PRESS RELEASES
Hootsuite Helps Pave the Way Towards Tech Careers for Underrepresented Canadian Youth
Hootsuite partners with NPower Canada to bring digital education to Canadians underrepresented in tech
Vancouver, BC - January 27, 2022 - Hootsuite, the global leader in social media management, has partnered with NPower Canada, a non-profit workforce development initiative that equips underrepresented job seekers across Canada for in-demand tech careers, to bring digital education and curriculum to 1,100 NPower Canada program participants.
NPower Canada offers tech-training programs and IT certifications in Alberta, Ontario, and Nova Scotia for young adults 17-30 years old at no cost, and thanks in part to a partnership with Hootsuite, has expanded into British Columbia.
Today, NPower Canada is holding its virtual graduation ceremony to celebrate the completion of its inaugural BC cohort where Hootsuite will award one graduate with the Above & Beyond Leader Award, a certificate of achievement that distinguishes a participant who has demonstrated leadership and has empowered themselves and their peers to grow and step up into the next generation of digital leaders and be neighbours and allies in their communities.
“As digitization and automation continue to occur at a rapid pace, NPower Canada aims to offer opportunities for our alumni to gain new skills and certifications to remain competitive in the job market,” said Andrew Reddin, Chief Operating Officer, NPower Canada. “Our partnership with Hootsuite provides new avenues for our alumni to gain crucial social media skills that will help them advance in their careers”
As a founding corporate partner in BC, Hootsuite has offered three of its Hootsuite Academy courses as a supplemental learning offering alongside a monetary donation to empower NPower Canada alumnus to grow and develop into the next generation of digital leaders. Participants have been offered Platform Certification Course, Social Marketing Certification Course, and Advanced Social Advertising Certification Course training, as well as opportunities for mentorship from Hootsuite employees through 1:1 speed networking sessions.
“As a newcomer, I am grateful to NPower Canada for supporting me in finding my way back into a tech career after working in customer service roles since arriving in Canada,” said Kenneth Mati-ong, NPower Canada Graduate. “I am thankful to Hootsuite for recognizing me for the Above & Beyond Leader Award and providing Hootsuite Academy Licenses to NPower Canada graduates to help us gain in-demand skills and grow in our careers.”
“We’re excited to celebrate the graduates who have worked hard to complete this program,” said Eva Taylor, Corporate Social Responsibility Director, Hootsuite. “At Hootsuite, we’re passionate about bridging the digital skills gap and believe that everyone should have the chance to learn, grow and have success in the tech industry. This partnership was a natural fit for us as we strive to provide equal opportunities for talented individuals to work in tech. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with NPower Canada and use the power of education to equip and shape the digital leaders of tomorrow.”
Successful graduates from each program benefit from personal and professional development, job placement services, post-hire coaching and support, and access to corporate mentors and guest speakers through NPower Canada.
About Hootsuite
Hootsuite is the global leader in social media management. With over 210,000 paid accounts and millions of users, Hootsuite powers social media for brands and organizations around the world, from the smallest businesses to the largest enterprises. Hootsuite’s unparalleled expertise in social media management, social insights, employee advocacy, and social customer care empowers organizations to strategically grow their brands, businesses, and customer relationships with social.
Hootsuite Academy, the industry-leading online learning platform, empowers education and growth through a wide range of certifications and has delivered over one million courses to over half a million people worldwide.
To learn more, visit www.hootsuite.com.
About NPower Canada
NPower Canada is a charitable organization that launches underserved young adults, including people with disabilities, BIPOC and LGBTQ2S+ youth, into meaningful & sustainable careers in technology. Through its free in-demand digital and professional skills training programs, NPower Canada connects young adults to employers who are looking for junior IT/tech talent. NPower Canada has grown from enrolling 87 learners in 2015 to 1,700 in 2021, scaling within the GTA and expanding nationally to Calgary in 2019 and Halifax and Vancouver in 2021.
To date, more than 80% of NPower Canada’s 2910 alumni have secured in-demand tech jobs such as Help Desk Analyst, QA Specialist and Information Security Analyst with industry leaders such as Accenture, CGI, CIBC, Cisco, Deloitte, IBM, RBC, Softchoice, TD, and TELUS.
To learn more, visit https://npowercanada.ca