Panel: Comeback Stronger: Masterclass for Tech Career Returners
Wednesday 17th September 2025
DSF Career Day 2025 was a free event that brought together hiring companies, inspiring talks, and opportunities to land exciting new roles in tech.
For those ready to launch, accelerate, or reignite their careers in tech, DSF Career Day 2025 was the place to be. This inspiring and action-packed event united leading hiring companies, industry experts, and a buzzing community of ambitious people. Whether attendees were exploring tech for the first time, looking for their next challenge, or returning to work after a career break, they left with new opportunities, valuable connections, and a fresh burst of confidence.
Tech is one of the fastest-growing industries, offering career paths from creative problem-solving to cutting-edge AI. Yet breaking in, moving up, or returning after time away can feel daunting. DSF Career Day was designed to remove those barriers. Attendees met recruiters face-to-face, heard from leaders who had once been in their shoes, and gained the tools to make their next move with clarity and purpose. It wasn’t just another job fair — it was a day of genuine connection, practical learning, and career inspiration.
We were proud to shine a spotlight on parent returners and those re-entering the workforce after a break. Whether time away was spent raising a family, caring for loved ones, recovering from burnout, or pursuing other passions, their skills and potential mattered. DSF Career Day connected them with organisations that actively champion diversity, equity, and inclusion, and recognised the unique value returners bring.
Alongside direct networking with employers, the afternoon was filled with talks, panels, and masterclasses designed to help people succeed. Highlights included:
KEYNOTE: Removing Barriers – How You Can Unlock Your Potential and Accelerate Your Career in AI and Tech
Beyond Code: Why Community Engagement Amplifies Your Career
Comeback Stronger: Masterclass for Tech Career Returners
Negotiate Your Offer with Confidence
Panel: How to Build a Magnetic Personal Brand and Land the Interviews You Want
How to Know if a Data Team is Bankrupt – The Questions You Should Be Asking in an Interview
How to Ace the Technical Interview: Insider Secrets from the Other Side of the Table
Your Next Step in Tech: Inside the DSF Mentorship Programme
The Future of AI: Are We Really on the Path to AGI, or Do We Need a Quick Turnaround Now?
By the end of the day, attendees had:
Spoken directly to recruiters who were actively hiring
Met new friends and even potential mentors
Gained practical, actionable advice to apply straight away
Learned how to present themselves with confidence and clarity
Expanded their networks with people ready to support their growth
Found fresh inspiration to shape the careers they truly wanted
Whether taking a first step into tech, levelling up skills, or making a return, DSF Career Day 2025 gave people the tools, connections, and motivation to make it happen.
Their future in tech began here.
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DSF Career Day 2025 is perfect for anyone looking to start, return to, or grow a career in tech and data science. Whether you’re a student exploring your options, a recent graduate ready to land your first role, a career changer seeking a fresh start, a parent returning to the workforce after a break, or an early-career professional aiming to level up- this event is for you.
You’ll get practical advice, direct access to hiring companies, and the chance to build real, meaningful connections in the industry. If you’re curious about the tech world and want to understand the roles, skills, and pathways available, there’s no better place to start.
This is more than just a career day, it’s your launchpad into the tech industry. At DSF Career Day 2025, you’ll gain exclusive access to top employers actively hiring, hear directly from industry experts, and pick up practical, actionable advice you won’t find in a classroom or online. Whether you’re figuring out your first steps or looking to accelerate your journey, this event will equip you with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to move forward. You’ll walk away with new connections, clearer direction, and a real sense of what a future in tech could look like for you.
Date: Wednesday, September 17th 2025
Time: 12 PM – 6 PM
Meetup if attending: 6 PM – 8 PM
Venue: CodeNode, 10 South Pl, London, EC2M 7EB
As the day comes to a close, you can join us for our wider community Meetup. This event welcomes senior members of our 40K community to listen to a great range of speakers. Doors open at 6:00 PM for this event and it runs until 8:00 PM.
Parking – If you want to commute by car to CodeNode, NCP Finsbury Square offers an ideal parking spot. Located beneath the lawn bowls green, you’re only a short walk from CodeNode, Moorgate and Old Street. CodeNode is also serviced by a large loading bay, should you require deliveries or unloading. You can also check out Parkopedia for details of nearby parking.
Tube/Train – The nearest underground stations are Moorgate and Liverpool Street Stations. Both are on the Circle, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City lines, Moorgate is also on the Northern Line and Liverpool Street on the Central line. Liverpool Street is also a main overland station.
To reach CodeNode from Moorgate Station, exit Moorgate Station, turn right onto Moorgate, turn right again onto South Place. Walk down on South Place until you reach number 10 on your right. In addition, Liverpool Street station is a major overland train station connecting CodeNode directly with the outer London regions and rest of the UK.
Bicycle – For cyclists there is a Santander Cycles Hire docking station just outside our venue on South Place.
Yes, all recordings of the panel discussions will be available in the weeks after the event via our website and YouTube Channel.