First Indigenous software tester training program kicks off in Calgary

New Calgary program places First Nations and Metis into tech sector A new software testing program places Indigenous graduates from courses in 5 other Canadian communities.

A new program in Calgary is training First Nation students to work as software testers.

The Indigenous Software Tester training program provides approximately 15 students with five months of hands-on training. The classroom training is followed by work placement with leading Calgary companies like Suncor. Students completing the program will be offered full-time employment with PLATO Testing.

Based in Fredricton, PLATO was founded in  2015 by Keith McIntosh, CEO of testing firm Professional Quality Assurance Testing. McIntosh says much of the software testing in Canada is currently outsourced offshore, and he wants to change that. PLATO plans to have a network of 1000 Indigenous software testers based in 20 communities across Canada by 2025.

"If we ship the work to India , Ukraine, or Brazil, we can ship the work to Siksika, or Fort St. John, or northern Saskatchewan," said McIntosh . "If we can take IT work back to the communities, the kids coming up through those communities will see there is opportunity."

Pikani Nation member Alyssa North Peigan graduated from St Mary’s University but had trouble finding work in Alberta.  She signed up for the course as both a path to employment and as an inspiration to others on her reserve.

"My success I want to share with my cousins. I want them to know there are possibilities outside of the reserve and there are ways we can grow outside of the reserve," said North Peigan. "We can also bring this work back to our home and start the healing process for our people, which is allowing indigenous youth to grow"

Plato currently employs over 50 full-time Indigenous software testers. The company operates in or near First Nations, in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and New Brunswick. Applicants require a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent experience.