Survey: Over Half of Indigenous Canadians Polled have Experienced Workplace Discrimination

Press Release

08 Jan, 2024

62.4% HAVE EXPERIENCED BIAS WHEN APPLYING FOR JOBS

TORONTO – ComIT.org, a registered charity that believes the democratization of education and opportunity is Canada’s best path forward, recently uncovered several startling statistics in a survey to 500 Canadians who identify as Indigenous Canadians.

ComIT.org created the survey to take a pulse check of current workplace prejudices and concerns for Canadian Indigenous communities and Indigenous Canadians working in the IT sector.

Please attribute this as a survey by ComIT.org in all media mentions

Key findings of the survey

1) Dealing with workplace discrimination

• Over half of Indigenous Canadians surveyed (58.6%) say they have experienced discrimination in their current workplaces. 56.2% of Indigenous Canadians surveyed say they have played down their Indigenous backgrounds to ‘fit in better at the workplace.’

2) Promotions on pause?

• 61.60% of Indigenous Canadians surveyed think they are less likely to be promoted simply based on being Indigenous.

3) C-Suite shut out

• A combined 97.2% of Indigenous Canadians surveyed say there is a lack of representation of Indigenous voices in C-Suite positions in the tech Industry. 37.4% say to a large extent, 36.6% say to a moderate extent, 16.2% say to a small extent and 7% say ‘it’s a serious problem.’

4) Application aggravations

• 62.40% of Indigenous Canadians surveyed say they have experienced bias when applying for a job because they are Indigenous.
• Over half of Indigenous Canadians surveyed (52.60%) say they have ‘played down’ their Indigenous background to get a job.
• Over a third of Indigenous Canadians surveyed (33.80%) choose to NOT list being Indigenous on their social media profiles.

“In many ways, the stats around bias and discrimination are the most concerning,” said Pablo Listingart, Founder and Executive Director of ComIT.org. “If Indigenous Canadians are being cast aside or locked out of even applying for jobs, we clearly have a long way to go to ensure an even playing field.”

5) Digital Divide?

Asked what the main barriers to follow a career in digital skills would be, Indigenous Canadians surveyed said:

• 54% – Lack of access to education for economic reasons.
• 52.2 – Having to move away from my community / Lack of remote job opportunities.
• 43.8 – Lack of support from my family to pursue that type of career.
• 38.2 – Lack of access to remote alternatives of education.
• 31.8% – Unreliable connectivity / No internet in my area.

“In recent years, significant attention has been devoted to addressing the connectivity infrastructure challenges faced by Indigenous communities in remote areas,” added Listingart. “While this remains a crucial issue requiring attention in North America, our survey highlights a broader range of concerns perceived as more pressing by those who responded. These include the absence of remote job opportunities and remote education options, which are crucial for enabling people to remain in their communities and actively contribute to the well-being of those around them.”

6) Indigenous Canadians in IT

• A combined total of 96% of Indigenous Canadians surveyed believe there are ‘systematic biases’ against Indigenous individuals in the Canadian IT Job Market. 33.40% said ‘to a large extent,’ 33% said to a moderate extent, and 18.2% said to a small extent. 11.4% said they believe they are ‘very common.’
• 83% of Indigenous Canadians surveyed believe that indigenous IT workers likely face challenges not experienced by their non-indigenous counterparts.
• 75% of Indigenous Canadians surveyed believe stereotypes about Indigenous communities impacts perceptions of their capability in the IT sector.

Please attribute this as a survey by ComIT.org in all media mentions

About ComIT.org

ComIT.org is a registered charity that provides free training and professional development opportunities in information technology. Their courses are taught by IT professionals working at leading companies, with a curated curriculum built to ensure graduates are equipped to meet the needs of the immediate labour market. ComIT believes that the democratization of education and opportunity is Canada’s path forward. Applications are now open for ComIT’s Recoding Futures program. Interested applicants can visit ComIT.org to register.

Contact:

Patrick McCaully
Pointman News Creation
patrick@pointmannc.com

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