A Calgary non-profit is providing an revolutionary IT coaching course for folks in search of an reasonably priced approach to break into the town’s rising tech sector.
Momentum Calgary, a charity that gives packages and providers to assist folks construct their small companies and careers, is providing a brand new cost mannequin for college kids of its IT Assist Specialist Coaching Program.
The “Earnings Share Settlement” mainly permits them to “study now, pay later”.
“We’re the primary non-profit in Canada to supply this system,” Momentum government director Jeff Loomis instructed World Information.
Loomis stated eligible college students will pay as little as $500 up entrance when enrolling in this system. They’re then accountable for the remainder of the schooling cost — roughly $6,350 — solely as soon as they get a job.
“The participant doesn’t pay again the vast majority of the schooling till after they’re employed,” Loomis identified. “They’re getting a job after which they’re paying the vast majority of tuition to Momentum — after the actual fact.”
The graduates even have two years to pay again the excellent quantity, and there’s no curiosity charged on high of that. Momentum officers stated as a non-profit charitable group, they’re not fascinated about “creating” debt.
“There’s no debt concerned in this system,” Loomis identified.
Jeff Loomis and Craig Stewart.
World Calgary
That was an enormous promote for 42-year-old Craig Stewart. He arrived in Canada 18 years in the past from Jamaica and jumped from job to job, looking for the perfect match.
Get the most recent Nationwide information.
Despatched to your electronic mail, every single day.
“I simply stored floating round mainly,” he stated.
Stewart, who had been an IT specialist again residence, needed to get again into tech however stated it simply by no means appeared to pan out.
“I used to be sidetracked slightly bit by life,” he stated. “I began to have a household and I needed to do what I needed to do to place meals on the desk.”
However after transferring to Alberta, and with the encouragement of his spouse and 4 children, Stewart determined to go to Momentum and take the IT course. He stated this system’s revenue share mannequin — made it simple.
“It was actually take the course now – pay later sort of factor. And that’s what I used to be in search of as I used to be unemployed.”
Craig Stewart with household.
Courtesy: Craig Stewart
Placing classroom expertise to work
College students of the 20-week lengthy Momentum program additionally get on-hand, paid expertise, at varied tech corporations. Considered one of their companions is Gam Tech, a small, native enterprise IT providers firm.
It has taken on fairly a number of of Momentum’s college students and instructed World Information these practicums have been very useful.
“It offers them a style on what the IT trade is,” Gam Tech founder Adrian Ghira stated.
However Ghira added it’s not solely college students who acquire from the onsite work expertise, his firm does as nicely.
“In our trade it’s sort of powerful,” he stated. “Lots of people are available in and so they say they know what stuff to do, however it’s actually exhausting to evaluate them by an interview. This enables us to essentially have the particular person right here for eight weeks and permits us to essentially know the particular person.”
Program success
Gam Tech has really employed a few of Momentum’s latest grads. And Loomis stated the position price for the final course, late final yr, was very profitable.
“9 of the 12 grads are already working within the tech house.”
That features Stewart, who had not one — however two — job provides.
“I by no means gave up. I knew I used to be going to drag by way of – it was only a matter of time.”
Craig Stewart at his present job.
Courtesy: Craig Stewart
Momentum is working the course once more twice in 2024, together with subsequent month. Officers stated there are nonetheless areas accessible that they’d like to fill.
The non-profit, within the enterprise of constructing life higher for low-income folks, additionally stated none of it will have been potential with out the assistance of their group companions, beneficiant Calgary philanthropists and authorities, all of whom contribute to this system’s funding.
© 2024 World Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.
