TalentBridge
Bridging the talent gap in rural, remote, northern and Indigenous communities.
Project Overview
Updated June 5, 2025
The Problem
A gap persists across rural, remote, northern, and Indigenous communities in Canada. Many jobseekers cannot find suitable local opportunities that match their skills and aspirations, while employers struggle to fill positions. For example, the unemployment rate in Nunavut was 11.1% in August 2024, well above the national average of 6.6%. At the same time, the territory faces workforce shortages in healthcare and other public service areas.
Standard recruitment tools fail to address the specific needs of these communities, with popular mainstream tools built around a Western, urban-focused approach not customizable for regional differences or Indigenous languages. Many of these tools also emphasize self-promotion and competition, which can be intimidating for people with limited digital experience.
The widening gap between jobseekers and employers is forcing talented individuals to choose between leaving their communities or accepting underemployment. The resulting economic and social impact affects both individual and community prosperity.
How We Are Solving It
Led by Ampere (formerly Pinnguaq) in collaboration with Mightyhum and the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, this project aims to develop TalentBridge — a digital workforce development platform that connects employers with jobseekers in rural, remote, northern and Indigenous communities.
TalentBridge will provide jobseekers with an AI assistant and learning management system to access multilingual job postings, skills identification tools, relevant training, and information on current and future labour market trends. They can also use the intuitive resume builder that incorporates region-specific training and skills, including hunting and carving. Meanwhile, employers will gain unprecedented access to qualified local candidates they would otherwise miss, with customizable job postings designed to fill critical positions. The platform also provides specialized tools to enhance hiring and onboarding practices specific to rural, remote, northern, and Indigenous communities.
The multi-tool, digital solution will prioritize support for underrepresented groups facing employment barriers in these communities, like Indigenous individuals, women, youth, persons with disabilities and older workers. It will first be deployed in Nunavut before being expanded to other parts of Canada.
By harnessing cutting-edge technology to build meaningful connections between local talent and local opportunities, TalentBridge aims to transform workforce development and across Canada.
