Key Takeaways:
- Google Canada has pledged $600,000 to provide free digital skills training to Indigenous job seekers across the country.
The funding includes a $500,000 Google.org grant for ComIT’s Recoding Futures IT training program, a $100,000 grant for Indspire’s education and job training programs, and an allocation of Google Career Certificate scholarships for Indigenous job seekers.
Today’s assistance is in addition to Google Canada’s earlier-announced $2 million commitment to reskilling job seekers for new careers in technology in less than six months.
According to examination, Canada has significant skills and education gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations, particularly in connectivity, graduation rates, and digital literacy.
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The economic impact of the pandemic has widened this divide, affecting Indigenous populations disproportionately.
As Canada rebuilds its economy after COVID-19, Google Canada, ComIT, and Indspire will collaborate to bridge this longstanding gap, increase free access to digital skills education, and support economic growth in Indigenous communities.
“The social and economic hardships experienced by many during this pandemic have brought some heavy truths to the surface, and we now have the opportunity to rebuild a more inclusive and resilient economy,” says Sabrina Geremia, VP & Country Manager, Google Canada.
“We are proud to support ComIT and Indspire in their efforts to deepen our commitment to digital skills training in high-demand fields, create opportunities for Indigenous job seekers entering the tech workforce, and increase Indigenous representation in our technology workforce.”
ComIT’s Recoding Futures program, funded by Google.org, was launched last year to provide IT training to Indigenous learners across Canada. The course is delivered virtually and covers design thinking, HTML, CSS, Javascript.NET, Python, React, and Node.
ComIT offers courses on resume building, interview skills training, and other soft skill expansion opportunities to help change from learning to employment.
“In 2021, we enrolled 886 young adults in Google’s IT Support Certificate scholarship program, allowing them to obtain the skills needed to start their careers and participate in Canada’s digital economy,” said Julia Blackburn, CEO of NPower Canada.
Source: CISION
