MONTREAL, Nov. 20, 2023 /CNW/ – NPower Canada, in collaboration with Microsoft, announced new digital training and career development opportunities to help Quebec job-seekers compete. Building on the Canadian Tech Talent Accelerator, launched in January 2021, training will focus on equipping participants with the in-demand skills needed to thrive in today’s digital economy. Since the inception of NPower Canada’s Québec site in November 2022, 415 job-seekers from the province have found meaningful employment in the technology sector, thanks in part to Microsoft’s support.
In January 2021, the Canadian Tech Talent Accelerator (CTTA), a program designed to bridge the talent gap in Canada by providing underserved job-seekers with in-demand digital skills, certifications, and career development support was launched by NPower Canada, Microsoft, DIGITAL and Blueprint. In the fall of 2022, a significant investment from DIGITAL, Microsoft and the CIBC Foundation supported the establishment of NPower Canada’s first bilingual site for in-person training in Quebec, allowing their TechPathways program to be accessible to both anglophone and francophone job-seekers in the province.
Now, NPower Canada will offer even more opportunities for career growth in Québec, leveraging Microsoft’s best-in-class curricula to launch its intermediate Junior Data Analyst program in the province. The program will be extended to French-speaking job-seekers in Québec, and applications are now open for the inaugural cohort starting in May 2024. The program, co-sponsored and developed with Microsoft, equips participants with Microsoft’s Azure AI Fundamentals certifications, a qualification that will prepare job-seekers with essential skills for digitally-enabled careers.
“Microsoft’s support has played a pivotal role in our mission to provide essential digital skills and professional development in English and French to Québec’s job-seekers, equipping them for success in today’s competitive labour market. Our dynamic collaboration ensures that we deliver the most sought-after tech skills, empowering job-seekers to thrive in digitally-enabled roles across diverse markets,” said Julia Blackburn, CEO, NPower Canada.
The CTTA’s impact is set to expand further, with Microsoft, DIGITAL, and the CIBC Foundation recently announcing a continued co-investment of $2 million to scale the CTTA, aiming to launch more than 6,000 job-seekers across Canada, including Québec, into meaningful careers in the ever-growing tech sector. According to CBRE’s 2023 Scoring Tech Talent Report, Montreal now ranks as the 12th largest tech market across Canada and the U.S., underscoring the need for job-seekers and workers in the province to be equipped with the skills necessary to excel in the growing digital and AI-enabled economy.
“The technology sector is thriving in Quebec, and we are proud to expand the Canadian Tech Talent Accelerator, building the workforce and empowering a strong future for the industry in the province,” said Chris Barry, President, Microsoft Canada. “With bilingual training for in-demand digital, cybersecurity and AI skills, we are working to ensure that everyone is able to access the benefits of today’s digital economy and the rewarding careers that are available.”
NPower Canada and Microsoft remain committed to driving innovation and economic growth in Quebec’s workforce.
SOURCE NPower Canada