Levelling Up

Bolstering BC’s creative technology talent pipeline is key to the long-term resiliency of the sector. Ensuring a sufficient supply of high-quality talent requires diverse efforts to attract, connect, educate, hire, support, and expand the workforce. Engaging K-12 youth and showcasing ramps to exciting careers is critical, as is illuminating the transition from post-secondary education to the workforce. Further still, facilitating dialogue and actions to centralize equity, diversity, and inclusion is cornerstone. 

This strategy describes pathways towards a robust and equitable talent pool for BC’s creative technology sector. Five pillars (Connect & Attract, Educate, Hire, Support, and Expand) form the foundation of this work. 

Connecting and attracting future workers is a crucial first step on the journey. This requires boosting visibility for the creative technology sector and building early employment pathways by attracting talent from all walks of life, beginning with K-12 youth and equity-deserving groups. The following actions support this goal: 

• Increasing awareness of the creative technology sector for K-12 youth via a first-ofits kind exhibition: Science World Creative Technology Gallery 
• Providing hands-on and interactive creative technology experiences for young learners: Science World Creative Tech-Up Workshop 
• Attracting K-12 learners and equity-deserving groups to creative technology by expanding reach, curriculum, and delivery methods of-and access to - educational programs: DigiCamps, Play To Learn, and Digital Futures 

Educating learners with the skills and competencies needed to succeed in creative tech careers is key. This includes strengthening the bond between industry and educators to ensure curriculum keeps pace with evolving industry needs. The following actions support this goal: 

• Developing and expanding evidence-based creative tech micro-credentials in partnership with BC PSIs 
• Developing a creative tech “career pathways” online hub

Creative tech studios hire skilled workers that can help them expand and scale their businesses. Facilitating workforce connections includes supercharging the capabilities of new entrants for successful careers in creative tech. With a focus on post-secondary students, new graduates, and equity-deserving groups, enhanced work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities (paid work placements) and streamlining hiring for employers is critical. The following actions support this goal:

• Developing a “one-stop shop” info zone for employers and students about WIL creative tech programs
• Developing a WIL Concierge service to better support employers seeking students, and pursue partnerships to secure funding for bulk WIL placements across creative tech
• Promoting existing creative tech labour market information to students and jobseekers

Supporting workers as they enter and navigate the labour market includes promotingthe values of lifelong learning. Access to professional development opportunities, educational resources, and mentorship can effectively steer this transition, starting with WIL students and recent graduates. The following actions support this goal:

• Providing WIL students with e-learning resources that help them further succeed 
• Spearheading creative tech mentor matchmaking, piloting mentorship programs with WIL students

Building and continually leading the evolution of diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces includes expanding access to resources, and helping businesses shape policies and initiatives that drive long-term change. The following actions support this goal:

• Developing and deploying an annual creative tech EDI survey 
• Developing an EDI information online hub for employers

Using EDI survey data to track trends over time, refine strategies and identify measurable actions This strategy tackles core considerations to boost the supply and diversity of talent for BC’s creative technology sector. The initiatives outlined in this strategy are designed to be deployed over the course of 24 months. Serving as critical building blocks, these initiatives can be expanded, built upon, and augmented to suit the changing needs of the sector in a rapidly evolving digital economy.