ICTC and Carleton U aim to build future AV workforce

The Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) and Carleton University’s Co-operative Education office announced a partnership to expand career opportunities for students within the autonomous vehicle (AV) sector and to advance Ottawa’s position as the AV capital of Canada. 

The partnership is expected to help fulfill a core part of ICTC’s Work Integrated Learning (WIL Digital) program by creating high-quality subsidized work placements at AV companies across Canada. The aim of the partnership is also to strengthen industry-academia collaboration to prepare students for the jobs of the future.

According to the recently published ICTC report Autonomous Vehicles & The Future of Work in In Canada, AVs will create over 34, 000 high-quality jobs in Canada over the next five years. ICTC and Carleton University Co-op are ensuring that Ottawa cultivates the workforce necessary for the future and becomes Canada’s AV capital.

“Our government is putting Canada’s skilled, talented and creative people at the heart of a more innovative economy. Through the Student Work Placement Program, we are helping students today get the education and on-the-job experience they need to succeed and build better futures for themselves,” says Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour.

“We are on the cusp of a new era of transportation that offers tremendous opportunities to realize socio-economic gains for Canada,” adds Namir Anani, ICTC President & CEO. “This is a critical collaboration to nurture and inspire tomorrow’s innovators and industry leaders in a space that is destined to reshape Canada’s competitive advantage in a global economy.”