At the writing of this column, the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) said the number of unfilled jobs in the IT sector will grow to 106,000 by 2016.
Oddly enough, IT and information communication technology (ICT) are the fastest growing sectors of the Canadian economy with the industry’s unemployment rate hovering between 2% and 3%, which is statistically viewed as full employment. If that’s not enough to drive talent to these fields, in this tight labour market the IT and ICT workforce is well-compensated in regard to salary with an average wage 52% higher than the national average.
Resorting to tough measures, IT and ICT companies are often forced to hire foreign trained professionals to address labour gaps. The Issue: The Importance of Global Workers in Canada’s ICT Industry states that during the period of 1998 to 2011, the ICT industry participated in the facilitated processing for Information Technology Workers program which expedited the process of admitting temporary foreign IT workers after checking that no available resources in Canada existed to fill the position.
And Canada is not alone in the search for suitable talent, according to the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE). A report released in the United Kingdom by The Royal Academy of Engineering entitled Jobs and Growth: the Importance of Engineering Skills to the UK Economy calculates that the sovereign state needs to see at least 10,000 more students graduate in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines than it currently does just to meet industry needs.
So, where’s the disconnect?
Growth in the sector has to start in schools, and to increase the number of students enrolling in the ICT and STEM disciplines. SSMIC-hosted programs, like the Advanced Research Technology and Innovation Expo (ARTIE), draw crowds of elementary and high-school school students to hear about the importance of STEM in their education. In addition, in-class presentations, and other outreach events are scheduled throughout the year, and SSMIC is planning an extended youth outreach initiative for 2014.
“We need to get to the bottom of what is deterring young people from entering related fields. We also have to recognize the importance of building strength in these areas, especially at a time when countries like China are making science education a top priority. And we need to create conditions for entrepreneurship to flourish and ensure…and advance their discoveries through to commercial development,” said Tom Corr, President and CEO, OCE in the Innovation and jobs STEM from science and engineering blog submission for that organization.
Further diversifying ICT jobs can help spur interest in the sectors. New and exciting jobs opportunities in smart energy are on the rise, allowing young people unique and progressive options in the fields.
SSMIC’s business incubator hosts in-house and virtual clients looking to start a science and technology business – a perfect example of options available to those looking to grow in the sectors. Current incubator clients are actively hiring and demand is high for people with web programming, user interface and database experience. In addition, larger IT organizations are hiring in the community including OLG, Canadian Banknote, WebFilings and Lucidia.
“Twenty years ago I was drawn to the energy sector by a passion to do better for the planet. The green movement was in its infancy, and "green jobs" were just starting to be created. Today, this is a hot sector and there are an incredible number of jobs to be had, especially by young people – and they're available right now. In fact, it’s an area where we do not have enough candidates today to fill all the seats that need filling in this sector,” said Andrew Pride, Vice President, Ontario Power Authority (OPA) in the Ontario students: green jobs are ripe for the picking blog submission for OCE.
SSMIC currently posts available job opportunities in the ICT sector on our website. In the fight to fill jobs, we also encourage the community to participate and send us available positions to post as well.
For more, visit www.ssmic.com.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Diana Medaglia
Quelle/Source: Sault Star, 13.12.2013
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