25 Nov How Estevan Is Working to Develop A Rural Technology Hub
Identifying new opportunities is an important piece of the work that the Economic Development Board is doing to help Estevan grow and move forward. One of the opportunities that was identified was a rural technology hub. Based off the work tech giants like Google have started in the United States, this project seeks to develop the community to accommodate tech innovation and remote working for technology company employees.
Estevan boasts many of the amenities found in similar Tech Hub projects. This includes places like a coworking space for entrepreneurs and remote workers, available housing, restaurants, shops, or other cultural establishments. Estevan also has, infrastructure to support fast, reliable broadband internet, and education facilities that can provide programs for workforce training and mentorship.
To help with this process the Estevan Economic Development Board put out a tender and hired Sask INC to assist with the development plan. Susan Letsche is the founder and CEO of Sask INC and explains how this partnership came to be. “Sask I.N.C. was contracted to help develop the plan for Estevan to become a rural technology hub. We have been exploring the pillars of what that looks like including the infrastructure that is available, the education opportunity between the Estevan Comprehensive School and Southeast College, and opportunities with industry partners like Microsoft and IBM.”
Since the project began earlier this year, over 35 community leaders and stakeholders have been interviewed to help determine the needs of the community. A knowledge repository of information has also been developed, along with the early stages of developing an innovation council, and governance of the hub itself.The tech hub will be built around the needs and opportunities of Estevan. Some of the opportunities that have been identified for the tech hub include partnerships with local industry, academia, and potential use for high school students. As this project moves forwards the potential job opportunities will also be wide ranging besides developers and coders. Potential job opportunities can include a variety of roles at tech companies — from customer service to graphic design to bookkeeping.