The program provides week-long placements to underrepresented emerging professionals in the interactive digital media sector

In a bid to ensure that the interactive digital media industry reflects Ontario’s diversity and breadth of stories and realities, Interactive Ontario is hosting its successful ipprenticeship program for a third year.

The program helps underrepresented emerging professionals break into the digital media industry by providing week-long paid placements for women and Black youth (defined as under the age of 25) at industry leading companies.

Each year the program has expanded in the face of overwhelming success at attracting and retaining highly talented candidates. Last year three companies offered four positions in Toronto and one in Ottawa. This year, four companies have signed-on to provide five positions to women and Black youth in Toronto and Ottawa.

The host companies for 2019 are Ubisoft Toronto, Uken Games, and CBC in Toronto, and Kindly Beast in Ottawa. Applications are now open for the following ipprenticeship placements:

  • Black youth in video game programming/software development at Kindly Beast in Ottawa (apply here)
  • Black youth in the video game industry at Uken Games in Toronto (apply here)
  • Black youth in digital content creation with the CBC Digital Programming team at the public broadcaster’s offices in Toronto (apply here)
  • Black Youth in Games at Ubisoft Toronto (apply here)
  • Women in Games at Ubisoft Toronto (apply here)

“The ipprenticeship program has been so successful over the past two years that we have more and more host companies signing on each year eager to find the best up-and-coming talent in the interactive sector,” said Interactive Ontario President & CEO Lucie Lalumière. “Several of our ipprentices have been offered full-time employment upon finishing their ipprenticeships, demonstrating the program’s lasting impact on the lives of underrepresented youth and the Ontario economy.”

The program is jointly funded by the host companies and, as part of a three-year grant from the Industry-Led Career Initiative (ILCI), administered by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services through the Black Youth Action Plan.

Applications for the ipprenticeship program are now open – the deadline is June 16th, 2019.