THIS WEEK IN TECTORIA

A community blog celebrating Victoria's booming tech sector

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Got a cool story about technology and creativity in Victoria? Email stories, tips, pictures, links and anything of interest to Tessa Bousfield at: tectoria@viatec.ca

The Mustard Seed

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Our Tectorian of the Week is: The Mustard Seed! Plus, all our VIATEC Food Bank Challenge participants!

The Mustard Seed Street Church has been essential in fighting hunger and restoring faith to a large portion of people living in poverty, as well as the working poor, in greater Victoria since 1975. The Church ministries are nearly 100 percent community funded and include Vancouver Island’s largest Food Bank, a Family Center, Hospitality programs, and addictions recovery at Hope Farm Healing Centre as well as more traditional Church services.

The Mustard Seed positively impacts, on average 5,000 individuals per month, with more than 50 volunteers keeping things running everyday. However, their shelves have been very bare lately due to more assistance given in 2016 and donations being lower.

Well, in the past 4 weeks, 34 companies have come together for the VIATEC Food Bank Challenge to raise cash and non perishables for the Mustard Seed! Today from 12pm to 3pm, all the participants will drop off their remaining donations to the Mustard Seed for the final tally. If you have anything to donate, please swing by and say hi to the VIATEC team while you’re there OR donate from the comfort of your chair.

A HUGE thank you to all our participants. Winners will be announced soon and many families will have a wonderful holiday season as a result. Well done everyone!

2016 Participants:

  1. Avocette Technologies
  2. AXYS Technologies
  3. BDC
  4. Beanstream
  5. Carmanah Technologies Corp.
  6. Collect! Credit & Debt Collection software
  7. Codan Radio Communications
  8. Complia Health
  9. Crowd Content
  10. CUBE Global Storage
  11. Econics
  12. Flytographer
  13. Frankie’s Modern Diner
  14. FTS Forest Technology Systems
  15. GenoLogics
  16. GlobalWide Media
  17. HP Advanced Solutions
  18. IndyKey Rewards
  19. Latitude Geographics Group
  20. Monk Office
  21. MUSIC Group Innovation CA Inc.
  22. RevenueWire
  23. RingPartner
  24. Schneider Electric
  25. SendtoNews
  26. Smart Dolphins IT Solutions
  27. StarFish Medical
  28. Technology Guys IT Solutions
  29. Tourism Victoria
  30. Vecima Networks
  31. VIATEC & Ground Control Cafe
  32. Victoria Airport Authority
  33. Victoria Flying Club
  34. Vigil Health Solutions Inc.

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Noah Gislason

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Well this is a first on the Tectoria blog… A Tectorian who hasn’t graduated high school yet?!

Noah Gislason is 13 years old, attends Maria Montessori Academy and he just wrapped up a week-long internship with the team at VIATEC, so we thought we’d give him the spotlight!

Noah enjoys swimming, reading, writing and his favourite subject is Literature and English.

“You get to read interesting books and write about whatever you want, as long as it’s the correct format; like an essay on the best invention or a second person debate speech,” commented Noah.

Noah’s school is unique in that every grade eight student needs to complete an internship around communities or a business hub in Greater Victoria. The school motto is “Education for Life” so they encourage their students to experience essential life skills to prepare them for life beyond school.

Noah hard at work on the 4th floor of Fort Tectoria.

Noah hard at work on the 4th floor of Fort Tectoria.

“I selected VIATEC as my ideal internship option because it was an interesting, progressive non-profit tech association,” explained Noah. “I thought they would be perfect for my interests and getting to see all the new and growing tech companies.”

Noah impressed the team with his knowledge of Excel by organizing files for the Fiscal Year and he bounced around Fort Tectoria pitching in wherever he could. He assisted the Facilities Manager, worked at the Ground Control Café, helped with event summarization, and completed inventory on the room full of VIATEC swag. During his experience at Ground Control Cafe, customers and staff quickly noticed his large vocabulary and knew he was a bright kid.

“What I really like about Victoria is that it is a strong, robust economy with varied job options in tech, business, and researching all in one city,” commented Noah. “When the older generations start leaving the workplace right around the time my generation will be entering the workplace, there will be even more job options… Minus a bit of the competition found among the millennial’s.”

When asked what Noah wants to be when he grows up…

“I have some more grounded ideas like being a doctor, lawyer, researcher or somewhere like VIATEC, but then I also have crazy ideas like solving crimes from a desk over at INTERPOL.”

What ever his path, we’re confident Noah Gislason has a bright future ahead of him and he may just end up being your boss one day.

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