#bctechstrategy

Yesterday, the BC government announced a new partnership initiative with technology industry leaders with the aim to study the labour market needs of the tech sector. 

In collaboration with the BC Technology Association (BCTA) and the Vancouver Economic Commission (VEC), the government is committing nearly $600,000 for a Sector Labour Market Partnership project designed to “gain a better understanding of the current and future labour needs in this diverse and fast growing sector. As part of this project, the partners are also developing a comprehensive labour market strategy which will result in recommendations on deepening the talent pool for in-demand jobs in B.C.”

We were thrilled to be a part of the announcement at the press conference at VIATEC. Craftt plays an active part in growing the tech community in Victoria and the province and we know just how important it is to have a supportive and thriving tech ecosystem and talent pool to draw from.

“The craft beverage market is growing fast in B.C. Last year we created Craftt, a cloud native app designed for breweries to help manage their operations and logistics. We’re now working with 34 breweries across Canada and the U.S.

I joined the VIATEC Accelerate Tectoria program in 2014 and they were instrumental in helping me launch Craftt. One of our toughest challenges has been sourcing talent. Programs like Lighthouse Labs are helping to reduce this employment gap by training junior developers with practical, real world skills.

Like many other sectors, mentorship is a critical part of fostering talent in the technology sector. I’ve been working as a mentor for Lighthouse Labs students since they introduced the program in Victoria because it’s important to make the time and help shape future developers entering our community. It is impressive to see what these students can learn in such a short period of time.” -Ryan Stratton, CEO of Craftt