Tech Manitoba unveils ‘technology for good’ strategy

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This article was published 11/02/2022 (1473 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Almost a year into her job as CEO of Tech Manitoba, Kelly Fournel unveiled her vision for the future which can be summed up as “technology for good.”

The information technology sector in the province has grown impressively over the years considering Winnipeg is not necessarily viewed as a digital technology hub.

Among other things, the organization has lit onto something that could set it apart from other cities, all of whom are competing for tech talent.

Fournel said like any organization, it wants to be sure it provides clarity in being a recognized facilitator of positive changes — she calls it the “technology for good” approach. It must also be encouraging its memberships to innovate to remain relevant and, perhaps most dramatically, it wants to work towards making Manitoba the most diverse and inclusive tech centre in North America.

“In drilling down and considering how we can work towards our goals so that we are not competing with other places where they have more grads in computer science, for instance, I really think that is possible and makes the most sense,” she said.

At the organizations virtual annual general meeting on Thursday, board chair, Sandra Foster, said the organizations membership increased by 15 per cent to 191 and had a hand in training close to 1,500 people in the last year.

“As Tech Manitoba moves forward with projects and initiatives, our efforts to serve our members and build a stronger community really does count on a community that values collaboration and shares best business practices so that we are all working together so the industry can thrive,” Foster said.

Fournel believes the diversity and inclusiveness initiative will take a few years to realize, but “We have a great starting point. This is really about laying the foundation about how to be inclusive.”

The initiative was a result of a lot of feedback from members and already a lot of buy-in from members even though there were some reservations.

“People in the Prairies are humble and typically don’t like to promote ourselves,” she said. “In coming out and saying we can be recognized as the most diverse and inclusive tech sector in North America the concern is… what happens if we fail.”

In the meantime, she said, a framework will need to be developed on how to measure and report on that progress.

She acknowledges that could be challenging, but noted that, for instance, Indigenous people make up about 18 per cent of the population of Manitoba and only about three per cent of employment in the tech sector.

“So there is a gap there,” she said. “Even if we are to focus on women and Indigenous people that is great start and one that is very reflective of the population,” she said.

Like many non-profit industry organizations in the province, funding is vulnerable these days and Tech Manitoba is no exception. It had to operate on a smaller budget this past year but it also had less expenses.

The organization will incur an additional, one-time expense this year as it changes its fiscal year so that it aligns with government fiscal years that end March 31.

Meanwhile, it is at the point where it is asking both provincial and federal governments for extensions to funding programs and hopes to hear in the coming days about the results of a new application for a federal program on digital literacy.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca