Sask INC – The Innovation Network Community (Sask INC) is a non-profit, social purpose organization, that seeks to inspire, support, and connect Saskatchewan entities, to the best of provincial, federal, global knowledge and resources, to strategically innovate for a better tomorrow.
Its mission is to inspire, support, and connect Saskatchewan entities, to the best of provincial/federal/global knowledge and resources, to innovate for a better tomorrow, and create a future of economic stability, opportunity and growth for Saskatchewan organizations and the citizens of the province, through improving public access to innovation.
Sask I.N.C. is perhaps best known in the Intelligent Community network for its work with Estevan, Saskatchewan, a member community of ICF, on its Rural Technology Hub Initiative.
Susan Letsche is the founder and CEO of Sask INC and explains how this partnership with the city of Estevan 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.
Website: https://saskinc.ca/