The B.C. government is expanding its Innovator Skills Initiative program, doubling the amount offered to businesses to $10,000 to hire people from under-represented groups into technology jobs.

The program is being extended beyond traditional university degrees, when hiring co-op students for a minimum of four months in a technology-related field. It now includes people with recent industry-recognized certifications, 鈥渕icro-credential鈥� training, or experience in skills such as digital marketing, web design and e-commerce, B.C. Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon announced Monday.

Kahlon emphasized the redirection of the program to 鈥渆quity-seeking groups鈥� as the budget expands to $29 million, most through existing provincial agencies.

鈥淧reference is given to candidates who self-identify as part of an under-represented group, such as Indigenous, Black, people of colour, women, people living with a visible or invisible disability, 2SLGBTQ+, neurodiverse (e.g., autistic), youth from care and others,鈥� the ministry said in a statement Sept. 27. 鈥淎pplicants who feel they are part of an under-represented community not included in this list are able to self-identify as under-represented.鈥�

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To qualify, employers must be a technology business or non-profit operating in B.C. and hiring for a business or technology role, or a non-technology organization hiring for a technology role. B.C.-based post-secondary or local-regional authority hiring for a technology role.

鈥淭he employer must offer a high-quality, paid work experience that will prepare the person for long-term employment within their company or for another job at a different company,鈥� the ministry says. Application can be made .

tfletcher@blackpress.ca
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