Breaking In: Junior Tech Realities, AI Workflows & Industry Insights

The Adelaide tech industry is constantly evolving, and breaking in as a graduate or junior developer takes more than just meeting the baseline requirements. We're back for our next session hosted at the Flinders Uni City Campus, bringing together industry experts to cut through the noise and give you an unfiltered look at what at what it actually takes to land your first role, stand out from the pack, and thrive in the modern workplace. Whether you're polishing your portfolio, navigating interviews, or trying to understand how AI is changing day-to-day development, this session provides practical career advice and real insights. **What we'll cover:** * Hiring and assessments: The truth about uni results vs. real-world GitHub portfolios, coding tests, and what employers actually look for in interviews. * AI & the modern workplace: How artificial intelligence is reshaping the software development lifecycle, daily workflows, and junior mentorship. * Day-to-day reality & career growth: Expectation vs. reality, covering salary guides, remote vs. hybrid work in Adelaide, and what your first 2-3 years of progression really look like. **Special Employer Showcase** In addition to our main discussion, we will feature and exclusive Employer Showcase. Hear directly from three great companies about what they look for when hiring junior talent! Whether you're transitioning from a non-tech background, bridging the gap from student to professional, or looking for your breakthrough role, come join us for an evening of practical career growth and netowrking. Capacity limits are in place, so register early to secure your spot. **NB:** Please note this event will be located at the Flinders Uni City Campus, Adelaide. We will share detailed directions on LinkedIn and via email closer to the date. **About the Panelists & Speakers** * Tom Ridge - Culture Amp * Millie Russell - MaxMine * Kristine Cook - Encode Talent * Plus a warm welcome from Julia Miller (Flinders Uni) **\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-** **This is a Free Event.** **\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-** Event officially finishes at 7:00 PM, but we'll kick on for drinks and socialising afterwards (location TBC, keep an eye out for updates)! **Event sponsored by:** Encode Talent [www.encodetalent.com.au](http://www.encodetalent.com.au) or contact them directly at * Simon Cook [simon@encodetalent.com.au](mailto:simon@encodetalent.com.au) * Kristine Cook [kristine@encodetalent.com.au](mailto:kristine@encodetalent.com.au) Come say hello, and jump on over to the **heapsgooddev Slack** to chat with the community. Follow the invite link from [https://heapsgood.dev](https://heapsgood.dev/).