Growing up in the small town of Willow River, just outside of Prince George, CNC alumnus Josh Nilson never imagined he’d become a Vancouver executive of one of Canada’s leading mobile game companies.

The former East Side Games CEO and present advisor and investor at Maskwa Investments is eager to change the game for the next generation of tech entrepreneurs. As a proud Métis, Josh is an important voice for Indigenous Peoples and those living in rural B.C. to give more visibility to the people and opportunities of working in tech. 

His story is proof that you don’t need to come from a hub such as Vancouver, Victoria, or Kelowna to start a successful tech business. A story that Josh likes to share with young adults to remind them that people of all backgrounds can work and thrive in technology industries.

First-generation consoles

Born in the 1970s, video games were a huge part of Josh’s childhood. “We were the first generation to play video games on those early consoles and home computers,” he reminisces. “I’ve always had a love for games but didn’t think tech was ever an option for me. With none of my family or community members working in tech, I didn’t really consider technology as a career path.” 

Instead, Josh used the kitchen as his school. Drawn to the world of hospitality, he developed his customer service and leadership skills that would benefit him two decades later as he transitioned into game development. 

Underrepresentation in tech

Through his businesses and different tech boards he’s been serving on, Josh always looks out for new ways to bring education and mentorship opportunities to youth who are not given the same chances in life as others. 

Indigenous Peoples account for five to six per cent of the total population in Canada, but they represent less than a per cent of the tech sector. The number of those holding a leadership or executive role is significantly lower. 

“We need to tap into talent from across B.C., including rural and remote communities, and work together to get more Indigenous Peoples and underrepresented individuals in tech,” Josh affirms.

Advocate of lifelong learning

Josh sees value in programs like CNC’s dual-credit technology exploration program (TekX) that introduce high-school students to a variety of disciplines and opportunities in the rapidly growing tech sector. 

“Now, more than ever, tech is everywhere. It doesn’t matter if you work in forestry, mining, hospitality or retail. Wherever you go, there’s a big component of technology that’s powering those businesses,” he says. “Tech makes it possible for businesses to operate globally, no matter where you live”.

As an advocate for lifelong learning, Josh stresses the importance of learning, pivoting and challenging yourself as you go, whether that’s on the job or through courses. “But the most important thing is to give people a start in learning about technology. Kids in small towns deserve the same opportunities as those in the big cities. They need to know that tech is an option for them as well and that they should dream big too”.

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