This article is part of the Bright Leaders of Calgary series, which features prominent corporate leaders and their insights on the local business community and vision for the future.
In the era of digital transformation, Calgary is emerging as a city with a skilled workforce that embraces new technologies. With a steadily increasing population, talent is being drawn to the Blue Sky City with their sights set on our high livability scores and innovative business environment.
To meet rising skill demands from local employers, the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) is dedicated to developing the next generation of digital technology professionals. By offering new programs that keep pace with industry demands, the school helps students acquire the in-demand skills needed to address talent shortages across sectors.
We caught up with the Dean of the School for Advanced Digital Technology, Cherie Bowker, to learn more about Calgary’s post-secondary education landscape and how she’s seeing the talent pool evolve.
1. Why is Calgary an ideal city to pursue a post-secondary education?
Calgary offers affordability and valuable learning opportunities that employ students. With people migrating here and the economy growing, I believe we'll continue to see exponential growth. With the tech industry booming, the city is emerging as one of the fastest-growing areas in North America— which is creating massive opportunities for students.
I see young professionals not only drawn to the opportunities here, but also because it’s a beautiful city with a great lifestyle, lots of sun, close to the mountains and winters with Chinooks. Here, you get industry growth, diverse restaurants, nightlife, green spaces, beautiful libraries and places to explore. It's the full package and a great place to relocate to.
2. How is programming at SAIT staying relevant with emerging trends and changing industry demands?
We've developed a 'choose your own adventure' approach for students’ education so they have flexibility whether they want to upskill, earn a diploma or pursue a degree.
Our approach at the School for Advanced Digital Technology starts with a curriculum that develops foundational skills across various areas - storytelling, writing, capturing media and post-production. With these skills, students can branch into specialized fields like film, e-sports, media production and event management. We see students later use this experience across sectors, so the programming is appliable to many areas including media, design, user experience, IT, software development and cybersecurity.
Strategically, we're moving away from traditional learning structures and embracing innovative approaches. We want our courses to be like Lego blocks, so students can stack certificates, diplomas and degrees. By constantly developing new courses in areas like AI and media, we can quickly adapt to industry needs and ensure students are ahead of the game.
3. What trends have you noticed for work-integrated learning in Calgary?
At our committee meetings with industry, I've seen CEOs, entrepreneurs and company owners from IT, software development and cybersecurity sectors eager to engage with our students. They offer to speak, provide tours, offer student placements and support our ecosystem, which is significant for talent development.
This level of empathy and willingness to give back from the private sector is unique. It's remarkable how industry leaders in Calgary are keen to connect with our institution and help our students develop their skills.
4. How do you feel Calgary is positioned to become a global hub for digital transformation and innovation?
Calgary continues to evolve, and this evolution has led to innovation in areas like virtual reality and digital technology. Despite past economic struggles, the adaptability of Calgary helps provide a great lifestyle, better affordability
and boasts a welcoming community.
With ongoing research and amazing minds here, I see exponential growth in the next year or two. People will continue to move here, bring their businesses, and contribute to the economy.
5. What gives you optimism for Calgary’s future?
The existing stats give me a lot of hope. We're seeing growth, especially in real estate, and reaping the benefits of our investments. People from across Canada who move to Calgary rarely return, which speaks volumes – and we’re seeing this more with people moving here from Vancouver and Toronto.
The people who come here choose to stay here, convinced that this is the place to build their businesses, families and lifelong friendships. There's a strong sense of place attachment and the city wins many over with its appealing lifestyle. It's my favorite place in the world.
About Team Calgary: The Team Calgary corporate partnership program engages our community’s visionary thought leaders to influence Calgary’s economic growth and create long-term prosperity and opportunities for all Calgarians.
Together, we advance the economic strategy, Uplook: An Action Plan For Our Economy, as the path to make Calgary the place where bright minds and big ideas come together with an unmatched spirit to help solve global challenges.