A new podcast is highlighting the best and brightest of Newfoundland and Labrador’s tech sector, sharing the stories of industry veterans and emerging faces looking to grow.
The 10-episode podcast, called Creators at the World’s Edge, was launched to build awareness of the growing $1.6-billion industry and to help encourage others to bring their initiatives to the province, according to TechNL CEO Paul Preston.
“We know we have a major talent gap here, but we know this sector is growing by leaps and bounds,” Preston told The St. John’s Morning Show. “We need the youth of our province, we need diverse individuals to think about moving into our sector to help our companies grow in scale [over] the next 10, 20, 30 years.”
TechNL is a not-for-profit association that works with the sector to help shape policy and advocate for the industry.
The first episode was released Sept. 28, with future episodes planned for release on Thursdays. CBC N.L. has partnered with TechNL to feature episodes of the podcast on CBC Radio’s Crosstalk.
Episodes can be found wherever you get your podcasts.
A video series for TechNL members, titled Sparking Innovation, will be released alongside the podcast.
WATCH: TechNL is also launching a video series called Sparking Innovation:
Deirdre Ayre, head of operations at the Atlantic Canada-based video game developer Other Ocean Interactive, is the subject of a future episode.
“[It’s about] some of the struggles we found and some of the changes we’ve seen in the tech sector in the last 15 years … around the interest in our sector in Newfoundland and Labrador, really throughout the country too,” she said.
Ayre said she hopes experiences shared on the podcast can help others in the sector see what it takes to grow in Newfoundland and Labrador, and that launching or building a team is possible in the province.
“The collaboration that we’re now seeing in Newfoundland and Labrador between educators, industry, industry associations, government, etc., and showing how important this sector is becoming.”
Preston echoed that notion, saying the idea that “we can do this here” was a common theme throughout the 10 episodes.
“We can compete. We are as good, if not better,” he said. “The fact that we are from a smaller market, [we have] the connection, the collaboration.… We have some natural strengths and assets by the fact that we are smaller and more agile. We need to tap [into] those opportunities and tap those benefits.
“We really want to help inspire others in the same way.”
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