Keith McIntosh is no stranger to being named Canada's EY Entrepreneur of the Year.
But this year, the CEO of software testing and technology services company PLATO took home the top prize in the Entrepreneur of the Year 2023 category in the Atlantic region of Canada, per a press release.
"We couldn't be prouder to have him join our global entrepreneurship network alongside the other exceptional winnersall of whom share the collective vision of propelling Canada's economy forward while championing social activism," says Gina Kinsman, co-director of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Atlantic program.
PLATO is the only Indigenous software testing and technology services company in Canada, per the press release.
Its workforce is made up of more than 30% Indigenous employees and 58% Indigenous representation on the board of directors, "making a significant contribution to societal change and fostering a more inclusive technology workforce," says Kinsman.
PLATO's train-and-employ model, launched in 2015, offers compensation to Indigenous students who complete a five-month technical training period.
Since its launch in 2015, the program has trained more than 300 Indigenous students across Canada and operates in 12 offices stretching from Victoria to Halifax, with a vision for even greater impact globally, per the press release.
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