Mayor Crombie Helps Launch Youth Training and Employment Opportunity in IT Sector

The launch of this new information technology (IT) training and employment program, right here in Mississauga, will help local youth from across our city and the Greater Toronto Area prepare themselves for rewarding, in-demand and well-paying job opportunities, Mayor Bonnie Crombie said today.

Mayor Crombie made the comments during NPower’s Mississauga Launch Event, celebrating the expansion of the NPower Canada program into Peel Region, adding that “Council and staff are committed to ensuring that Mississauga is a place where local young people can launch promising careers, pursue their ambitions and enjoy an unrivalled quality of life in the very community they call home.”

NPower Canada launches underserved young adults into meaningful and rewarding IT careers by providing 15 weeks of no-cost, industry-certified training followed by job placement and 2 years of post-hire support. 84% of graduates have secured employmentwithin 6 months of program completion, joining leading companies such as Accenture, CIBC, Deloitte, IBM, RBC, Rogers, TD and Virgin Mobile.

“We look forward to building on NPower Canada’s success by expanding into Mississauga and the Peel Region,” said Andrew Reddin, Senior Director, Partnerships, with NPower Canada. “After consulting with local employers to better understand which training stream would align best with the Peel Region job market, NPower Canada has decided to offer its Service Analyst stream in Mississauga.”

The Service Analyst stream prepares young adults for high-growth potential careers in IT Service Management and Technical Support. Program participants earn their CompTIA A+ certification during the 15-week training period, and graduates have been placed into roles such as Help Desk Analyst, Project Control Officer, IT Service Coordinator, Jr. Business Analyst and Network Administrator, earning an average starting wage of $18 per hour.

NPower Canada is currently recruiting at least 60 young adults ages 18-29 to join its first Peel Region cohort, starting onSeptember 5, 2017 and delivered at the Mississauga Training Centre. The NPower team aims to connect and collaborate with community leaders to launch greater numbers of multi-barriered youth into IT careers.

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is one of Mississauga’s top six industry clusters and our Economic Development Office (EDO) team works closely with ICT businesses to help them meet and exceed their business goals, Mayor Crombie said. Mississauga is home to over 700 ICT companies employing over 30,000 people.

Mayor Crombie said “Our partners at NPower Canada took part in the EDO Building Skilled Talent Together Forum – a gathering of public and private-sector leaders developing strategies and solutions to address Mississauga’s skilled labour gap and the immediate and longer term employee needs of advanced manufacturing.”

“The City of Mississauga is committed to working with NPower Canada, job creators, universities, colleges and all stakeholder groups to ensure that the local talent base meets industry needs and we can strengthen our local economy.”

“Ongoing demand for access to quality, educated and skilled talent is one of the leading issues I hear about from prospective businesses who want to move to Mississauga and from existing businesses looking to expand service offerings and remain ahead of competition,” Mayor Crombie added.

Youth employment has been an ongoing priority for Mayor Crombie, through city-wide initiatives including the Mayor’s Youth Speaker Series, the Mayor’s Youth Employment Expo and Mayor Crombie’s ongoing work with the Healthy City Stewardship Committee (HCSC). The Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood Association, which helped organize today’s launch, is an active member of HCSC.

Mayor Crombie concluded “having finished school, many students are now looking for opportunities to start the next chapter of their lives, I encourage them to apply today for NPower Canada’s Service Analyst stream program available here in Mississauga.”

NPower Canada – Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is NPower Canada and what does its program offer?

NPower Inc. was founded in New York City in 2001 and has delivered its proven workforce development program to an expanding group of US markets including San Francisco, Texas, Baltimore, New Jersey and St. Louis, achieving an 80% graduation and employment rate.

In 2014, NPower Canada was established in Toronto as a separate Canadian registered charity with founding support from partners including Accenture, Cisco, RBC, Ryerson University, TD, the United Way of Toronto and York Region, and Virgin Mobile Canada.

NPower Canada launches young adults into meaningful and rewarding information technology (IT) careers through providing 15 weeks of no-cost, industry-certified technical and professional skills training followed by paid internships, job placement services and 2 years of post-hire support.

To date, 84% of NPower Canada graduates have secured employment within 6 months of program completion.

 Q: How is NPower Canada funded?

 As a registered charity,NPower Canada relies on donations and would like to thank the following sponsors and partners for their generous support:

Visionaries:

• Government of Ontario
• United Way Toronto & York Region

Innovators:

• Accenture
• CIBC
• RBC Foundation
• Ryerson University
• Salesforce
• TATA Consultancy Services
• TD Bank
• Virgin Mobile RE*Generation
• Regional Municipality of York

Builders

• Cisco
• CivicAction
• Metcalf Foundation
• TELUS

Q.Who is eligible for the program?

Young adults who are eligible for the program must be:

• Between the ages of 18 to 29 at time of enrollment
• Legally entitled to work in Canada (in possession of a valid Social Insurance Number)
• Proficient in English at a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of 6/7 or higher
• Motivated to work and learn, demonstrated through reliable attendance and punctuality

No prior knowledge of IT is required

In order to qualify for the program, applicants must also demonstrate that they have faced barriers to securing employment and/or pursuing higher education.

Q.What is the profile of youth served by the NPower Canada program?

NPower Canada participants predominantly live in low-income households and are unemployed and underemployed. At time of enrollment, approximately 35% of NPower Canada participants have been in receipt of income assistance such as OW, ODSP or EI, and 25% have resided in public housing. To date, 87% of participants have come from racialized communities, of whom newcomer youth are a significant and growing segment. Many participants are also persons with disabilities and self-identify as LGBTQ.

1. What is the nature of the technical training offered by NPower Canada, and what types of jobs does this lead to?

NPower Canada offers multiple training streams, most recently delivering its Service Analyst and its Software Development and Testing streams to youth in Toronto and York regions. After consulting with local employers to better understand which training stream would align best with the Peel Region job market, NPower Canada has decided to offer its Service Analyst stream in Mississauga.

The Service Analyst stream prepares young adults for high-growth potential careers in IT Service Management and Technical Support. Program participants earn their CompTIA A+ certification during the 15-week training period, and graduates have been placed into roles such as Help Desk Analyst, Project Control Officer, IT Service Coordinator, Jr. Business Analyst and Network Administrator, earning an average starting wage of $18 per hour.

Q: What is the application process?

Interested individuals mustcomplete an online application at www.npowercanada.ca. Applicants who meet the basic eligibility criteria will be invited to an NPower Canada information/interview session where they will learn more about the NPower Canada program and participate in a one-on-one interview. Applicants who meet the basic eligibility criteria, fit the profile of youth served and demonstrate motivation, drive to succeed and readiness to start a career will be offered acceptance into the first phase of the NPower Canada program.