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BC Tech Summit to help equip teens for jobs of the future

Kids will hear about everything from cryptocurrency to virtual reality to helping people live longer
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Checking out some virtual reality headgear at a past BC Tech Summit Youth Innovation Day in Vancouver. (Rich Lam/BC Tech Summit)

A thousand students are set to descend on the Vancouver Convention Centre next month to learn all about how they can build a future in tech.

The BC Tech Summit is hosting a Youth Innovation Day on March 12 as part of its three-day event, March 11-13.

READ MORE: BC Tech Summit to revolutionize business models

William Johnson, marketing and communications director at Innovate BC, said it’s a great opportunity for teens in Grades 10 to 12 to see how they might fit into the tech landscape.

“B.C. has become a hub for global companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Facebook,” said Johnson. “We have over 10,000 [companies] who employ more than 100,000 people.

“We’re attracting new talent to the industry and really having conversations about what the jobs of the future are going to look like.”

Jobs in virtual reality and the science of helping people live longer weren’t a reality even a decade ago, he said, so it’s key to make sure young people hear what job prospects will be like once they graduate.

Youth coming to the summit will get to choose a series of sessions based on their interests, whether it’s iOS design, Blockchain or design thinking.

For the first time, there’s a chance to shine in what’s dubbed the “reality revolution solution,” in which teams of five make a pitch to solve global challenges.

“We’re going to have these youth on the main stage, so up to 2,000 people are going to be seeing these exciting solutions,” said Johnson.

The winner will get $5,000 to help them achieve their dreams.

READ MORE: BC Tech Summit to dedicate a day to future of women

For more information on the BC Tech Summit, or the Youth Innovation Day, click here.


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