Alberta invests $1.9M to foster female success in the IT sector

The province of Alberta is investing $1.9 million to help more women enter and succeed in the IT sector.

The money is part of a two-year research and innovation grant to the Momentum Community Economic Development Society and the program is accepting applications until May 2.

"AWS re/START, from Amazon Web Services, is a skills development program that prepares unemployed and underemployed people for careers in the tech sector while also connecting them to future employers," read a release.

"Momentum reached out to Amazon Web Services to offer the program in Calgary with a focus on training women. This is the first time in Canada re/START will be focused on female participants."

Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said the investment is part of the province's economic recovery and the Alberta 2030: Building Skills for Jobs strategy.

“For Alberta’s tech industry to flourish women and girls need to help write the next great chapter, code and formula in our provinces’ story," he said in a release.

"Through this partnership with Momentum, Alberta’s government is helping women build fulfilling, high-paying careers in the technology sector. Making training and mentorship more accessible to more women while fulfilling the technology sector’s workforce needs are investments in Alberta’s bright future.”

Amazon Web Services will provide the curriculum, labs and a learning management system for the delivery of re/Start. Momentum will connect potential learners -- mainly under and unemployed women in the Calgary area -- to help address barriers they face. Chic Geek, a Calgary-based mentoring organization focused on building gender diversity in IT, will provide mentorship and career path supports.

“This grant allows Momentum to offer a program that removes barriers many unemployed and underemployed women face as they dream of building a career in tech, a dream where having your head in “the cloud” is an asset," said Associate Minister of Status of Women Whitney Issik.

The province says exponential growth in the IT sector is happening in Canada but women hold only 26 per cent of tech jobs.

According to Chic Geek, women hold 60 per cent of all science, technology, math and engineering (STEM) degrees.