Immigrant Coding Online for Development in Employment

The Immigrant Coding Online for Development in Employment (iCode) training program supports immigrant integration into the increasingly digital Canadian workforce. It does so by providing immigrants with the opportunity to acquire in-demand coding and web development skills, as well as learn relevant vocabulary and communication skills. This program promotes professional development through instruction and application, with iCode’s final phase consisting of a paid practicum placement. 

‍Project Information

What was the iCode Program?

The iCode program was a 2-year project that focused on providing newcomers to Canada with training in coding. Each participant attended a six-month, part-time program consisting of a three-month online technical and language training courses and a three-month practicum placement at a local information technology (IT) company. This program was designed to address the commonly reported integration barriers of lack of language proficiency and Canadian experience, support immigrants who wish to pursue careers in the IT sector, and respond to current labour market needs. In this program, we partnered with ComIT, a charity that aims to connect individuals with companies looking for talented IT professionals and help them  overcome employment barriers, for curriculum and technical training delivery.  

‍What were the aims of iCode?

iCode aimed to:

• Prepare participants for careers in the IT industry by increasing their technical and communication skills.
• Connect participants to industry employers to obtain relevant experiences and apply learned skills. 

Why is this important?

The growth of the technology sector in the economy is evolving rapidly, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, where organizations were forced to offer their services and workplaces online. This has resulted in an increased demand for workers in the technology sector. Vulnerable populations such as newcomers to Canada who have the relevant technical background and experience may not have the opportunity or access to relevant training to boost their job portfolio. Although newcomers can decide to upgrade their education, financial limitations often affect decisions to pursue credentials in their previous fields (Banerjee & Verma, 2009). Eligibility criteria and full time course loads in other training programs may also exclude newcomers from participating. Therefore, there is a real need for education and reskilling to be “less risky, less expensive, and less stressful” (Anani et al., 2020, p. 23). 

The iCode Program aimed to address labour demands by providing free training in programming languages for newcomers to Canada. iCode also trained its participants in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) relevant workplace vocabulary and communication skills and provided newcomers with work experience in a Canadian context. These were particularly important because two of the most commonly reported barriers by immigrants in the technology sector is the lack of language proficiency and the lack of Canadian work experience (Boyd & Tian, 2017; Picot & Hou, 2018; Lai et al., 2017; Cameron & Faisal, 2016; Pandey & Townsend, 2017).

Project Activities

The iCode Program ran four cohorts over the span of two years (2021 to 2022). Each intake consisted of a three-month online course covering topics on:

• A desired coding language in the industry.
• Industry-specific, essential English and communication skills for the workplace.

Then, students participated in a three-month practicum placement at a local IT company.

Lessons Learned

All participants reported feeling more confident about their potential to become economically integrated into the Canadian workplace and having expanded their connection with and network in the Canadian IT industry.

The program provided students diverse opportunities, allowing them to enter various roles within the IT and non-IT fields. There were various outcomes for students regarding their employment, namely:

• Some were able to secure employment in the IT industry;
• Some were able to leverage their training to advance in their current employment and secure promotions to supervisor or managerial positions; and
• Some chose to work independently or as freelancers in web development to enhance their portfolios.

References 

Anani, N., Cutean, A., McLaughlin, R. & Rice, F. (2020). Economic Resiliency in the Face of Adversity: From Surviving to Prospering. Information and Communications Technology Council. https://www.ictc-ctic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Resilient-Economy-Whitepaper-Eng-FINAL.pdf 

Banerjee, R., & Verma, A. (2009). Determinants and effects of post-migration education among new immigrants in Canada (CLSRN Working Paper No.11). Canadian Labour Market and Skills Researcher Network. http://www.clsrn.econ.ubc.ca/workingpapers/CLSRN%20Working%20Paper%20no.%2011%20-%20Banerjee%20&%20Verma.pdf

Boyd, M., & Tian, S. (2017). STEM Education and STEM Work: Nativity Inequalities in Occupations and Earnings. International Migration, 55(1), 75-98. https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.12302

Cameron, A., & Faisal, S. (2016). Digital Economy Talent Supply: Immigration Stream. The Information and Communications Technology Council. https://www.ictc-ctic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Digital-Economy-Supply_The-Immigration-Stream.pdf

Lai, D. W. L., Shankar, J., & Khalema, E. (2017). Unspoken Skills and Tactics: Essentials for Immigrant Professionals in Integration to Workplace Culture. Journal of International Migration and Integration, 18(3), 937-959. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-017-0513-5

Pandey, M., & Townsend, J. (2017). Prior Host-Country Work Experience and Immigrant Labor Market Outcomes: Evidence from Canada. IZA Journal of Migration, 6(1), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40176-016-0075-x

Picot, G., & Hou, F. (2018). Immigrant STEM Workers in the Canadian Economy: Skill Utilization and Earnings. Canadian Public Policy, 44(S1), S113 – S124. https://doi.org/10.3138/cpp.2017-036