.
Much like ‘where’s Wally?’ the gaps in data tell us as much as the data itself.
You will also be invited to assess findings and think through potential ideas for collaboration that takes us with a big leap into action. Can Manchester Tech Festival’s, Women in Tech Conference shape the steps to understanding more about black women in the northwest tech scene? Can we find more black women in northwest tech? Do we need to push the dial? Who needs to commit? What needs to change?
This workshop is for the bold, the creative and the ambitious.
Kanika Selvan
CHANGE CONSULTANT & MANAGING DIRECTOR AT BEETROOT CONSULTING
SHERELLE FAIRWEATHER
DIGITAL STRATEGY LEAD, MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL