Actua’s For-Credit InSTEM Program Receives $2.3 Million in Funding from the Future Skills Centre

Ottawa, ON - April 2, 2019

Today, the Government of Canada’s Future Skills Centre announced $2.3 million in funding for Actua’s For-Credit InSTEM Program.

Actua’s For-Credit InSTEM (Indigenous youth in science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Program aims to address barriers to Indigenous and Northern engagement in Canada’s workforce through a for-credit high school program that applies a locally and culturally relevant approach to building digital skills with key foundational, literacy, and numeracy skills. 

“We are incredibly pleased to be one of six innovation projects launched by the Future Skills Centre today,” said Jennifer Flanagan, President and CEO of Actua. “This is an important opportunity for Actua     to deepen the impact of our skills building programming for Indigenous and Northern youth, providing experiential learning while connecting them with meaningful employment opportunities.”

Over the next two years, 65-75 First Nation youth will take part in the first cohort of this Actua program, including Indigenous youth in Yukon, Northwest Territories and Northern Alberta.

Actua’s program involves the delivery of two key components: an in-school component and a summer based on-the-land component, both rendering high school credits. It will also include a work placement program where selected students completing the land program will be placed in Actua-facilitated internships with industry or education partners. 

“Ensuring youth have the skills they need to grow into the jobs of tomorrow is critical to Canada’s long-term prosperity.  This investment in Actua’s InSTEM Program will help Indigenous and Northern youth gain valuable experiential learning opportunities,” said Mona Fortier, Member of Parliament for Ottawa—Vanier.  “I am very proud to have an Ottawa based organization, Actua, lead this initiative.”

“The Future Skills Centre is thrilled to be partnering with Actua on their ‘For-Credit InSTEM Program’ project. This project will work towards supporting Northern and Indigenous youth in gaining access to new skills and will contribute to a growing base in skills development research,” said Melanie Wright, Interim Executive Director of the Future Skills Centre.

You can learn more about the Future Skills Centre’s six innovation projects here.

Actua’s “For-Credit InSTEM Program” is funded by the Government of Canada’s Future Skills Centre.

About Actua

Actua is Canada’s leading science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) youth outreach network representing 38 university and college based members. Each year 250,000 young Canadians in over 500 communities nationwide are inspired through hands-on educational workshops, camps and community outreach initiatives. Actua focuses on the engagement of underrepresented youth through specialized programs for Indigenous youth, girls and young women, at-risk youth and youth living in Northern and remote communities. Actua’s major funders include: Government of Canada, Google Canada, Suncor Energy Foundation, GE Canada, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Finning Canada, Toyota Canada Foundation and Lockheed Martin Canada. 

About The Future Skills Centre

The Future Skills Centre – Centre des Compétences futures (FSC-CCF) is a forward-thinking research centre with a focus on how to best prepare Canadians today for workforce opportunities of the future. The Centre will test and rigorously measure innovative approaches to identify emerging in-demand skills and help Canadians develop the skills they need to take full advantage of and succeed in the new economy. FSC-CCF is a partnership between Ryerson University, Conference Board of Canada, and Blueprint. For more information, visit fsc-ccf.ca.

Contact Information

Kristina Martin, Director of Communications, Actua
111 Murray Street, Ottawa ON K1N 5M5
Tel: (613) 234 4137 Fax: 613 234 4779
E­mail: kristina.martin@actua.ca
Web: www.actua.ca