As Alberta’s tech industry continues to grow, so do the opportunities for tech adjacent careers in marketing, sales, design and coding support.
This fall, Calgary’s InceptionU will launch a new workforce development program to help people with little to no technical exposure move into tech-adjacent roles that will help Alberta tech companies grow faster with home-grown talent.
Established in 2018, InceptionU is a private, non-profit learning organization addressing the skills gaps in the digital economy. Programs are designed to build both the technical and non-technical competencies needed for the future of work.
Already well-known for its Evolve Full Stack Developer program, the new $1.2 million grant from the Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Northern Development will allow it to expand its offerings to four streams of tech-adjacent career paths.
“We want Albertans to know there are multiple pathways into the tech and innovation sector. We’re excited that this program will benefit Albertans who are under-represented in tech-related roles,” says InceptionU co-founder and CEO Margo Purcell.
“More talent is needed in Alberta than traditional training programs can produce. The option of an accelerated learning program with hands-on industry-related experience will open the door for more people to enter the tech workforce that Alberta needs right now.”
These crucial tech-adjacent roles are accessible for those with little-to-no tech exposure or experience, reducing barriers of entry for groups that are under-represented in tech-related roles such as youth, women, Indigenous peoples, newcomers to Canada, racialized communities, older workers, LGBTQ+ and persons with disabilities.
The Tech Adjacent program is unique because participants engage in deep career work up front before picking the technical stream they are most interested in and well suited for. Traditionally, candidates apply for technical training programs and do career-fit discovery work throughout the technical training.
“Doing the career work upfront will help increase completion and employment rates as people are able to choose best-fit streams for themselves with confidence in their choice,” says Purcell.
The four streams of programming are full-stack design, coding support, growth marketing and lean sales. InceptionU has partnered with 321 Growth Academy, an organization that has deep roots in the tech ecosystem in Alberta to support the delivery of the marketing and sales streams through their OnRamp program.
Select cohorts of the Tech Adjacent program will be offered part-time and remotely allowing learners to continue working while in the program and stay in rural communities while maintaining a lower cost of living.
Applications for the program open on June 5th with the first cohort beginning September 18th. Please visit the Tech Adjacent Program info page to fill out an expression of interest and be notified via email to apply.
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