{"id":14217,"date":"2021-06-16T11:47:48","date_gmt":"2021-06-16T15:47:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jobillico.com\/blog\/?p=14217"},"modified":"2021-06-16T11:47:49","modified_gmt":"2021-06-16T15:47:49","slug":"bc-is-funding-3000-new-jobs-for-underrepresented-people-in-tech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jobillico.com\/blog\/en\/bc-is-funding-3000-new-jobs-for-underrepresented-people-in-tech\/","title":{"rendered":"BC Is Funding 3000 New Jobs For Underrepresented People In Tech"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

British Columbia has made a new commitment to spend $15 million to fund employment opportunities for underrepresented people in the province’s growing technology sector. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The British Columbia provincial government has announced a new initiative<\/a> designed to increase inclusion and diversity within the BC technology sector. This will happen through $15 million in funding to the Innovator Skills Initiative (ISI), which will supplement the salary of 3000 new job<\/a> roles in the tech sector, with $5000 allocated for each applicant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ISI is administered by InnovateBC<\/a>, and is also working in collaboration with the StrongerBC Future Leaders<\/a> program. This program is designed to provide job opportunities, training and education for young professionals in British Columbia from ages 18 to 29.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToo many well-deserving women, gender-diverse people, Indigenous, Black and people of colour, and other marginalized communities have struggled to enter the growing technology sector and this needs to change.\u201d<\/p>– Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Tech Sector In BC<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The tech industry in British Columbia has grown into a true global power<\/a>. British Columbia is currently home to 10,000 tech companies<\/a> that employ more than 100,000 people and generate over $23 billion in annual revenue, with these numbers predicted to increase. The BC tech sector grew by 70% from 2003-2018<\/a> and the only industry to exceed this rate of growth in the province was construction. In fact, Vancouver, BC was named the number one location<\/a> in all of North America for growth in high-tech software jobs. Even in the face of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, the BC tech sector has continued to expand<\/a> both in terms of hiring and financial investments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Canadian Tech Sector Is On The Rise<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Canadian tech sector is one of the country’s fastest growing, with jobs found across the country in Vancouver<\/a>, Toronto<\/a>, Montreal<\/a>, Calgary<\/a> and places in between. As businesses look ahead to the slow and safe economic reopening after the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, it has been noted that the tech sector is likely to be one of the leading parts of the Canadian economy. A study from January 2021<\/a> highlights certain factors that show the Canadian tech sector is poised to experience rapid growth over several years:<\/p>\n\n\n\n