Over the past week, two institutions have received funding from the government to support growth in the tech field. Here’s the latest roundup.
Edmonton’s Oteenow receives $474,375 to help train Indigenous talent in STEM
The Oteenow Employment & Training Society in Edmonton has received $474,375 in federal funding from Western Diversification for its technology training and employment plans in Edmonton.
The three-year project will help build software testing skills and jobs for 45 Indigenous youth and adults by offering a ten-month program. The program includes eight months of classroom training and two months of internship with a company or government’s IT department.
The Oteenow Software Testing Program is a partnership between Oteenow and New Brunswick-based PLATO Testing. PLATO Testing provides outsourced testing solutions to clients throughout North America, with a focus on projects that would have previously been sent offshore. In late March, PLATO Testing received the top prize at an annual Indigenous pitch competition hosted by Lockheed Martin Canada and New Brunswick’s Joint Economic Development Initiative.
“There is demand for tech jobs and we know there is Indigenous talent to fill those roles at all levels. Our first graduates are currently interning with Suncor, IBM, PLATO, and other companies,” said Roberta Bearhead, executive director of Oteenow Employment & Training. “Doors are opening for them and Oteenow supports them through the entire process. We are very excited about this job creation program and the benefits it will bring to individuals, families, companies, and communities in Alberta.”
Cornwall Innovation Centre receives funding to launch Ontario Emerging Jobs Institute
The Cornwall Innovation Centre in Ontario has received $477,000 from the Skills Catalyst Fund for the development of the Ontario Emerging Jobs Institute (OEJI).
Through this funding, the CIC will launch the OEJI boot camp and work placement program in early 2019. The program will be available for free to people in Ontario who show the need for emerging job training, including the underemployed and unemployed, and those seeking to up-skill.
“Cornwall Innovation Centre’s project is exactly the type of partnership we need in Ontario’s changing economy — one that brings workers, employers, educators and learners together,” said Mitzie Hunter, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development. “We established the Skills Catalyst Fund to support initiatives that take a creative and innovative approach to skills building in the province, and that’s exactly what this project does. I want to thank the CIC for their work, and welcome their insights as we build a stronger, more responsive training system suited to the needs of employers and workers.”
The OEJI will be based out of the NAV CENTRE in Cornwall, and work placements will be arranged with companies and organizations that provide mutually beneficial opportunities for both parties.
The CIC will also help support students who want to launch their own startup after completing their training.
“We are thrilled the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development has chosen to support this project to create new opportunities in emerging technologies in Eastern Ontario. We are equally excited to spearhead new innovative programming in the agritech sector and to help build the essential digital skills and soft skills to create the jobs of the future and strengthen the digital economy,” said Kelly Bergeron, executive director at the CIC. “It’s a truly exciting time for us at the CIC, and we know our partners share in this excitement.”
Scholarships will be awarded to 20 individuals across the province to cover accommodations, food, and program costs while attending the boot camps. The Institute is planning on enrolling a total of 160 students in 2019.
Photo via Twitter.