TechNExt25 Industry Dinner
About Tech Talent Live
Join us for TechNExt's Industry Dinner at Whitley Bay's iconic Spanish City!TechNExt festival is a celebration of the North East's thriving technology sector.
Through a mixture of curated and community designed fringe events, TechNExt will serve as a showcase of the diversity, achievements and breadth of the tech sector in the North East. The festival aims to help drive the message that the North East is a region that is passionate about supporting, developing and growing its tech sector for the benefit of everyone.
Industry Dinner - Tuesday 17 June (6.30pm - 10.30pm) - Spanish City, Whitley Bay
Join peers, tech entrepreneurs, and business leaders from across the North East for an evening of connection and conversation. Enjoy a three-course dinner accompanied by arrival and table drinks.
Menu
Starter - Summer SaladMain Course - Trenchers Vegetable Goan Curry, Sticky Coconut Rice, Pak Choi, Crispy Shallot (0.69kg eCO2), or Traditional Cod & Chips, Lemon & Tartare Sauce (1.14kg eCO2)Dessert - Sorbet with shortbreadAs part of our Good Festival Ambition, you'll notice we’ve chosen items with low carbon footprint and calculated the carbon footprint of each main course to help you make an informed selection.
Special thanks to our Industry Dinner sponsors for their support:
Good Festival Ambition
The festival is planned as a Good Festival with ‘for good’ being a core value running through everything. This will ensure a focus on quality, inclusivity, diversity, accessibility, and sustainability.
We are also committed to minimising the impact of our events on the environment. We work closely with our clients, venues, suppliers and delegates to reduce the impact of our activity wherever possible. Last year, the festival's carbon from curated events was 7.49 tCO2e and we decided, as an ethical offset, to donate the equivalent carbon credit value to a North East environmental charity, Groundwork North East & Cumbria for their nature-based solutions programme. More measures will be intoduced this year, tracking the festival's carbon footprint once again, leading us to further reduce our impact and become carbon neutral in future years.
You will be asked to complete some questions about your planned travel which will help us create the carbon footprint for the festival.
Refunds
Please note our ticket refund policy below:
Up to 12 weeks before the event starts - full refundMore than 8 weeks before the event starts, but less than 12 weeks - 50% refundLess than 8 weeks before the event starts - no refund
Exhibitors at Tech Talent Live
Browse some of the fantastic companies exhibiting at Tech Talent Live.
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Tech Talent Live Lightning Talks
All lightning talks were held in Committee Room 1, an easily accessible room overlooking the main careers fair hall. The talks typically lasted 10 to 15 minutes per subject.
Schedule:
15:00 – Breaking into Tech: No Technical Experience? No Problem!
Discover how people from retail, music, healthcare and more are building new tech careers through low code platforms, self-learning and support from inclusive communities. This session will share powerful real-life stories and practical advice to help you confidently take your first step into tech without a traditional background.
15:30 – Why Can’t Women Thrive in Tech?
With women facing unique challenges in tech, this session will provide actionable strategies to overcome barriers like imposter syndrome and bias. You’ll gain practical advice on building confidence, developing key skills, and expanding your network to thrive in the tech sector.
16:00 – Ever Wondered About Public Sector Tech Jobs? It’s More Exciting Than You Think!
Think public sector tech is all red tape? Think again. This fast-paced session unveils how digital roles in government shape essential services used by millions, from tax collection to digital operations across departments. Discover how you can make a real impact while enjoying benefits like flexibility, job security, and room to grow. No matter your background, this could be your most exciting move yet!
16:30 – The Secret Skills That Get You Hired (and Promoted)
While technical skills open doors, soft skills like communication, adaptability, and collaboration drive career growth. This session will highlight the key soft skills tech employers value most and provide actionable tips on how to develop and showcase them.
17:00 – Want to Innovate? Try Content Design.
Discover how content design plays a crucial role in driving innovation within the tech sector. This session will introduce you to the skills and opportunities in content design and provide clear steps to start your career.
17:30 – What if 15 minutes could shed light on why your CV gets ghosted?
In this quick lightning talk you will learn about common CV pitfalls that prevent your application from standing out and practical tips to avoid them. This session is perfect for job seekers who want to make simple and effective improvements without rewriting their entire resume.
Overview
Join us for TechNExt's Industry Dinner at Whitley Bay's iconic Spanish City!TechNExt festival is a celebration of the North East's thriving technology sector.
Through a mixture of curated and community designed fringe events, TechNExt will serve as a showcase of the diversity, achievements and breadth of the tech sector in the North East. The festival aims to help drive the message that the North East is a region that is passionate about supporting, developing and growing its tech sector for the benefit of everyone.
Industry Dinner - Tuesday 17 June (6.30pm - 10.30pm) - Spanish City, Whitley Bay
Join peers, tech entrepreneurs, and business leaders from across the North East for an evening of connection and conversation. Enjoy a three-course dinner accompanied by arrival and table drinks.
Menu
Starter - Summer SaladMain Course - Trenchers Vegetable Goan Curry, Sticky Coconut Rice, Pak Choi, Crispy Shallot (0.69kg eCO2), or Traditional Cod & Chips, Lemon & Tartare Sauce (1.14kg eCO2)Dessert - Sorbet with shortbreadAs part of our Good Festival Ambition, you'll notice we’ve chosen items with low carbon footprint and calculated the carbon footprint of each main course to help you make an informed selection.
Special thanks to our Industry Dinner sponsors for their support:
Good Festival Ambition
The festival is planned as a Good Festival with ‘for good’ being a core value running through everything. This will ensure a focus on quality, inclusivity, diversity, accessibility, and sustainability.
We are also committed to minimising the impact of our events on the environment. We work closely with our clients, venues, suppliers and delegates to reduce the impact of our activity wherever possible. Last year, the festival's carbon from curated events was 7.49 tCO2e and we decided, as an ethical offset, to donate the equivalent carbon credit value to a North East environmental charity, Groundwork North East & Cumbria for their nature-based solutions programme. More measures will be intoduced this year, tracking the festival's carbon footprint once again, leading us to further reduce our impact and become carbon neutral in future years.
You will be asked to complete some questions about your planned travel which will help us create the carbon footprint for the festival.
Refunds
Please note our ticket refund policy below:
Up to 12 weeks before the event starts - full refundMore than 8 weeks before the event starts, but less than 12 weeks - 50% refundLess than 8 weeks before the event starts - no refund
Speakers
Event Registration is Closed
This event is either sold out or has taken place. Registration is closed.
Registration
Registration
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How to get involved
Please read the information back below, and then fill out an expression of interest form. This will let us know you’d like to take part, what age the participating children are and whether you’d like any support from us or an ‘industry mentor.’
Plan your challenge, consider your resources and the participating students. Challenges can be completed in small or large groups. but please be aware that only 8-10 students from selected schools will be able to attend the celebration event.
Submit your challenge responses via our online form below. Your school can submit up to 10 entries. The deadline for responses is Friday 9 May, 2025. Please get in touch if you are struggling to meet the deadline.
The Schools Challenge steering committee will identify a small group of students from selected schools to be invited to a celebration event on the morning of Friday 20 June at South Shields Customs House.
If selected, you will be invited to attend by 23 May. There will also be an opportunity to display students‘ work as part of a number of public
exhibitions across local authority areas.
If you have any issues, contact us via email: getinvolved@technext.co.uk
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