TORONTO, Ont.– A holistic approach to bringing emerging digital technologies to Indigenous businesses and communities is urgently required to ensure their participation in the new economy, according to a report released by the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).
Called “Digital Directions: Towards skills development and inclusion of Indigenous peoples in the new economy” the report contains sweeping recommendations to ensure the Indigenous workforce and youth have access to the fast-evolving skill sets needed to participate in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professions.
“We must prepare for the opportunities of tomorrow by recognizing the realities of the new world of work,” says JP Gladu, CCAB President and CEO. “The World Economic Forum estimates that, by 2020, a third of the skill sets required to perform jobs will be completely new. Coordinated action by governments, Indigenous communities and the private sector is needed now to ensure our people have the education and skills required for a resilient future in the evolving digital economy.”
Key insights and recommendations:
• Creating a digitally fluent, Indigenous workforce requires integrated levels of government investment, community outreach, educational innovation and corporate engagement. The goal: increase access to education and training to develop cross-functional STEM skill sets in computational thinking and innovation excellence that are aligned with the needs of business. The best way to accomplish this is in partnership with industry leaders who understand what these skill sets will be.
• Indigenous community infrastructure—health services, housing, educational facilities and high-speed internet services – must be brought up to national standards and sustained. Addressing these basic needs is fundamental to Indigenous inclusion in the new economy.
• Corporations and SMEs should avoid “parachute programs” when engaging with Indigenous communities. Co-development of education and up-skilling initiatives is essential to meeting local needs and making STEM studies relevant and exciting to Indigenous students and employees. These initiatives must be grounded in Indigenous culture and connectedness with the natural world. Indigenous-focused curriculum provides a foundation for effective learning and fosters valuable Indigenous approaches to innovation.
• CCAB research shows that Indigenous women entrepreneurs are highly adept at innovation. Close to 80 per cent of female Indigenous business owners report a net profit in their most recent fiscal year, yet their participation in STEM fields is low. Businesses aiming at innovation excellence would benefit richly by identifying the needs and challenges of Indigenous women to increase access to education and training for the skills of the future.
There are now over 43,000 Aboriginal-owned businesses in Canada. Indigenous entrepreneurs operate in every province and territory across a range of sectors–including natural resources, construction, manufacturing, retail and services.
