Title: IT Labour Disconnect: High Demand / Low Supply A Canadian Perspective
1IT Labour DisconnectHigh Demand / Low SupplyA
Canadian Perspective
- Daniel L. Silver, Ph.D.
- Jodrey School of Computer Science
- Acadia University,
- Nova Scotia, Canada
2Outline
- High Demand for Skilled Labour
- Low Supply of New Talent
- Reasons / Solutions for the Disconnect
3High Demand for Skilled Labour
4High Demand
(thousands)
NORTEL
Unemployment ICT lt 3.5 National average of
6.5.
Source Industry Canada website Quarterly
Monitor of the Canadian ICT Sector - Q2, 2008
5A Landscape of Opportunity
Small Systems Admin. and Support
System Installation and Technical Support
CS Application area X Interdisciplinary
Specializations
Programming
Computer Science
Project Management
Programming
System Analyst/Design
Software Development
Technical Expert
Research
6Outlook Even Higher Demand
- ICTC Outlook 2008-2015 Report (Oct 30, 2008)
- 125,000 to 175,000 ICT workers needed
- 15,795 to 22,345 per year
- 50 of hiring because of retirements
- 40 Fed. IT workers eligible for retirement in
2008 - Half of all hires
- Systems analysts and software engineers
- Computer programmers and interactive media
developers - User support technicians
7Outlook Even Higher Demand
- From 2008 2015
- 7,200 university graduates per year needed (min.)
- 5,100 domestic capacity (BSc, BEng)
- 2,100 through immigration
- students will pick their job!
Workforce Requirements
Source ICTC 2008-15 Outlook October 2008
8Most needed ICT talent inCanada?
37 of sector 700,000 jobs in 2008
(Data from Feb, 2006)
Source ICTC 2008-15 Outlook October 2008
9Low Supply of New Talent
Canadian IT Being Off-shored !
10Low Supply Just in a cycle? Change in
Enrollment in North America
Source CRA
11Low Supply Just in a cycle?Change in
Enrollment in Nova Scotia
A Community College
Three Universities
12So Why the Disconnect?
- Potential Reasons
- Proposed Solutions
13Reasons / Solutions for the Disconnect
- Lack of Public Awareness of Problem
- Since 2003 media has focused on IT bust
- Most recently Nortel, Bell, Intel, MS layoffs
- Public unaware of IT impact on economic future
- Solutions
- ICTC, ITANS, CIPS, ACM, CRA mounting campaigns
- Require industry govt involvement and funding
14Reasons / Solutions for the Disconnect
- Cultural Challenges
- What does a computer scientist do? Youth,
parents, teachers know little about IT careers - Few role models Geek image dominates
- Few girls interested
- Solutions
- Robotic / Programming competitions mentoring
- School councilor teacher workshops
- Out the Closet Geeks / Women in IT associations
15ICTC Awareness Campaign
16(No Transcript)
17Decline of Women in CS
- 26 of IT workers are women, 13 of students in
CS are women - Early childhood influences - early social and
cultural factors that contribute to girls growing
up less interested in technically oriented fields - Lack of role models - few women computer
scientists in high positions at the departments
of computer science from whom newly admitted
female students can gain inspiration - Negative stereotyping - a computer specialist is
typically portrayed as a boring and nerdy person
who doesn't enjoy life to the fullest - Lack of resources for girls - Statistics Canada
indicate that girls don't have as much access to
computers and the internet as boys do - Career difficulties - some perceptions that the
fast pace of IT would place women at a
disadvantage when having to take time off for
children
18Reasons / Solutions for the Disconnect
- High School Educational Challenges
- CS is part of Tech. Ed. and not Science
curriculum - Mathematics has not been a priority in Canada
- Typically one CS course / Few trained educators
- Solutions
- Offer 1st year Intro CS courses to high schools
- Accept students based on challenge exams
- Offer Cert. / Masters in Math and CS Education
- Seed feed CS teacher association
19Reasons / Solutions for the Disconnect
- Demographic Challenges
- Youth population growth in Canada is declining
- Solutions - Viagra, International recruitment
- Industry Disincentives
- 3-5 years experience on job adverts
- Only 25 of ICT sector is women
- Solutions - Apprentice program tax incentives
- Priority Immigrate high quality female talent
20Reasons / Solutions for the Disconnect
- University CS Department Challenges
- Curricula need revision
- CIPS endorsing applied CS curriculum
- Need for more scholarship funding
- Solutions
- Listen to your Industrial Advisory Board
- Computer Science plus Domain X
- Engage alumni in scholarship campaign
21Thank You!cs.acadiau.cadanny.silver_at_acadiau.ca
22What is Computer Science?
- What is a computer scientist?
- Will I have to grow fuzzy hair?
- What does s/he do?
- Will I have to sit in front of
- a computer all day?
- What kind of people will I work with?
- Will I become a geek nerd?
23What is a Computer Scientist?
- Designs computers and the computer software
- Develops information technologies for
- application in business and industry
- Tackles complex problems
- Often working in groups
- Loves to innovate, create solutions
- Loves to learn changing , exciting field
- Good concentration and attention to detail
- Methodical, logical, good communication skills
- ? Project leadership and managerial positions
24What are employers looking for?
- Core technical skills (CS, Datacom)
- Experience with domain applications and computing
platforms - Experience with specific business processes to
which ICT is a solution - Great communications
- Great team-work skills
25Educational PathsThe Interdisciplinary Advantage
- Degree programs in computer science are expanding
to applied interdisciplinary areas - Computer science Domain X knowledge
- Business Informatics CS Business
- Environmental Informatics CS Env. Science
- Bioinformatics CS Molecular Biology
- Health Informatics CS Health Care
- Geo-Informatics CS Geographic Sciences
- Forensic Informatics CS Forensic Sciences
26Q/A and Discussion
27Why is this Happening? What are the Challenges?
- Lack of public awareness of problem
- Since 2003 media has focused on IT bust
- Most recently Nortel, Bell, Intel, MS layoffs
- Public unaware of IT impact on economic future
- Cultural challenges
- What does a computer scientist do?
- Youth, parents, teachers know little about
diverse IT careers - Career paths not well understood
- Few good role models popular media dominates
- Geek/Nerd white, male, not cool
- Closet Geeks abound in high schools
- Few girls interested
- High School Educational problems
- Computer science is part of Tech.Ed. curriculum
- Typically only one programming course offered
- Mathematics has not been a priority
- Few trained CS educators in schools
- Teachers councilors know little about ICT
sector - Demographic problems
28But Are There Job Opportunities?
- MYTH
- The DOT com crash in early
- 2000s killed all IT jobs
- There is no career in IT
- TRUTH
- There are more jobs than ever before in IT
- Demand is high / Supply is low
- Diversity of careers is amazing !!
29High Demand
- Demand for computer programmers and IT
specialists has continued to grow since 2004 - Increasing demand for computer science and IT
skilled labour over the next 5 years - Lowest unemployment rates and some of the highest
salaries in Canada
30A Landscape of Opportunity
Small Systems Admin. and Support
System Installation and Technical Support
CS Application area X Interdisciplinary
Specializations
Programming
Computer Science
Project Management
Programming
System Analyst/Design
Software Development
Technical Expert
Research
31Educational Paths
Small Systems Admin. and Support
System Installation and Technical Support
CS Application area X Interdisciplinary
Specializations
Programming
Computer Science
Project Management
Programming
System Analyst/Design
Software Development
Technical Expert
Research
32Low Supply and High Demand
33Low Supply and High Demand
- CNN Feb 23/06
- Massive misconception of CS by public
- 3.5 million IT jobs in US above 2000 levels
- US job loss to off-shoring outpaced by growth in
- Product research and design
- Software architecture and engineering
- Project management
- IT consulting
34Low Supply and High Demand
35Low Supply and High Demand
- Toronto Star Jan 19/06
- ITAC and Software Human Resources Council warns
potential shortage - 13,000 new jobs created in 2005 597,000 compared
to peak of 664,200 in 2001 Stats Canada - Boom - 40 increase in enrollment 1998-2001
- Bust - 40 decrease in enrollment since 2002
- Irony - 40 of Fed. IT staff eligible to retire
2008
36Low Supply and High Demand
37Where are the ICT Jobs?
37 of sector 800,000 in 2008
38Where are the ICT Jobs in NS?
Source NSCC Survey of Nova Scotias Information
Technology Industry, June 2008
39An Optimistic Future in NS for IT!
Source NSCC Survey of Nova Scotias Information
Technology Industry, June 2008
40Nova Scotias best kept secret Entrepreneurial
opportunities here at home
- Subtotal
- HB Studios
- Concertia
- InfoInteractive - AOL
41Nova Scotias best kept secret Entrepreneurial
opportunities here at home
42Nova Scotias best kept secret Entrepreneurial
opportunities here at home
43Nova Scotias best kept secret Entrepreneurial
opportunities here at home
44Nova Scotias best kept secret Entrepreneurial
opportunities here at home