Inside Our Career Development Day

On Wednesday 21st October we welcomed 15 unemployed women from Camden and Islington to Uncommon Holborn for a Career Development Day, delivered in partnership with Dress for Success Greater London, Uncommon, Thames Water and Sidara.

The event focused on building confidence, supporting career progression, developing practical employability skills and creating meaningful professional connections. Bringing together businesses, industry professionals and local women seeking employment, the day demonstrated the positive impact that collaboration can have in creating more inclusive pathways into work.

Debbie Akehurst, CDA Chief Executive opened the event by reflecting on findings from the CDA Un-Bias Report and discussions held at CDA’s International Women’s Day event earlier this year. While progress has been made towards greater gender equality in the workplace, many women continue to face barriers to accessing opportunities, progressing into leadership positions and seeing themselves represented in the industries they aspire to join.

The discussions highlighted several key areas where further support is needed, including visibility and representation, health and wellbeing, mentorship, confidence-building and access to supportive professional networks.

Talent exists across all communities, but access to opportunity is not always equal. Initiatives such as the Career Development Day form part of CDA’s ongoing commitment to addressing these barriers and supporting a more inclusive local economy.

A key part of the event was a Career Inspiration Panel, facilitated by CDA Marketing & Events Manager, Erin Hodgson and Abbey Croft, General Manager at Uncommon Holborn. Panellists Elena Monserrate Diez (Uncommon), Debbie Akehurst (CDA), Lisa Kenny (Sidara) and Roselyn Unegbu (Thames Water) shared their experiences of navigating their careers and overcoming professional challenges.

The discussion explored topics including imposter syndrome, setbacks, working in male-dominated environments and the importance of advocating for yourself in the workplace. Panellists also shared advice for women currently looking for work, alongside lessons they wished they had learned earlier in their careers.

Following the panel, C&C Recruitment delivered a workshop on strengths, transferable skills and CV development. The session helped attendees identify the value of their existing experience, including skills gained through their personal lives, and understand how to communicate these effectively to prospective employers.

Volunteers from Thames Water, Sidara and other participating organisations then conducted one-to-one mock interviews, giving attendees the opportunity to practise their interview skills in a supportive environment and receive constructive feedback from professionals.

The impact of the day was reflected in feedback from attendees. One participant described it as the best event of its kind she had attended. With a job interview scheduled for the following week, she explained that the workshops and insights shared by the speakers had left her feeling genuinely confident about the opportunity.

We would like to thank Dress for Success Greater London, Uncommon, Sidara, Thames Water, C&C Recruitment, all panellists and facilitators and the volunteers who generously contributed their time and expertise to make the event possible.

Throughout the year, we look to deliver a programme of environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives designed to make a meaningful difference to the local community. Supporting inclusive pathways into employment is an important part of this work, helping individuals access new opportunities while contributing to stronger communities and a more resilient local economy.