The future of tech is in N.L., according to industry leaders

TechNL, Newfoundland and Labrador's technology industry association, is billing its largest project to date as a shining success.

The $32-million Find Your Future in Tech program — which had help from the federal government's Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program to the tune of $27 million — aimed to support those wishing to enter the technology sector through training and education.

Over 3,600 people have participated in the program since 2023, said TechNL chairperson Johanna Brown at a celebration in St. John's on Thursday. The original goal was 2,000.

Brown said the 2024 segment of the program will have had a 94 per cent completion rate as of the end of the quarter, and 63 per cent of its participants self-identified as members of marginalized groups.

CEO Florian Villaumé said the project helped accelerate the growth of an increasingly popular industry in Newfoundland and Labrador.

"We created a strong interest across the province for careers in tech, and also created a large pool of talent," Villaumé said in a speech.

Villaumé said because of the jobs and promotions the program helped foster, which he said TechNL will be tracking, people should expect to hear more success stories from the province. 

"That's something that was very important to us, to show that there are opportunities in the tech sector, but also in other sectors using technology," he said to reporters.

Craig Tucker of Keyin College said the private post-secondary school was a part of the Find Your Future in Tech program, and offered courses on software development, Amazon Web Services, and artificial intelligence. 

Tucker said it was a "huge success" in getting new graduates into the workforce.

Although some people may be hesitant about entering the technology sector due to concerns about job stability and other risks, business and sales expert Carol Bartlett said the landscape is changing.

"Innovation and tech changes weekly," Bartlett said. "If you have, say, sales as a skill, you can work anywhere.

"For young kids today, this is one of the most exciting sectors to be in."

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