On Thursday 13 August, we opened our doors at CTI Digital to host the Digital Her Summer Social, an evening organised with Manchester Digital that sold out and filled a waitlist. Fifty people packed into our space for an evening built around one theme: careers, change and AI, honest perspectives from women leading and building in tech.
Digital Her was created by Manchester Digital in 2018, and exists to inspire and support girls and women across Greater Manchester's tech sector, and this event was a chance to do that in the most direct way possible: put four women with very different vantage points on the same panel and let the conversation go wherever it needed to go.
The panel
Betty Burrell, Senior Marketing Manager, chaired the discussion, bringing together Katie Livingstone, General Manager at CTI Digital, alongside Lead Software Engineers Kat Dixon and Ali Hover. Between them, the panel covered leadership, hands-on engineering, and everything in between, which made for a conversation that felt grounded rather than theoretical.
On maternity leave and falling behind
One of the most raw and honest parts of the evening centred on maternity leave and the fear of falling behind in the age of AI. The panel spoke openly about the personal side of stepping away from a fast-moving industry, the anxiety of returning to a role that has moved on without you, and what actually helps versus what just sounds supportive on paper. It was less a discussion of policy and more a discussion of what it genuinely feels like, which is exactly the kind of honesty Digital Her events are designed to create space for. Kat honestly suggested to one attendee that the best thing to do is to try and let go while on leave as AI is moving so quickly that everyone is on a learning curve.
On AI and the shifting junior developer role
AI came up early and stayed at the centre of the conversation, particularly its effect on junior developers. The panel discussed how the entry-level role is changing shape: the tasks juniors used to cut their teeth on are increasingly automated, so the panel talked through what skills now matter more, from judgement and problem framing to the ability to review and question AI-generated work rather than simply produce it.
Attendee feedback:
“It was really insightful. Great to hear experiences that felt personal & good to hear experiences & suggestions regarding AI & how to adapt.”
On pursuing a career in digital in the age of AI
The final thread tackled a question a lot of the room came in with: how do you build a career in digital when the ground keeps shifting under it? The panel's answer leaned less on chasing every new tool and more on building durable foundations, staying curious, and treating AI as something to direct rather than something to fear. It was a practical, grounded note to end an honest evening on.
Attendee feedback:
“Very lovely meeting, met some amazing people and the panel gave me some insights that I plan to carry forward in my career. Thank you Digital Her.”
Thanks to Mailchimp
A special thank you goes to Mailchimp, who came along to the Summer Social and kitted out attendees with a brilliant haul of swag. Little touches like that go a long way towards making an evening feel like a celebration, not just a panel discussion, and we're grateful they were part of it.
Get involved with Digital Her
Evenings like this only work because a community shows up for them, and the waitlist for this one is proof there's real appetite in Manchester for honest conversations about careers in tech. If that's you, sign up to Digital Her at digitalher.co.uk to hear about the next event, mentoring opportunities, and more.
And to all the other tech companies across Greater Manchester, we’d say this; how do you want to show up? Partnering with Manchester Digital to support this mission is an excellent way to start. If you want to find out more speak to Emma Grant, Head of Programmes emma@manchesterdigital.com
We were proud to host, and we'll be back for the next one!
