Canada’s federally funded Global Innovation Cluster for digital technologies (DIGITAL) is investing $15 million across 16 artificial intelligence (AI)-focused workforce development and skilling programs across the country.
The investment is split between AI Skills and Adoption programs and projects in CareerTech, which DIGITAL defines as solutions that “bridge the gap in preparing workers to enter and thrive in high-growth careers while helping companies fill and hire critical positions.” Each project will receive anywhere from $160,000 to $2.1 million from DIGITAL.
Federally funded innovation clusters like DIGITAL co-invest alongside industry partners into projects that are developing digital innovations through collaborative research and development. In total, the 16 projects are backed by $30 million in commitments.
Most of the projects supported under the CareerTech category are AI-powered platforms that help connect prospective employees to employers, or provide skill and knowledge training.
The “FibreHide: Threads of Knowledge” project led by Calgary-based Indigenous business group Steel River received the largest commitment from DIGITAL. The project is getting $2.1 million from DIGITAL, which is being matched by private partners, for a total budget of 4.2 million. The Indigenous-led initiative aims to provide cultural competency training through a digital learning platform to Canadian workplaces, job seekers, and organizations.
Protexxa, the Toronto-based cybersecurity startup led by The Firehood co-founder Claudette McGowan, is receiving $1.2 million from DIGITAL to develop an AI-powered platform that connects job seekers with cybersecurity roles, as well as provide upskilling training.
The companies leading the other DIGITAL-funded CareerTech projects are Advancerite, Ampere, Judy Intelligence, Knockri, Lumeto, Monark, and Thrive Career Wellness.
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According to DIGITAL, programs in the AI Skills and Adoption stream will train 3,000 Canadians.
A project from Unity Health Toronto received the most support of the programs, with $1.4 million from DIGITAL. Unity’s Health AI Academy program will look to train 200 healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills required to make informed decisions about, and implement, new AI technologies.
Each of the remaining projects look to bring AI knowledge to a certain demographic or industry sector. For example, the Human Feedback Foundation received $650,000 to deliver the Responsible AI Adoption for Social Impact (RAISE) program to help Canadian non-profit organizations adopt AI, while The Forum received $1.2 million to do the same with its AI Skills Lab for women and non-binary founders.
Trax, Excel Career College, Bold New Edge, and Québec AI Institute Mila also received DIGITAL funding for their programs.
There have been significant public and private investments dedicated to boosting AI adoption and skilling programs in Canada in recent months. Scale AI, DIGITAL’s sister global innovation cluster dedicated to AI, launched a $30-million fund to boost AI adoption among Canadian companies this past April. Google also recently provided the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute with a $5-million grant to help post-secondary educators develop “easy-to-use AI curriculum materials.”
Feature image courtesy Steel River Group.