Indigenous Peoples represent 5% of our population yet make up just 1% of Canada’s technology workforce. This ‘digital divide’ is in part the result of Indigenous communities not being able to access opportunities for skills training, including access to connectivity and cost barriers. This disparity is compounded by limited cultural awareness amongst employers, and awareness of resources and support to attract, hire and retain Indigenous peoples across large swaths of the economy.
DIGITAL is committed to being a part of solutions to challenge this disparity and support economic reconciliation by investing in Indigenous-led talent and connectivity projects, now proudly spanning coast-to-coast-to-coast.
"DigitalWorks is about collaborating to discover how digital skills and tools can be learned and used in the communities in ways that are most impactful to those who live there. Rather than thinking about what these programs can do for communities, we’re driven by what communities can do with these programs. We’re excited to partner with DIGITAL and are grateful for other generous funders for recognizing the need and opportunity and for making these programs possible.”
RYAN OLIVER
CEO at Pinnguaq
Advancing growth in Canada’s Indigenous digital workforce requires breaking down systemic and geographic barriers for Indigenous representation.
PLATO, Canada’s largest Indigenous-owned software testing and technology services company, scaled and enhanced its postsecondary accredited foundational software tester training program to over 110+ participants including First Nations, Inuit and Métis trainees across Canada. PLATO’s train-and-employ model includes connecting program participants with paid internships involving hands-on project experience with corporate partners; and offering successful graduates of the program full-time positions within PLATO.
Pinnguaq’s DigitalWorks program is helping build the digital workforce in the North and across Canada, contributing to a more sustainable digital economy. They provided culturally relevant digital skills training, paid internships and micro-credential accreditations to over 980+ residents of rural, remote, Indigenous and Northern communities. The approach through this partnership also addresses community-specific challenges, such as e-waste management in Nunavut. The project also provided upskilling, reskilling and work placements for over 150+ Iqaluit residents in Nunavut’s digital technology and e-recycling sectors. This component aimed to bridge the gap between specific industry labour shortages and underemployed groups while addressing the lack of recycling and disposal initiatives in Nunavut.
The Digital Horizons collaboration, led by the First Nations Technology Council, trained and equipped 310+ participants and Indigenous individuals in British Columbia with the necessary skills for in-demand jobs or to launch their own businesses in tech and tech-enabled industries. In addition to providing wrap-around supports, the program design incorporated Indigenous culture and life experience through to promoting cultural awareness for employers to attract, hire and retain Indigenous Peoples within technology firms.
SmartICE operates the world’s first set of climate change adaptation tools to integrate traditional Inuit knowledge of ice with advanced data acquisition, remote monitoring technology and Earth observation mapping. Their cutting-edge ice-monitoring technology provides real-time ice and snow thickness measurements to the operator along community trails and enable more informed travel. Their programming created learning and employment opportunities for 85 northern community members to monitor sea-ice conditions safely and effectively in support of more informed ice travel for Indigenous communities in northern Canada.
"For the first time, residents of Haida Gwaii are gaining access to the high level resources and training in digital media and technology to begin their careers as storytellers and changemakers. Remote and Indigenous communities have always had the talent and passion to thrive in digital industries, but just never the opportunity to participate, until now. Through the Haida Gwaii Media Collective’s Indigenous values first approach to capacity building and the support from DIGITAL, a whole new generation of digital storytellers will be making waves in 2024.”
PATRICK SHANNON
Co-Founder of Haida Gwaii Media Collective
A lack of representation across creative industries perpetuates ongoing imbalances in these industries.
Initiatives such as supporting local storytellers in Haida Gwaii, led by the Haida Gwaii Media Collective, provided a film incubator program for 10+ aspiring digital media artists on Haida Gwaii with support and mentorship in the development of their own film projects. Participants learned aspects of film development from pre-production (budgeting, storyboarding, documentary fundamentals), production (directing, filming, technical skills, lighting, interview techniques), to post-production (editing, audio engineering, marketing, and distribution). Haida Gwaii Media Collective’s curriculum is further guided by a self-determined and culturally rooted approach to Haida principles of reciprocity, respect, consent and interconnectedness.
The Raising Voices collaboration, led by the Digital Marketing Sector Council and Indigenous-founded Jelly Academy, combined paid internship opportunities through major employment partners Accenture and TD Bank Group, with no-cost, in-demand digital marketing training and certifications for 10+ Indigenous job seekers. By collaborating with the Digital Marketing Sector Council and NPower Canada, the consortium provided participants with professional development training and matching Indigenous graduates into oneyear paid apprenticeships to gain on-the-job training in Canada’s digital marketing sector and support their transition to sustainable employment. By engaging firms to further diversify and increase the representation of Indigenous peoples in the digital marketing space, this work supports fostering innovative perspectives, stories and ideas in marketing campaigns and mainstream media.
The Construction Foundation of B.C.’s Sky Keepers program included a three-week digital skills training program allowing individuals in First Nations communities to learn a range of digital and vocational skills associated with drone technology. The program trained 50+ participants across British Columbia to be ready for drone piloting jobs through access to online tools, resources and training for drone operations, maintenance, film and photography.
Stronger together.
One thing is clear — as an organization, and as a nation, we are at the beginning of this journey for economic reconciliation. DIGITAL’s approach to collaboration is founded on the importance of action and meaningful and visible evidence of broad-based collaboration. This means ensuring Indigenous individuals, groups and communities are engaged early and often as we work together to harness the power of digital technologies to both advance Canada’s prosperity and to make sure that we have skilled talent ready to capture the opportunities of the digital world.
At DIGITAL, we are determined to engage Indigenous communities, organizations and citizens as we build a productive, prosperous and inclusive economy.
"The Sky Keepers program has opened my eyes to cultural awareness. It has helped me feel more connected to my background and to learn more about the local culture here. I was feeling a little bit lost in life about what to do career-wise. It has opened up my mind to different opportunities.”
DUCHARME
A Sky Keepers program participant from Cowichan Bay, B.C
How we do it
An interview with Sydney Goodfellow, Director of the Digital Learning Lab
“Since 2018, the Digital Learning Lab has had tremendous impact. We’ve helped 11,000 Canadians find a path to meaningful, well paid employment in the digital economy and beyond. Not only does this work help individuals; it helps employers fill critical skills gaps and make sure they’re ready to build new technologies and succeed.”
Watch the video