by Ryan Gibson, Invest Ottawa
As Ottawa’s economic development agency, one of our mandates at Invest Ottawa (IO) is to promote the vibrant technology sector. It’s a role that involves stakeholders from both the public and private sector. One of the key metrics we all look at is job creation, which serves each of us in different ways.
At IO, ICTC’s Labour Market Intelligence (LMI) is one of the tools used to highlight growth opportunities. If a current labour pool is strong and unemployment is trending downwards; technology companies have more information for in-depth strategic planning. A local business can determine if their five year expansion can be supported or a foreign company can decide if it’s the right time to enter a market.
The LMI is also a tool for job seekers and academic institutions. When the labour pool is expanding, tech employees looking to start or advance their career can glean if the Ottawa market has long-term opportunities. At IO, we work very closely with post-secondary intuitions to ensure they are turning out students with the skills that employers are looking for. If it’s projected that Ottawa is expected to create “X-Number” of ICT jobs over a certain period of time, then we lobby schools to help meet this demand.
Finally, government and other organizations use the metrics of job creation to understand what sectors are moving the needle in regards to economic development. They in turn help facilitate the needs of these sectors. For example, IO’s business development managers work with: Canadian trade commissioners, industry associations, government departments, and elected officials to mount robust trade missions. The LMI is one of the tools we use to convince these organizations that their time and resources are well spent.
ICTC’s Labour Market Intelligence is an invaluable tool that Invest Ottawa uses in a myriad of ways.
ICTC’s LMI
ICTC offers the largest and most rigorous ICT data analysis and research infrastructure in Canada. Our research allows real-time monitoring and forecasting of Canada’s ICT workforce requirements and trends, impacting the ICT sector and other sectors of the economy.
ICTC’s interactive online platform e-Talent Canada assists Canadians, industry, educational and professional development institutions, as well as policymakers in informed decision-making with respect to the ICT job market in Canada.
With the aim to fast track digital adoption in Canada and enhance productivity for SMEs, ICTC and its partners have created the Digital Adoption Compass (DAC) – a one-stop hub for SMEs to get end-to-end solutions necessary to adopt technology.
ICTC represents a critical segment of the economy in which job growth has outpaced the rest of the economy by 4 to 1, and a jobless rate of 2.5%. ICTC is a neutral body and a national network of several thousand industry, education, policy makers, and associations representing Canadians.
Over the last 23 years, ICTC has provided various stakeholders with over 100 studies and forecasts, labour market trends, and a multitude of opportunities to participate in discussions around issues and opportunities across Canada’s ICT sector and digital economy.
Blogger bio
Ryan Gibson oversees communications, public relations and content strategy for Invest Ottawa – Prior to that he worked as a reporter for CBC Ottawa and as Director of Operations for Treats International Franchise Corporation.