Case Study: University College of the North achieves expanded access to hands-on IT training for Indigenous women with HPE Simplivity

University College of the North expands access to IT training in northern Manitoba

University College of the North (UCN) launched the Information Technology Readiness North (InTeRN) pilot to tackle the digital divide in northern Manitoba, where about 70% of students are Indigenous and few local pathways exist into IT. With only 2.8% of women studying computing provincially and careers requiring a 600+ km move to Winnipeg, UCN needed a culturally grounded, community-based program that kept Indigenous women connected to their supports while opening real job opportunities.

InTeRN combines the Sweetgrass holistic pedagogy and paid, work-integrated internships with a local Computers for Schools refurbishment center and global mentorship to teach hands-on IT skills. A scalable HPE-powered virtual lab (HPE Nimble Storage dHCI, InfoSight, NetLab, VMware) deployed by Powerland, plus Proactive Care and donated mobile internet sticks, delivers resilient, easy-to-manage infrastructure for remote access. The result: immediate local career training and paid experience for Indigenous women, a reliable platform that prioritizes student learning, and a growing, community-owned pathway for future instructors and businesses.

University College of the North

Jenna Brown

Project Case Manager