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Indigenous Women Embrace IT to Unite Remote Region
Technology Category
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Hybrid Cloud
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Storage Services
Applicable Industries
- Education
Applicable Functions
- Human Resources
- Business Operation
Use Cases
- Remote Collaboration
- Remote Control
Services
- Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services
- System Integration
The Challenge
University College of the North (UCN) is committed to the development of its region, northern Manitoba, where approximately 70% of its student population is indigenous. The region is widely dispersed and remote, with nine of UCN's 12 regional training centers located in First Nations communities. The challenge was to expand access to IT training and career options for indigenous women in these communities, without requiring them to leave their social supports and face culture shock by moving over 600 km away to Winnipeg. The Information Technology Readiness North (InTeRN) project was created to meet this challenge, but it needed to be structured in a way that would be successful in an indigenous community, incorporating a holistic perspective and mentorship.
About The Customer
University College of the North (UCN) is an institution committed to the development of northern Manitoba, a region where approximately 70% of its student population is indigenous. UCN spans two main campuses and 12 regional training centers, nine of which are located in First Nations communities. These centers deliver customized courses to meet the specific needs of each community. UCN's vision is to build better futures for a stronger North, and it is dedicated to expanding access to education and career options for the indigenous population in its region. One of its initiatives is the Information Technology Readiness North (InTeRN) project, which aims to bring the digital economy into a remote, mostly indigenous community by providing IT training and career options locally.
The Solution
UCN implemented the Sweetgrass pedagogy, a holistic learning model that incorporates the traditions of oral storytelling and the Seven Grandfather Teachings of Cree and other indigenous traditions. The InTeRN project is a work-integrated approach, where students are paid as interns and get involved in a business from the first day. The university partnered with Computers for Schools (C4S) to bring a refurbishment center into the community, allowing InTeRN participants to develop skills needed for entry-level IT jobs. The program is based on competencies and outcomes, with less focus on traditional evaluation, allowing students to experience successes and get feedback daily. UCN deployed HPE Nimble Storage dHCI, a hyperconverged solution that is flexible and scalable, to provide a platform for their virtual lab. The platform runs NetLab, a software solution that allows students to access and control specialized equipment remotely.
Operational Impact
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