NPower Canada Receives $2.8m Grant From Future Skills Centre to Help Upskill Canadian Youth

"There is a real sense of accomplishment learning something today and applying it tomorrow. I've never been challenged this way," said Art, 2021 Junior IT Analyst program participant.

TORONTO, May 19, 2021 /CNW/ - NPower Canada announced today that it has generously received an additional $2.8 million in funding from Future Skills Centre (FSC) to upskill Canadian youth for in-demand tech careers. Seeking to prevent the country's most vulnerable from getting left behind by the digital revolution, this renewed partnership with FSC will help take the achievements of NPower Canada's Junior Information Technology (IT) Programs to new heights by providing no-cost training, direct job placement, five years of post-hire mentorship, and continued education to thousands of young, diverse, low-income adults.

FSC's initial financial contribution of $1.8 million last year helped NPower Canada expand its existing programs in Ontario and Alberta, in addition to providing new programming in Nova Scotia and British Columbia. Throughout 2020, a total of 1,033 youth from Ontario and Alberta enrolled in NPower Canada's Programs, exceeding the annual enrollment target of 1,010. The program also saw 82% of the youth participants complete the 15-week skills training phase of the model, surpassing NPower Canada's 80% program completion targets. Moreover, 82% of program graduates have secured employment or enrolled in higher education within 12 months of completing training. Alumni have obtained positions such as Junior Support Advisor at Shopify, E-Commerce Coordinator at Mosaic, and App/Cloud Support Associate at Accenture. 

To date, FSC's generous funding helps NPower Canada enroll 3,440 young adults into its 2020 - 2022 workforce development programs in Toronto, Calgary and Halifax, with programs starting in Vancouver this fall. 

Read the full press release here.

SOURCE NPower Canada

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