- Digizenburg Dispatch
- Posts
- The 'Third Place Events' Calendar (July 11 - August 3, 2025)
The 'Third Place Events' Calendar (July 11 - August 3, 2025)
Don Demcsak
July 10, 2025
Alright, team, summer's in full swing and it's time to get out of the home office and connect. Whether you're looking to level up your skills, meet your next co-founder, or just unwind with folks who get what you do, we've got you covered. Here's our curated list of can't-miss happenings across Central PA. Let's make some moves.
Cumberland County: Get Connected on the West Shore
From Carlisle to Camp Hill, the West Shore is buzzing. Here’s where you can find your people, learn something new, and maybe even enjoy a good brew while you're at it.
Event Name: WSYP Happy Hour July
Date(s) and Time(s): Thursday, July 17, 2025, from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM
Specific Location: Brewhouse Grille, 2050 State Rd, Camp Hill, PA
Description: Ditch the keyboard and grab a drink with the West Shore Young Professionals. This is pure, low-pressure networking to connect with other pros in a laid-back spot.
Event Name: Google Workspace Workshop
Date(s) and Time(s): Thursday, July 17, 2025, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Specific Location: Employment Skills Center, 29 S. Hanover St., Carlisle, PA
Description: Think you know Google Docs? This free workshop will show you tricks across the entire Workspace suite that can level up your productivity game.
Event Name: Tales From The Top - Bert Wendeln
Date(s) and Time(s): Monday, July 21, 2025, from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Specific Location: SPAtacular Escapes Spa, 200 Technology Dr, Mechanicsburg, PA
Description: Get inspired by the journey of a top leader in the recruitment industry. This is a fantastic chance to gain career insights that go way beyond the code.
Event Name: Coffee & Connections July
Date(s) and Time(s): Wednesday, July 30, 2025, from 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM
Specific Location: Denim Coffee, 36 W Main St, Mechanicsburg, PA
Description: Start your day off right with some quality caffeine and conversation. This is the perfect morning meetup to make a few new contacts before you even log on.
Dauphin County: Happenings in the Capital Region
The capital region is more than just government. It's a hub for innovation, cybersecurity, and big ideas. Here's your agenda for Harrisburg and beyond.
Event Name: Project Management Peer Learning Group (VIRTUAL)
Date(s) and Time(s): Wednesday, July 16, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Specific Location: Virtual / Online
Description: Calling all PMs! Grab your lunch and log on to connect with your peers across Central PA to trade war stories and best practices. No travel time required.
Event Name: AfterHours Networking with Solarity at Harrisburg Senators!
Date(s) and Time(s): Tuesday, July 22, 2025, from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Specific Location: FNB Field, 1 Championship Way, Harrisburg, PA
Description: It doesn't get more Central PA than this. Network with other pros in a suite while cheering on the Senators—a perfect double play for a summer evening.
Event Name: Joint Meetup with ISC2 Central PA Chapter
Date(s) and Time(s): Wednesday, July 23, 2025, from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Specific Location: Duke's Riverside Bar & Grille, 313 S. Front Street, Wormleysburg, PA
Description: If cybersecurity is your world, this is your event. Two major local groups, OWASP and ISC2, are joining forces for a can't-miss night of networking with a great view of the river.
Event Name: From Prompts to Performance: How AI Transforms Small Business Operations
Date(s) and Time(s): Thursday, July 24, 2025, from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Specific Location: PointSolve HQ, 118 Springwood Drive, Suite 100, Lebanon, PA
Description: Curious about how to actually use AI in your work? This luncheon (worth the short drive to Lebanon) will give you practical, real-world strategies for making AI a superpower for your projects or business.
Lancaster County: Making Moves in the Red Rose City
Lancaster's tech scene is creative, collaborative, and growing fast. From grassroots meetups to chamber connections, here's where the action is.
Event Name: Tech Lancaster Meetup
Date(s) and Time(s): Thursday, July 24, 2025, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Specific Location: West Art, 816 Buchanan Ave, Lancaster, PA
Description: Get ready for some seriously interesting talks, including one on hacking the city's billing system. Grab some free pizza and connect with Lancaster's core tech community.
Event Name: Lancaster Chamber Open House
Date(s) and Time(s): Friday, July 25, 2025, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Specific Location: Lancaster Chamber, 115 E. King Street, Lancaster, PA
Description: Drop in and meet the movers and shakers of the Lancaster business community. It's a great way to make new connections and learn what's happening in the local economy.
Event Name: Virtual Networking Sessions
Date(s) and Time(s): Friday, July 25, 2025, from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM
Specific Location: Virtual / PA CareerLink® Lancaster County
Description: If you're on the job hunt, this is your support squad. It's a dedicated space to share leads, practice interviewing, and get encouragement from others in the same boat.
Digizen Open Roles
The Hot List: Fresh Tech & Digital Jobs for the Week of July 6, 2025
Company: The Hershey Company
Location: Hershey, PA (Remote)
Short Description: Now this is a sweet gig. The Hershey Company is looking for a visionary Enterprise Domain Architect to help steer its technological future, with specific openings for both their Commercial and Supply Chain domains. Posted on July 5, 2025, this is a senior-level, remote role where you'll define the strategy and technical roadmap for critical business functions, working with modern tech like Cloud, IoT, AI, and Data. If you're an experienced architect with a knack for digital transformation and want to make a global impact from Central PA, this is a rare chance to shape the future of one of the world's most beloved brands.
Company: Cargas Systems
Location: Lancaster, PA
Short Description: Ready to join a company that consistently tops the "Best Places to Work in PA" list? Cargas Systems, a fantastic employee-owned software company based in Lancaster, is hiring a Software Engineer for their Cargas Energy team. In this role, you'll be the hero who masterfully migrates customer data, solving complex puzzles to ensure a seamless transition for their clients. This is more than just a coding job; it's a chance to be part of a collaborative, customer-focused culture where employee ownership means your voice and contributions truly matter.
Company: Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central & Northern PA
Location: State College, PA (and 32-county region)
Short Description: This one's a bit different, but it's a golden ticket for anyone looking to dive into the startup world. Ben Franklin Technology Partners, a key seed investor in our region, maintains a standing invitation to connect talented individuals with its portfolio of innovative startups. You're not just applying for a single job; you're putting your resume in front of dozens of cutting-edge companies in fields like AI, EdTech, Nanotechnology, and Life Sciences. If you're creative, energetic, and want a front-row seat to the future being built in Central PA, this is your direct line to the heart of our vibrant startup ecosystem.
Local Tech News Roundup
Got a Big Idea for AgeTech? Ben Franklin Wants to Fund It. If you've got a startup idea aimed at improving the lives of older adults, now's your chance to make it happen. Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central & Northern PA is officially accepting applications for its virtual AgeTech TechCelerator, an 8-week bootcamp designed to turn promising concepts into launch-ready businesses. With up to $10,000 in seed funding on the line, this is a call to action for innovators across our region to step up and build the future.
Pennsylvanians Prioritize Trade Skills Over Automation Handouts in Statewide Forum What does the future of work look like in the Commonwealth? A recent citizen forum, hosted right here in Lancaster, gave us a clue, revealing that Pennsylvanians overwhelmingly support boosting access to trade schools and job training over ideas like cash grants for jobs lost to automation. The results show a strong belief in empowering the workforce with tangible skills, a sentiment that resonates deeply with our community's focus on practical innovation and resilience.
Spotlight on In-Demand Tech Skills in Central Pennsylvania
The other day at a Sheetz, I watched the cashier manage a dozen tasks at once and had a sobering thought. As a process improvement guy, I saw an efficient workflow. But as a digital strategist, I saw a process ripe for automation.
This isn't a critique; it's a reality check. The "ghost in the machine" is here, and while it may not be coming for the jobs of tech professionals, it's rapidly approaching the roles of our neighbors in the service industry. We're facing a monumental skills gap, with competency demands for AI-exposed jobs evolving 66% faster than for other roles.
The traditional solution—sending someone back to a 4-year school—is a flawed, waterfall-era process for an agile-era problem. It's too slow, too expensive, and too disconnected from the real needs of the market.
So, I decided to treat this like any other enterprise challenge: as a Digital Transformation project.
In my latest article for the "Digizenburg Dispatch LinkedIn Edition," I break down the root cause of this skills crisis and propose a lean, agile roadmap for upskilling our service workforce. We can build a better system using accessible, personalized tools to create real economic mobility.
This is more than a technology issue; it's a leadership challenge and a community imperative.
Check out the full article here: Digizenburg Dispatch LinkedIn Edition
What's one way your organization is preparing its workforce for the AI-augmented future? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Digizenburg Dispatch Community Spaces
Hey Digizens, your insights are what fuel our community! Let's keep the conversation flowing beyond these pages, on the platforms that work best for you. We'd love for you to join us in social media groups on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Reddit – choose the space where you already connect or feel most comfortable. Share your thoughts, ask questions, spark discussions, and connect with fellow Digizens who are just as passionate about navigating and shaping our digital future. Your contributions enrich our collective understanding, so jump in and let your voice be heard on the platform of your choice!
Facebook - Digizenburg Dispatch Facebook Page
LinkedIn - Digizenburg Dispatch LinkedIn Page
Reddit - Central PA
Our exclusive Google Calendar is the ultimate roadmap for all the can’t-miss events in Central PA! Tailored specifically for the technology and digital professionals among our subscribers, this curated calendar is your gateway to staying connected, informed, and inspired. From dynamic tech meetups and industry conferences to cutting-edge webinars and innovation workshops, our calendar ensures you never miss out on opportunities to network, learn, and grow. Join the Dispatch community and unlock your all-access pass to the digital pulse of Central PA.