The Humble Yet Noble Origins - 1998

There are thousands of Technology jobs available in Canada. In Ottawa alone, it is estimated that more than 7,000 technology jobs will be created by the private sector over the next five years.

And with the signature of this decade being that the Technology sector is not "cool", it is a challenge for human resource departments to attract skilled professionals.

Therefore, our technology soul mates in the Nation's Capital have banded together to raise money in support of human resource development in Ottawa.

The Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation (OCRI), a not-for-profit organization representing the technology sector, is charged with the mission of accelerating the growth of a world class technology infrastructure, and would like to see more students taking science, engineering and computer-based training programs in our local post secondary schools.

So, after much brainstorming, power point presentations and e-mails, their collective hypothesis for this dilemma is to do what no layperson would expect them to do...

They bring to you Tech Rocks - and it's going to shake the foundation of Ottawa.

Through Tech Rocks, OCRI will get the word out to future technology prospects - Ottawa becomes the Capital of Cool!

Over thirty bands will begin the Tech Rocks round robin competition in early May with a series of playdowns at the Hard Rock Café. Celebrity judges from the technology sector, music industry, and the media will determine which bands advance to the finals on the Corel Centre's main stage, June 20. On that day, six bands will perform and the champions will win the grand prize, a recording session at Ottawa's Distortion Studios and 300 copies of their own CD, produced by the Healey Group of Companies.

Other Tech Rocks prizes will include a Fender Stratocaster guitar from Steve's Music Store, practice time at The Park Rehearsal Complex, gift certificates from the Hard Rock Café and CDs from CD Warehouse.

The idea of Tech Rocks ignited last December when Nathan Rudyk of nurun suggested a "rock" theme be incorporated into one of OCRI's year-end events. The concept was developed by OCRI staff members Keith Langille, Carol Sage and Kathy Mahoney.

Since then, the idea took on a beat of its own with the help of other OCRI members. nurun designed the Web site, High Road Communications and Hewson Bridge and Smith are spreading the news.

Tech Rocks will live on like only a handful of other historical events have, and will become part of the cultural lexicon. Where Watergate is a codeword for a national crisis of confidence and Waterloo stands for an ignominious defeat, Tech Rocks will strike a chord for a successful technology career in Ottawa.

As the last bedraggled fans make their way from the Corel Centre much like Max Yasgur's muddy pasture 25 years ago - they will know that rock 'n roll and high tech do mix. Actually, they Rock!