September 27, 2022: Québec – By December 2023, NPower Canada will launch 460 Québec residents into meaningful and sustainable digital careers through their free, three-month workforce development program. For the first time, their programs will be offered in French, to provide training and employment support opportunities to francophone job-seekers in Québec beginning in November 2022.
NPower Canada’s launch in Québec represents their fifth location in Canada, and their first bilingual site. Offering their programs in both languages allows French-speaking and English-speaking job-seekers to have access to in-demand training in the skills that local employers need.
“We’ve identified a definitive need for a workforce development program like ours to train Québec job-seekers with in-demand tech skills to fill a growing number of roles in the province, and we are excited to be able to offer our TechPathways programs to underrepresented communities in Québec, to provide the access and training individuals need to find success in the labour market,” said Mitchell Miller, Managing Director of Québec, NPower Canada.
According to Technation Career Finder, there are almost 10,000 tech jobs available in Québec. NPower Canada’s free tech programs will provide in-demand skills and personal and professional development that will allow participants to be job-ready in only three months, providing much-needed tech talent to fill open roles across the province.
With proven success in Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Ontario, NPower Canada is excited to equip 50 job-seekers (aged 18+) into their inaugural Québec cohort running from November 2022 through February 2023. NPower Canada is able to scale to the province thanks to generous funding from partners such as Microsoft, Future Skills Centre, Google.org, RBC Foundation, Walmart.org, CIBC Foundation, BlackRock, Manulife, TD, LoyaltyOne, and Accenture.
“We are excited to equip Québecois job-seekers with in-demand technical training, industry certifications and professional development, so that they can enter meaningful careers. Our launch in Québec represents our fifth site, and allows us to expand our reach to even more communities across Canada. Since NPower Canada’s inception in 2014, more than 80% of our 4,700 alumni have found sustainable employment in the technology sector, and our proven success gives us confidence entering a new market.” said Julia Blackburn, CEO, NPower Canada.
Julien Morel, one of NPower Canada’s bilingual alumni, was thrilled to hear that the registered charity would soon be launching in his home province. When he was only 15, Julien started working in the hospitality industry in Québec before eventually relocating to British Columbia, but the industry was hit hard when the pandemic began. Julien decided to join NPower Canada in hopes of starting a new career in tech. “It’s an industry that is in constant evolution,” he said.
Shortly before graduating from NPower Canada in December 2021, Julien landed his first tech role. “I am convinced that I wouldn’t have had the chance to get the role I have now if I wasn’t part of the program. I never could have imagined it was possible. It’s a bit cliché, but the program completely changed my life,” Julien shared. Now, he can’t wait for some of his friends and family from back home to have access to the same opportunities he had.
Many job seekers in Québec have found themselves in the same position as Julien. In January 2022 alone, Québec and Ontario combined lost 251,000 jobs, mostly in retail, accommodation, and food services.
Ira Miller completed the NPower Canada program in 2017 in Ontario, and now works and lives in Québec as a Technology Specialist for the Greenhouse program at Deloitte. “Before NPower Canada, I was working a pretty dull job. NPower Canada changed all of that, as I was able to gain an entirely new skillset and launch a new career. Since I have joined Deloitte, I have advanced tremendously and am working in a position that not only challenges me, but also one that I enjoy and see a lot of both personal and professional growth. I wouldn’t have had the incredible opportunities presented to me if it weren’t for NPower Canada and the support I had throughout my time with them,” said Ira.
Working in the Québec market, Ira knows the need for NPower Canada’s TechPathways programs to help fill the gap between job seekers and employers. NPower Canada prioritizes individuals from underserved communities, such as women, BIPOC, LGBTQ2S+ and gender diverse people, job-seekers with disabilities, newcomers, and individuals from rural and remote communities. Their Montréal offices will serve as a hub for Québecs job seekers, delivering virtual programs to those in and around Montréal, as well as other areas across the province, such as Québec City and Sherbrooke.
NPower Canada’s Québec team will be promoting their new TechPathways programs at the upcoming Salon de l’emploi et de la formation continue, taking place from October 5-6 at the Palais des congrès de Montréal.
To learn more about NPower Canada, how to apply for its TechPathways programs, support as a partner, or hire a graduate, please visit https://npowercanada.ca
