Media Release: The High Stakes of a Faster Future
Bridging the Digital Divide is One Click Away in Rural & Northern Communities
For Immediate Release
Winnipeg, Manitoba — A partnership between Tech Manitoba, the Northern Manitoba Sector Council (NMSC), and Alamos Gold Inc., is helping to bridge the digital divide in the northern community of Lynn Lake, Manitoba.
Over the next decade, 750,000 Indigenous youth will move through the education system and into early careers. To thrive in the Canadian economy, they will need robust digital skills. According to a recent survey, even though Indigenous youth frequently use digital devices, they are less confident in their digital literacy skills.
The digital divide is real and affects not only Indigenous youth, but newcomers, low-income earners, seniors, and those living in rural and remote Northern regions in the province.
To level-up the digital skills divide, Michael Raess, Manager of Environment & Community Relations with Alamos Gold Inc. in Lynn Lake, went door-to-door in the northern mining town to recruit people to sign up for FREE digital literacy classes.
“At Alamos Gold, one of our driving principles is to help residents build communities that will have brighter futures beyond our presence,” said Raess “when I learned about the training that Tech Manitoba offered, I jumped at the opportunity to help bring the classes to the community.”
With the support from Program Coordinators from the Northern Manitoba Sector Council, Tech Manitoba, (a non-profit association) drove a mobile computer lab up to Lynn Lake over the Labour Day long weekend to offer residents free digital training. After these classes, participants were gifted refurbished laptops.
Paula Canas, Program Manager, Tech Manitoba’s Digital Literacy Program remarked, “Our classes, empower people across the province with basic digital skills. They also gain confidence in using computers, mobile devices, and the Internet safely, securely, and effectively. We’ve been working with NMSC for over a year, looking to form partnerships at the community level to bring these classes forward. The training in Lynn Lake is a great milestone and we look forward to continuing to deliver basic training and also hope to build on the training with intermediate classes.”
Partnerships, like the one forged with NMSC and Raess in Lynn Lake are crucial in helping train up Manitobans with essential digital tools for the 21st century. Tech Manitoba is currently interested in expanding its community partnerships throughout the province.
Online beginner digital literacy classes are scheduled to begin this Fall. To learn more, visit Digital Literacy — Tech Manitoba or email digitalliteracy@techmanitoba.ca.
About Tech Manitoba:
Tech Manitoba is a not-for-profit, membership-based association representing a wide range of Manitoba companies that have a strong technology component to their business. Members include private industry, government, education, chambers of commerce and sector councils. Tech Manitoba’s goal is to significantly grow the technology sector in Manitoba by helping companies acquire experienced tech talent and by facilitating growth through international business.
To learn more, please visit Tech Manitoba or follow us on Facebook @TECHMANITOBA or on Twitter @TechManitoba
For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Cinthya Clark
Marketing Director, Tech Manitoba
431–688–1779
