By Mark Squibb/November 9, 2022
Emma McDonald of O’Donel High and David Sodje of Mount Pearl Senior High were among some 50 Mount Pearl students who participated in a day of hands on technology and career advice workshops last week.
The so-called ‘Skilled Futures: Careers in Technology Event’ was held at Keyin College on Topsail Road and marked National Skilled Trades and Technology Week.
In the morning, students worked with micro:bits, pocket sized computers that feature an LED light display that students can program, while in the afternoon, they joined a Q&A panel session, entitled Women in Technology, featuring members of local tech companies including Verafin, Polyunty, and Parker Wellbore. Students had the opportunity to ask women who have made it big in the tech industry how they got there, and what steps they took along the way.
“I’ve learned that networking is a big part of getting into the career that you want,” said Sodje. “And you really need to be hard working and you need to be someone that knows how to work with people.”
McDonald concurs that learning the importance of networking was a valuable lesson.
“But I’ve also learned that coding isn’t the only thing in the tech industry, which is what I was looking into,” said McDonald. “I’ve learned that there’s more to the tech industry than just that.”
McDonald imagines a future as a video game developer, while Sodje leans into software development.
Fortunately for students such as McDonald and Sodje, the province’s tech future is bright, says techNL High School Talent Lead Susan Kelly, one of Wednesday’s panel speakers.
“We have over 230 member companies in our technology sector,” said Kelly. “And it’s a really positive, sustainable ecosystem to be a part of it, when you’re thinking about what to do next in your career journey. It’s something that can last a long time. And we have over 90 percent of our companies expanding, which means they’re hiring, and they will be continuing to hire in the next few years.”
