Empowering the North
Canada is on the cusp of one of the biggest industrial shifts that we have ever seen. Massive projects across Northern Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia, including the Ring of Fire and new critical mineral developments, represent billions in investment and decades of opportunity.
But there’s one major problem: we don’t have the people to fill the jobs.
Not because the talent doesn’t exist, but because too many northern and Indigenous communities are disconnected from the training, tools, and technology that lead to these careers.
The Challenge
As industries expand in mining, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing, the demand for skilled workers is exploding. These careers don’t look like the trades of 30 years ago. Today’s workforce needs to understand digital manufacturing, including CNC machining, CAD/CAM design, laser cutting, 3D printing, and automation.
Yet in many northern communities, the educational pathway to these jobs simply isn’t there.
Schools struggle to access modern equipment, updated curriculum, and trained instructors who feel confident teaching these technologies. The result?
• Local youth watch high-paying jobs go to workers brought in from the south or overseas.
• Young people leave their communities to find training – and too often, they don’t come back.
• The skills gap widens, and communities lose future leaders, builders, and problem-solvers.
If we want the North to grow and thrive, the opportunities must be accessible where people live, not only in major cities.
The Solution
At Simply Technologies, we believe change starts in the classroom.
Our EMPOWER[ED] ACADEMY Teacher Training & Certification Program was built in-part to bring digital manufacturing skills directly into northern and Indigenous schools, by equipping the teachers first.
Instead of sending students away for training, we train the educators who influence hundreds of students over their career. When a teacher gains confidence in CAD/CAM + CNC (plus future laser cutting and 3D printing courses), the entire school benefits.
Every certified educator becomes a catalyst for opportunity – turning their classroom into a mini-innovation hub where students learn to design, prototype, and solve real-world problems using industry tools.
This isn’t just training. It’s a pathway – connecting education to employment, and local talent to local opportunity.
The Plan Forward
Our vision is clear: build a sustainable ecosystem of digital manufacturing in northern and Indigenous communities.
Here’s how we get there:
Phase 1: Build Digital Fabrication Labs
We help establish hands-on, classroom-ready fabrication labs equipped with CNC routers, laser systems, and 3D printers – supported by our teacher certification program.
Phase 2: Align Community Partnerships
Success requires collaboration. We work alongside school boards, Indigenous leadership, industry, and government to ensure the training aligns with real job opportunities and local goals.
Phase 3: Scale Across the North
Once model schools are established and outcomes measured, the program expands – creating a network of trained educators and equipped schools across northern and rural Canada.
Canada’s northern communities are rich in resources, but the greatest resource has always been the people.
If we invest in students, empower teachers, and bring digital manufacturing education to the North, we don’t just fill jobs…
we build self-sustaining communities, local talent pipelines, and long-term prosperity where it’s needed most.
The future of northern industry should belong to the people who call it home.
And we’re committed to helping make that happen.
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Sincerely,
Steve Stevenson