Hire an arts student into a tech role with our new Infuse program. Join us to help lead the way to a more equitable digital workforce.

Infuse Program

The Infuse Program recognizes the skills and diversity that Arts students bring to Canada’s tech sector. Following tremendous success in Ontario, the Infuse Program is expanding nationwide.  

Your organization may have already benefitted from students enrolled in Business and STEM programs to support the departmental needs of your business – why not approach things a little differently to round out the skills and diversity representation on your team?

The program partners with Liberal Arts & Professional Studies programs across Canada that have student work placements requirements, and eligible employers seeking skilled talent who are interested in hiring an Infuse student into a tech-meaningful role.  

TECHNATION provides up to $7,000.00 per student in wage subsidies, along with resources, tools, and supports for employers.  

For Employers

We are looking to connect with companies that embrace innovation and creativity in their hiring practices. We’re seeking employers who appreciate unconventional thinking and are open to hiring arts students for tech positions.

The Infuse program offers eligible employers a talent pool of students from participating post-secondary institutions, and the following benefits: 

  • Guaranteed Funding Opportunities: Secure application spots to receive funding for hiring up to 5 qualified students, minimize hiring costs while adding skilled talent to your workforce. 
  • Access to Career-Coached Students: Benefit from hiring students who have undergone specialized career coaching, ensuring they are workplace-ready and prepared to make an impact from day one. 
  • Recruitment Support from University Career Centres: Streamlined hiring process with expert recruitment support from career centres, helping you find the best-fit students for your tech roles. 

Research has proven that students from academic programs such as social sciences, humanities, languages, communications, history, politics, law, and gender studies are equipped to:

  • Anticipate human needs and identify societal challenges
  • Contribute toward a dynamic range of innovation and business development initiatives
  • Work with multi-disciplinary teams
  • Adapt quickly to tech-immersive environments

Career Ready Employers

Employers who use TECHNATION’s Career Ready Program are eligible to hire an additional 5 interns through the Infuse program, in addition to the 5 Career Ready subsidized internships. This makes one employer eligible to hire up to 10 wage-subsidized interns for a placement period.

Testimonials

TECHNATION has had recent success working with nearly 1,000 employer partners across Canada, connecting them with all with ambitious Arts students in tech-immersive roles. Read on to hear their feedback on the Infuse Program:

“Nathaniel Boateng was hired as an Operations Intern for the Founder Success Team in May 2023 as part of the Infuse Program offered by TECHNATION. During his time, he performed exceptionally well in this role. I particularly liked his attention to detail and proactive approach to tasks. He was very instrumental in developing our revised Mentorship Program which helps founders connect with business leaders in various fields. He also coordinated the activities of our advisory team with timely submissions of action plans, meeting notes and timesheets.

In just 3 months, Nathaniel applied for the Capital Investment Associate position and was selected as the most qualified candidate for the position. One of his strengths as mentioned by the interviewing team is his positive work ethic and his ability to collaborate with team members. He exhibits all our RIVIR traits and has impressed us significantly in the delivery of his responsibilities as a full-time employee.”

Jamachi Chris-Asoluka
Operations Manager, Founder Success, ventureLAB

“Our experience with hiring and placing students has been positive. They have been a valuable asset to our team. I had no prior knowledge or past experience with the faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. But with this first engagement, not only have they met our expectations, they have also surpassed our expectations.”

Olayinka Akande
HR Manager, ventureLAB

For Post-Secondary Partners

The Infuse program is expanding nationwide! We are partnering with York University, Simon Fraser University, the University of British Columbia and Mount Royal University, and we continue to seek additional partnerships. We are interested in speaking with Arts faculties & departments, program liasons and career services offices at accredited post-secondary institutions and Arts colleges across Canada. 

Learn more about INFUSE partnership opportunities by contacting Rashim Katyal.

Contact

To participate in the program or for questions, please reach out to either:

  • TECHNATION’s Career Ready Program – Rashim Katyal – Program Development and Employer Partnerships Lead
  • York University – Fahimeh Ehsani, Manager, Employer Engagement, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
  • Simon Fraser University – Liesl Jurock, Acting Program Manager, Arts & Communication Co-op
  • University of British Columbia – RJ Jose, Manager, Business Development, Arts Co-op Program  
  • Mount Royal University – Vivienne Momoh, Coordinator, Funding and Special Projects, Career Services  
  • University of Toronto – Panna Chauhan, Lead, Business and Partnership Development
  • University of Waterloo – Nicole Guenther, Industry Strategist Co-operative and Experiential Education

Resources