For our 4th edition of the International Girls in ICT Day, we’re bringing back Decoding Tech: an inspiring afternoon at KDG University for high school students, university students, women working in tech, and anyone interested in discovering the exciting world of technology!
Technology is shaping our future, and we want to make it more accessible to everyone. Decoding Tech is the perfect opportunity to explore the endless possibilities of tech, experience hands-on activities, and connect with a vibrant #womenintech community. Expect interactive experiences, engaging discussions, networking opportunities, and of course – free food, drinks, and a full goodie bag! 🎉
Program
🕓 16:00 - 17:00 PM: TECH FAIR Walk around and experience fun activities at various booths, try out cool experiments, and connect with inspiring people! Get hands-on with robotics, programming, virtual reality, and more. Plus, enjoy free food & drinks while exploring the tech world.
🕔 17:00 - 18:20 PM: Inspiring Talks Hear from amazing women in tech as they share their journeys, challenges, and insights into the industry. Learn how they got started, what excites them about tech, and how you can find your place in the field.
🕖 18:20 - 19:00 PM: 1:1 Networking & Giveaway Wrap up the day with a quick and fun networking session, where you’ll be matched with new people for a short conversation. And if you stay until the end, you might just win one of the Coolblue Vouchers!
The Talks
The advantage of a tough start : How hard beginnings builds strong careers
by Kristel Seymus (CEO and co-founder of Planet Talent)
You chose tech when everyone said it was the future. Now you're graduating into a market that feels like it changed the rules halfway through. AI is taking over entry-level roles. Hiring has slowed. And the gap between what you expected and what you're facing is real.
Kristel Seymus has spent over two decades launching young tech talent and she's seen this story before. In this keynote, she'll tell you the truth about what's happening, why this moment is harder than it should be, and why the people who start in a difficult market almost always end up stronger than those who didn't.
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Kristel Seymus is the founder and CEO of Planet Talent, a project sourcing company specialising in digital talent for organisations navigating transformation. Since 1997, Planet Talent has been connecting ambitious companies with driven young professionals. She makes durable matches through a deep understanding of what organisations actually need and what talent can truly become.
Under her leadership, Planet Talent became part of ORVIA, a talent ecosystem built on one belief: that people do their best work when they're in the right place, with the right challenge, at the right moment.
Kristel has a front-row seat to every shift in the tech talent market ; the booms, the corrections, and everything in between. She knows what makes a graduate stand out when the market is tight, what skills will matter in an AI-accelerated world, and what it really takes to build a career that lasts.
She speaks plainly, thinks long-term, and has little patience for advice that sounds good but doesn't hold up in practice.
2. The Sociable IT'er
by Sarah Boydens (Full stack dev at The Beehive)
Most people think about the stereotypical IT person in the basement, who does not like to talk to people. Yet how I see the job I do it involves a LOT of talking. Meetings are a central part of your job, and learning how to deal with all these social interactions and working on your communication skills is a vital part of being an IT'er.
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Sarah, a junior Full Stack Developer at The Beehive in Kontich, graduated only recently at KdG in Applies ICT.
Her enthusiasm for software development drove her to get actively involved in the analysis phase, right from her first project, giving a clear understanding of the project structure, expectations, and objectives. Software development is the perfect challenge for her very active, analytical mind, keeping her sharp and constantly learning. Sarah’s background isn't exclusively technical. During her studies in Primary Education at AP Hogeschool and through my volunteer work with Heyo and Kazou, she developed strong social and communication skills. These experiences taught her how to collaborate effectively, adapt quickly to new situations, and approach her work in a structured way, qualities that prove just as valuable in a development team as any technical skill.
3. The indispensable skills in an AI world
By Laila Bougria (
Solutions Architect, Engineer & Keynote speaker at Particular Software)
AI is everywhere these days, and… rightfully so! Let's face it: these tools are incredible at getting things done. They have the potential to turn any one of us into a 20x developer. These tools do a magnificent job of generating well-designed, tested, and performant code. Before you know it, you're not just building a feature—you're building 17 slightly different features simultaneously because why not? After all, the code writes itself!
That’s why, the most essential skills of a successful engineer have shifted away from -what- you can build… Without a clear understanding of requirements, of the generated code we need to support and maintain, our solutions risk becoming soulless Franken-software, a mishmash of best intentions and uncontrolled enthusiasm that don't make the user's life any easier. Join me in this session to understand how you can optimise your skillset to the AI reality we live in today.
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Laila Bougria is a Solutions Architect and Engineer with two decades of experience in the Microsoft .NET space. She's a keynote speaker, a Microsoft MVP in Azure and Developer Technologies, and frequently shares her knowledge and insights at conferences worldwide. Currently, Laila is busy building NServiceBus at Particular Software and solving distributed riddles. When she's not immersed in complex problems or code, Laila enjoys indulging in her favorite pastime - knitting! She finds that tangling the yarn into beautiful patterns helps untangle her thoughts.
4. Never finished : The power of reinventing yourself through continuous learning
Hanne Bogaerts (Data Engineer at delaware)
Learning does not stop when school ends. It becomes something you actively maintain. It shows up in your work, in your personal life and in how you respond to change. Staying curious and up to date takes intention, not perfection. In this talk, I explore what it means to keep yourself fresh over time. Not through one big plan, but by consistently investing in learning. Taking evening classes, following online courses, attending talks and meetups and staying engaged with what is happening around you. Learning becomes part of your routine, something you return to again and again as your interests and career evolve. I also share my own experience of changing direction later in life. Starting something new comes with uncertainty, but also with energy and motivation and a different perspective. It means asking questions, learning from others and being comfortable with not knowing everything right away. This talk is about learning as an ongoing practice. One that helps you adapt, grow and stay connected to your field, no matter where you are in your career.
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DeHanne Bogaerts is a data engineer at delaware Consulting. She works with data every day, helping turn complex information into something clear and useful. She studied applied computer science at KdG and moved into IT later in life after working in a completely different sector. Making that switch meant starting over and accepting that she would not know everything right away. That experience shaped how she approaches challenges today, with patience, curiosity and a willingness to learn as she goes. Learning is something Hanne actively maintains. She keeps herself fresh by taking evening courses, following online training, attending talks and staying engaged with new developments in her field. For her, growth is not about rushing forward, but about showing up consistently and improving step by step. She sees her career as an ongoing learning process.
Ready to dive into the world of tech? Everyone is welcome!
Huge thanks to our sponsor partners AG Solutions & De Cronos Groep!
And thanks to our supporting organisations Digitale Wolven, North Star & Technopolis!
