EDGE UP 2.0 (Energy to Digital Growth Education and Upskilling Project) is a multi-stakeholder program led by Calgary Economic Development and funded by the Future Skills Centre, with key support from the Information and Communications Technology Council, which is providing a skills mapping tool, candidate selection, and soft skills training.

Other EDGE UP 2.0 partners include University of Calgary Continuing Education, SAIT, Mount Royal University, Bow Valley College, and Riipen.

EDGE UP 2.0 builds on the success of EDGE UP, a pilot launched in 2019 to test new approaches to skills development for mid-career oil and gas workers interested in starting a career in the digital economy. The preceding EDGE UP pilot program trained 98 participants selected from over 1,000 applicants. More than 70 per cent of students from the first cohort are employed in tech jobs or are furthering their education.

EDGE UP 2.0 is enhanced and expanded to include more participants, additional digital training streams, more workplace training opportunities, and targets a wider group of professions. EDGE UP 2.0 students will be trained for in-demand jobs, including data analysts, full-stack software developers, information technology project managers, cybersecurity analysts, UI/UX Designers, Digital Marketing.

ICTC will be conducting intake this summer for the first of two cohorts starting in late September 2021, with the second cohort starting in 2022.

“We are delighted to partner with Calgary Economic Development, Future Skills Centre, and other academic and workforce development partners in the design, skills mapping, and delivery of this pivotal worker transitioning program at a critical juncture of the job market. Calgary benefits from a burgeoning digital landscape and a strong talent pool that can be transitioned to fill in-demand jobs, a winning combination for a growth economy,” said Namir Anani, ICTC President and CEO.

 

“There is strong demand among the workers in Calgary for upskilling and reskilling programs for the many good jobs in tech in our city,” said Mary Moran, President and Chief Executive Officer, Calgary Economic Development. “Calgary has a highly skilled workforce that is able to pivot to new career opportunities with the training from our post-secondaries and private sector partners for skills that companies need.”

“We are pleased to support a sector that is facing deep economic challenges with an innovative program like EDGE UP,” said Pedro Barata, Executive Director of The Future Skills Centre. “We know that workers in the oil and gas industry have been hard hit economically, and this program is showing promising results. Expanding this program will give us valuable insights into the ways that faster skills intervention can help workers, employers and industries to adapt effectively to changes in order to thrive in the economy of the future.”

The Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) is a not-for-profit national centre of expertise for the digital economy. ICTC is the trusted source for evidence-based policy advice, forward looking research, and creative capacity building programs that encompass skills identification and mapping, short duration training, coaching and guidance, work-integrated learning, and ICTC’s iAdvance industry-validated certifications.

For more information about EDGE UP 2.0, please contact Calgary Economic Development at @email