Al Del Degan Hosts Adam Berkan (Kahn Academy) on the LIBI Podcast

Published: Jan. 26, 2021, 3 p.m.

b'Thank you for listening to the Leaders, Innovators and Big Ideas podcast, supported by\\xa0Rainforest Alberta.The podcast that highlights those people who are contributing to and/or supporting the innovation ecosystem in Alberta.Al Del Degan\\xa0I am a proven leader with over twenty-three years of diverse experience designing, delivering, and supporting software and technology projects. I believe in giving back to my community and I enjoy networking and helping to grow Alberta\\u2019s innovation ecosystem. Creatively you will find me pursuing my passions of podcasting, photography and wood working along with the occasional round of golf.Adam Berkan\\xa0I grew up in Calgary, went to university in Toronto to learn software engineering, and then worked in the US at companies including Microsoft and Google. I spent almost 20 years in California and Washington as a Senior Software Engineer. In 2017 I got fed up with Silicon Valley, and moved back to Calgary. Today I work remotely for Khan Academy, a non-profit with the goal of providing "A free world class education for everybody everywhere". A huge number of my Silicon Valley co-workers have left to live somewhere cheaper. The Covid 19 pandemic has accelerated the effect. These are people who can live anywhere they want, and they want a cheap house, good schools, safe neighborhoods, and access to nature and arts. Calgary has all of those things.Please be sure to share this episode with everyone you know. If you are interested in being either a host, a guest, or a sponsor of the show, please reach out.We are published in\\xa0Google Podcasts\\xa0and the\\xa0iTunes store for Apple Podcasts\\xa0We would be grateful if you could give us a rating as it helps spread the word about the show.Show SummaryA senior software engineer, Adam left his childhood home in Calgary to move to Silicon Valley. While there, he worked at Microsoft and Google and enjoyed the experience. Now working remotely for Kahn Academy, Adam is back in Calgary and has some advice for those in Calgary trying to bring the big US companies here. Don\'t bother, bring the devs and the companies will follow.Show Quote:"Just after the tech bubble in the early two thousands Microsoft was one of the few places that was hiring. We were all thankful to have a job.""Imagine that Google opened an office in Calgary tomorrow, and hired a thousand engineers. That would immediately make Calgary a tech spot. "Credits...This Episode Sponsored By:\\xa0Community Now! MagazineEpisode Music: Tony Del DeganCreator & Producer:\\xa0Al Del DeganSystem Engineering Sponsor:\\xa0Kris Chase - PODMaster 2020'