Parliamentary Secretary Kate Young announces investment to help prepare young Canadians for tomorrow's jobs

Investment of $1.5 million in Let's Talk Science will help teach students and train teachers in coding and digital skills

LONDON, ON, Aug. 29, 2019 /CNW/ - Canada needs a workforce savvy in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), capable of taking on challenges to compete in the digital economy. That's why, to prepare the next generation of Canadian workers to succeed in the increasingly digital economy, the Government of Canada is supporting millions of young Canadians in improving their digital skills.

During a visit to the London Public Library today, Kate Young, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Science and Sport and to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility (Accessibility), on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, announced a $1.5 million investment in Let's Talk Science as part of the second phase of the Government of Canada's CanCode program. Through this project, Let's Talk Science will deliver coding and digital skills programming to over 115,000 students across Canada and provide 7,000 educators with training on embedding coding, computational thinking and digital skills into their teaching practice.

Let's Talk Science is a national, charitable organization that engages youth in hands-on STEM activities and learning programs, such as science experiments. This organization opens doors for youth to study and work in these fields in the future. This investment will ensure that more girls—and members of other under-represented groups—gain and maintain an interest in STEM from an early age.

CanCode gives students from kindergarten to Grade 12 the opportunity to learn digital skills, like coding, data analytics and digital content development, including artificial intelligence. The program also helps Canadian teachers acquire the know-how to incorporate new digital skills and technologies into their classrooms, and it encourages young women, Indigenous peoples and members of other under-represented groups to pursue careers in STEM.

Quotes

"Preparing the next generation both in London and across Canada is key to succeeding in a digital world. Our government is supporting science that will inspire the next generation of leading Canadian innovators and researchers, including young women, Indigenous peoples and under-represented groups."
– Kate Young, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Science and Sport and to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility (Accessibility)

"Young Canadians are the leaders of tomorrow and will drive our economic success for years to come. By investing in resources that teach them digital skills and making higher education more affordable, our government is helping them transition successfully from classrooms to research labs, shop floors or boardrooms."
– The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development

"In education, coding and digital skills are becoming the new ABCs, fundamental to jobs of the future. Canadian children and youth need to be curious, ask questions and be capable of challenging the status quo in order to succeed. The renewed CanCode funding will enable more Canadian children and youth to engage in programs that develop key competencies such as critical thinking, problem solving, communication skills and career awareness needed in a rapidly changing world underpinned by science and technology."
– Bonnie Schmidt, President and Founder, Let's Talk Science

Quick facts

• Budget 2019 is investing $60 million in CanCode. This investment is in addition to the $50 million from Budget 2017, for a total of $110 million.
• To date, our government has provided 1.9 million experiences in coding and digital skills training to Canadian students and 96,000 teachers through CanCode activities. Through this second phase of CanCode, more than two million additional training opportunities will be provided to students and teachers by March 2021.
• CanCode has a student stream and a teacher stream. CanCode recipients deliver digital skills learning opportunities for students from kindergarten to Grade 12 and/or training programs and workshops for teachers.
• CanCode is designed to complement educational curricula and to promote, encourage and spark awareness and interest in coding and digital skills more broadly. The long-term goal is to make Canada a leading innovation economy with a diverse and inclusive workforce.
• CanCode aligns with Canada's Digital Charter, a made-in-Canada, principles-based approach to building trust in the digital world. The first principle of the Charter is focused on ensuring that all Canadians have equal opportunity to participate in the digital world and the necessary tools to do so, including access, connectivity, literacy and skills.

Associated links

• CanCode

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SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Dani Keenan, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, 343-291-1710; Media Relations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, 343-291-1777, [email protected]