Non-profit organization NPower Canada celebrated its 10-year anniversary Wednesday at the Toronto Region Board of Trade, marking a milestone of helping 10,000 Canadians launch digital careers.
Over 200 attendees gathered for the event, including the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth. “NPower Canada is more than a program — it’s a lifeline for so many who just need that first chance,” Ien said. “For 10 years, this organization has been breaking down barriers and opening doors, giving people the opportunities to build careers they never thought possible.”
The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, issued a statement for the occasion.
“Reaching this milestone—helping 10,000 Canadians launch their careers—is a testament to NPower Canada’s unwavering dedication to empowering underserved Canadians by setting them up for successful and rewarding careers,” Freeland said. “NPower Canada’s impact on Canadians is inspiring, and our government is proud to be their partner.”
Julia Blackburn, CEO of NPower Canada, expressed gratitude to those who have supported the organization over the past decade.
“Our 10-year anniversary is a special milestone for me, and I am filled with gratitude for everyone who has contributed to making NPower Canada what it is today,” Blackburn said. “As the organization’s first CEO, I’ve had the opportunity to witness many achievements over the past decade, all made possible by the unwavering dedication of our amazing staff, funders, government, employers, board, industry council, partners, alumni, and supporters.”
Stephen Gardiner, NPower Canada’s founding board chair and senior managing director of strategy and digital transformation at Accenture in Canada, highlighted the importance of the partnership between Accenture and NPower Canada.
“Our partnership with NPower Canada continues to help us reach untapped talent pools and provide greater access to digital economy jobs, helping jobseekers from underserved communities kickstart and grow their careers,” Gardiner said.
Aisha Ali, an NPower Canada alumna who graduated in 2017 and now works as a business system analyst for CIBC, shared her experience.
“Looking back, I’m amazed at the transformation,” Ali said. “Before NPower Canada, I didn’t even know what my options were and now, I know exactly where I’m headed, and the future looks a lot brighter than I ever imagined thanks to the skills I’ve gained and the amazing support from NPower Canada.”
Despite the milestone, Blackburn noted that demand for NPower Canada’s programs continues to grow.
“The demand for our programs continues to grow, with over 1,000 jobseekers on our waiting lists and a constantly evolving labour market,” she said. “We have had great success over these 10 years, but there is still a great need to continue supporting barriered jobseekers and to providing employers with a pipeline of qualified talent for a more equitable workforce.”
NPower Canada is a charitable organization that launches underserved youth and adults—including people with disabilities, BIPOC individuals, women, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, Indigenous peoples, and newcomers—into meaningful and sustainable careers in technology. Through its free in-demand digital and professional skills training programs, NPower Canada connects jobseekers to employers looking for digital talent. To date, more than 80 per cent of NPower Canada’s 10,000 alumni have secured in-demand tech jobs such as help desk analyst, QA specialist, and information security analyst with industry leaders including Accenture, CGI, CIBC, Cisco, Deloitte, IBM, RBC, Softchoice, TD, and Telus.