New partnership could create up to 100 good-paying information technology jobs in Sault (3 photos)

A group of senior-ranking Sault College officials, joined by Microsoft VIPS and Montreal’s Createch Group, formally announced a partnership at the college Thursday which, it is anticipated, will attract students to study at Sault College and go into new, locally-based, good-paying information technology sector jobs upon graduation.

Beginning in June 2016, Createch began collaborating with the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre (SSMIC), opening CREATECH365, its Sault office, at the SSMIC’s Accelerator Hub in March, 2017 at 258 Queen Street East (many of its 17 current employees being Sault College graduates).

CREATECH365 provides instruction, consulting and sales for the cloud-based Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Edition software.

CREATECH365 will move into Sault College’s new institute of Environment, Education and Entrepreneurship (the iE3) once that major college expansion is complete.

There, students will learn the software and, it is anticipated, will move on to jobs locally, providing technical support to CREATECH365 client companies and customers, without having to move from Sault Ste. Marie.

“We were looking for a place with fast internet access, good academic institutions and a decent-sized population…and also the fact that a lot of people that have left the Sault would like to come back if they could find a decent job (being the reasons behind Createch choosing the Sault as its community of choice from which to operate)” said Mario Chabot, Createch’s General Manager of Microsoft Business Solutions at Thursday’s media conference at Sault College.

Chabot said he anticipates 20 employees at the CREATECH365 office by the end of the year, and at least 30 by the end of 2018.

“They will be very well paid jobs. I would not be surprised if we reach up to 100 employees four years from now,” Chabot told SooToday.

The Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Edition software has already been embedded into Sault College’s business and computer programs, said Colin Kirkwood, Sault College vice president, academic and research.

The partnership is indicative of local efforts in the Sault to not rely completely on its traditional, heavy industry, and to economically diversify, partly through development of the local information technology sector. 

“Certainly it (the CREATECH365 presence on campus) will be seen as attractive recruitment information, so we’ll be branding ourselves and our partnership with Createch,” said Ron Common, Sault College president.

“Certainly our intent has been, for many years, to differentiate ourselves from the other 23 colleges that operate in Ontario, and this will be a unique aspect that will make our programming attractive for prospective students.”

Technical support will be offered for CREATECH365 clients across Canada (and, beginning next year) in the U.S. using hi-tech modern technology such as Skype, Chabot said.

Service is currently running five days a week, with that almost certainly expanding in the future, Chabot said.

“The concept and idea is to really drive the I.T. economy in Sault Ste. Marie and I think the launch of what we’re doing today and the concept we’ve created in Sault Ste. Marie really shows there’s an alternative opportunity for employment because of cloud technology,” said Gerry Bugyra, CREATECH365 operations manager and director of sales.

“You don’t have to be in a big city centre anymore to develop any kind of business, whether it’s a small, medium or large business,” Bugyra said.

“When you think about Microsoft Dynamics…it’s important to recognize that it can be tailored, making a solution for retail, elements of healthcare, restaurants or what have you…every industry is modernizing, so you’re creating a hub of knowledge which is going to bring forward more interesting and complex job opportunities for the students that are graduating,” said Charlotte Burke, Microsoft vice president.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for the city…we need to recognize the Innovation Centre, certainly thank Createch for being interested in Sault Ste. Marie, but it’s important to recognize the college,” said Mayor Christian Provenzano, praising the level of collaboration between the various partners in their commitment to developing I.T. jobs in Sault Ste. Marie.

“The college was really responsive to this project…we’re excited to have Microsoft and Createch here, and I think the most important point is that these are careers, these are important careers and we’re not just developing the skill sets of today, we’re developing the skill sets the future economy is going to need.”

“I think it’s just the start,” Provenzano said.

Sault MP Terry Sheehan announced Wednesday FedNor will be providing $482,000 in a repayable contribution to help the venture.

A Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) contribution announcement from the province, in support for the  Createch project, was scheduled to be announced later Thursday.