January 16, 2018 – JA British Columbia (JABC) hosted its second annual JABC TechWorks, a full day program that presented local grade 9 and 10 students with the career possibilities in the flourishing technology sector. TELUS was the Presenting Sponsor.
400 students from high schools throughout the Lower Mainland attended this full-day event at TELUS World of Science in Vancouver. The morning program involved stimulating speakers, demos and several interactive periods where students had to vote or answer questions using their smartphones. The afternoon program consisted of breakout sessions which students had pre-selected according to their interests. Topics included Special Effects and Animation, Women in Technology and more.
With the BC tech sector growing by 6% per year, it’s is one of the biggest contributors to BC’s economy. But despite the fact that tech employees can earn 75% more than the average wage in BC, an educated workforce is the biggest constraint that tech companies face in growing their business.
According to Sheila Biggers, President & CEO of JABC, “We are so proud to host JABC TechWorks and help students to understand that technology will impact most, if not all industries, in the future. After the experience of this program, students are more aware of the exciting options out there for them and can better plan their school courses and career paths. JA British Columbia is excited to help graduate tomorrow’s tech leaders.”
Additional Information
List of Speakers
- Vic Kambli- Emcee
- Eileen Kenkel- Director, Program Management Office, Customer Experience, TELUS
- Rocky Ozaki- VP of Community, BC Tech Association
- Devon Thompson- VP of Commercial Finances, RBC
- Rebecca Liggins- Product Designer, Clio
- Scott Miller- Chief Executive Officer, Vision Critical
- Laura Grondahl- Software Developer, LlamaZOO
List of Breakout Sessions:
- Virtual Reality- Presented by TELUS
- Fun with IoT & SAP- Presented by SAP
- Powering BC- Presented by BC Hydro
- Visual Effects and Animation- Presented by Sony Pictures Imageworks
- It’s Not Rocket Science (Actually, it is!)- Presented by MDA Corporation
- Acclerate into the Future with Technology- Presented by Accenture
- Women in Technology- Presented by Deloitte & Supporting Sponsor Mobify
- The Science Behind a Gallery- Presented by TELUS World of Science
PRESENTING SPONSOR
TITANIUM SPONSOR
PLATINUM SPONSORS
GOLD SPONSORS
SILVER SPONSORS
INDUSTRY SPONSOR
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
PRODUCTION PARTNER