CEDF and Partners look to advance Interactive Digital Media Industry in Northern Manitoba.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the digital space has seen a massive shift in working culture to working remotely. This change has created new opportunities where jobs in the area of Interactive Digital Media (IDM) that were primarily available only to residents of large urban centers, are now available to a much wider pool of candidates including northern, rural and remote.
In recognizing this newly identified opportunity, CEDF in partnership with Community Futures North Central Development (CFNCD), the Northern Manitoba Sector Council (NMSC), New Media Manitoba (NMM), North Forge and the Manitoba Mineral Development Fund (MMDF) in conjunction with Interactive Digital Media (IDM) businesses Bit Space Development and Upfeat Media Inc. launched The Tech Hub Pilot Project.
The Tech Hub Pilot Project provides the opportunity for four paid interns to be remotely trained by Manitoba based technology companies Upfeat Media Inc. and Bit Space Development. Each intern receives the necessary equipment for remote learning at home by a mentor from each company with the intention of gaining full-time employment following the internship period. Some of the learning opportunities this project offers include: Marketing, Content Writing, Server Development and Web Application Developer.
CEDF and our project partners see great opportunities for those participating in this project. Whether it’s having participants work with an IDM company following the internship period or seeing the potential for a business start-up, either will help in promoting the industry across the north.
In 2020, CEDF through its Look North Initiative commissioned Nordicity and NMM to develop an Interactive Digital Media Strategy (IDM) for Northern Manitoba. Through this process CEDF realized the many challenges that the north faces within this industry, however it also noted the many opportunities that are out there. CEDF will use the IDM Strategy for northern Manitoba as its guiding document to address some of the challenges and opportunities identified in conjunction with advancing the Look North Initiative and the Tech Hub Pilot Project is just the beginning.