Digital Horizons: Indigenous Technology Training for the New Economy
Equipping Indigenous peoples with the skills required to be leaders and entrepreneurs in B.C.’s tech and tech-enabled economy.
Project Overview
Updated January 28, 2025.
The Problem
British Columbia’s tech sector is growing at more than double the national average. With more than 220,000 jobs in B.C.’s tech sector, only 0.7% are held by people who identify as Indigenous.1
The gap between the tech-related skills that Indigenous peoples possess and wish to acquire contain barriers to participation and leadership in these fields due to the ongoing impacts of colonialism, and perceptions or awareness of potential careers, training and opportunities.
How We Are Solving It
The Digital Horizons program trains and equips Indigenous learners with the skills required to be hired for in-demand jobs or to launch their own businesses in B.C.’s tech and tech-enabled economy. Led by the First Nations Technology Council, the program leverages their introductory and foundational digital skills courses, job-ready and entrepreneurial functional programming, work integrated learning opportunities and supported career pathways to provide opportunities for participants in Canada’s information, communications and technology (ICT) sector and ICT occupations across all sectors.
The Digital Horizons project helps contribute to addressing the following barriers to Indigenous participation and leadership in technology:
- Financial barriers in terms of either tuition fees or wrap around supports as the #1 barrier cited by Indigenous people;
- Limited Indigenous-led programs that consider the life experiences and reflect the cultures of participants in all areas of curriculum, program design and delivery;
- Limited work integrated learning opportunities and follow on career supports, including entrepreneurship training, for Indigenous learners to try out, and successfully transition to technology employment and self-employment; and
- Limited cultural awareness amongst employers, and awareness of resources and support to attract, hire and retain Indigenous people within technology firms.
The Result
In 2023, DIGITAL’s co-investment in Digital Horizons equipped 420 Indigenous learners from 93 distinct communities in British Columbia with the knowledge, skills and tools to thrive in today’s tech-driven economy. By enabling connected career pathways through 1:1 coaching, resume building and mentorship, and work-integrated learning opportunities, the program exceeded expectations with over 80% of students laddering into employment, self-employment or advanced training following graduation.
In 2025, we announced our continued co-investment in Digital Horizons to support another 120 Indigenous youth and additionally increase career services offered through the program.
