From 5th - 9th October, Manchester Digital and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), will be running Switch to Digital Week, a new week-long event aimed at people interested in exploring a career in the digital and tech sector.
Each day we’ll be running different events filled with practical advice on the digital and tech sector, different job roles, the skills required, how and where to find the right training opportunities, and how to take the next steps to a new career.
This event is suitable for people of all ages and from backgrounds who are interested in working in the digital and tech sector. It’s free to attend, you can register for the event below
Monday 5th October
12:00 Welcome
12:30pm Panel event: The Digital Job Market. Andrew West-Moore, Zuhlke; Parul Singh, Manhattan Partners and Sarah BrooksPearce, AutoTrader will be talking all about the digital job market, what has changed in 2020 and what employers are looking for.
3:00pm Project Management Uncovered. Amelia Bampton from Codurance will be talking all things project management, what it means to work as a project manager in the digital and tech industry, and the skills needed for this role. This session will be followed by a live Q&A to ask any questions you may have about working as a Project Manager.
4:00 pm Identifying your Transferable Skills. Kay Littlehales will be hosting a one hour workshop taking you through some practical advice to help you identify your skills and how to apply them in a new industry.
Tuesday 6th October
12:00 Welcome
12:15pm Panel event: Switch to Digital. Hear from people of all backgrounds who have already made the switch into a digital career, they’ll be talking about the journey they took, and offering their individual advice to anyone looking to do the same. Today’s panel features Louis Garbutt, Product Manager at The UK Home Office, Vicky Hotchkiss, Apprentice Developer at Emis Health, and Tom Spencer, Software Engineer at Codurance.
1.30pm Product Owner Uncovered. If you’ve ever wondered what it means to be a Product Owner, Phillipa Peasland from Co-op Digital will be talking about her role as a Product Owner, what her day to day looks like and some of the skills you need to work in this role. This session will be followed by a live Q&A to ask any questions you have about working as a Product Owner.
2:30pm Coding Uncovered. Telmo Sampaio, ex developer and senior instructor at Code Nation will be taking all things coding. He’ll look at the types of developer roles out there, and the skills you need to work as one. Telmo will also be running a live Q&A straight after the session to answer any burning questions about working as a developer.
3:30pm Content Design Uncovered. Rachel Machin and Molly Whitehead-Jones from Co-op Digital will be talking about what content design is and why it's important, what being a content designer entails and the skills they use day to day. This will be followed by a live Q&A session.
Wednesday 7th October
12:00 Welcome
12:15pm Panel event: Switch to Digital. Hear from people of all backgrounds who have already made the switch into a digital career, they’ll be talking about the journey they took, and offering their individual advice to anyone looking to do the same. Today’s panel features Matthew Darwin, Solution Principal at Slalom, Dan Welsh, Data Coach at WhiteHat and Stefanie Lis, Web Development Intern at Huddle.
1:30pm UX Research Uncovered. Laura Morley from EY Seren, will be talking about her work in UX, the different roles available and specifically her role as a UX Researcher, the skills she uses in this role, along with some tips on her journey into UX. Laura will also be running a live Q&A following the session.
2:30pm Data Uncovered. BJSS will be talking about working in Data, the different roles available and what skills they look for in people working within data at their company. There will also be a live Q&A following for anyone that has any questions around moving into a data related role.
3:30pm Digital Marketing Uncovered. Tangerine Communications will be leading a session around what it’s like working in digital marketing, the types of jobs you could do and the skills you need to get into this part of the industry. There will be a live Q&A following this session.
4:15pm Coding Masterclass. The Team at UA92 will be leading a coding masterclass which you can join in with from home, this short session will give you a taster of what it’s like to work as a developer.
Thursday 8th October
12:00 Welcome
12:15pm Front End Design and National Security Uncovered. Find out more about about working as a front end designer and specifically linked with national security, some of the skills needed in this role. This will be followed by a live Q&A.
1:15pm CV Writing Skills. If you’re feeling a little lost when starting or updating your CV, this session is for you. Dan Russell, Engagement Director from Code Nation will be running a session all around developing a strong CV, what to include, what to remove and how to make yours stand out to potential employers.
2pm Understanding Digital Jargon. The industry is full of jargon and acronyms which you’ll no doubt come across in job ads and role descriptions. Andrew West-Moore from Zuhlke will be breaking down the digital jargon we use, explaining what it all means to help you navigate your way into the industry with a little more clarity.
3:15pm Confidence Masterclass. Feel the fear and do it anyway! Moving into a new role or a new industry can feel daunting, Kay Littlehales will leading this one hour session, taking us through some hints and tips on how to feel more confident, and to not let fear stop you moving forward.
4:30pm UA92 Kickstart Grants. UA92 will be introducing their Kickstart Grants available to people impacted by COVID-19 to enable them to continue their learning journey with UA92.
Friday 9th October
12:00 Welcome
12:15pm Code Nation Scholarship. Code Nation will be launching their fully funded scholarship programme for October, during this session they’ll be telling you more about the programme, what you can expect from the course, where that could lead, what they’re looking for from their applications and of course how to apply.
1:15pm Speed Mentoring. A fast paced mentoring session where you’ll meet up to ten different people from across the industry. You’ll get 6 minutes to chat, ask them their advice, hints, tips or anything you’d love to know about working in the industry.
2:45pm Microsoft Learning Platform. Microsoft have developed an incredible free learning platform with training across many different roles, and skills used in the industry. During this session you will get a guided tour through the platform, how to access it, and how to get the most out of it.
4pm Panel Event: Taking the next steps. As the final event of the week we’ll be taking a look at what’s next, the course and resources available, and the routes you can take into a digital career. This session will feature Adele Reynolds from GMCA, Sarah BrooksPearce from Auto Trader and UA92.
To book a place for any of the above events please register via our Eventbrite using the link above, and you will be emailed the details you need to attend each event.
