IT Labour Disconnect: High Demand / Low Supply A Canadian Perspective

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IT Labour DisconnectHigh Demand / Low SupplyA
Canadian Perspective

• Daniel L. Silver, Ph.D.
• Jodrey School of Computer Science
• Acadia University,
• Nova Scotia, Canada

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Outline

• High Demand for Skilled Labour
• Low Supply of New Talent
• Reasons / Solutions for the Disconnect

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High Demand for Skilled Labour
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High 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
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A 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
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Outlook 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

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Outlook 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
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Most needed ICT talent inCanada?
37 of sector 700,000 jobs in 2008
(Data from Feb, 2006)
Source ICTC 2008-15 Outlook October 2008
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Low Supply of New Talent
Canadian IT Being Off-shored !
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Low Supply Just in a cycle? Change in
Enrollment in North America
Source CRA
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Low Supply Just in a cycle?Change in
Enrollment in Nova Scotia
A Community College
Three Universities
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So Why the Disconnect?

• Potential Reasons
• Proposed Solutions

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Reasons / 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

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Reasons / 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

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ICTC Awareness Campaign
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(No Transcript)
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Decline 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

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Reasons / 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

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Reasons / 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

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Reasons / 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

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Thank You!cs.acadiau.cadanny.silver_at_acadiau.ca
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What 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?

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What 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

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What 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

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Educational 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

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Q/A and Discussion
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Why 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

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But 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 !!

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High 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

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A 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
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Educational 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
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Low Supply and High Demand
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Low 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

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Low Supply and High Demand
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Low 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

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Low Supply and High Demand
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Where are the ICT Jobs?
37 of sector 800,000 in 2008
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Where are the ICT Jobs in NS?
Source NSCC Survey of Nova Scotias Information
Technology Industry, June 2008
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An Optimistic Future in NS for IT!
Source NSCC Survey of Nova Scotias Information
Technology Industry, June 2008
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Nova Scotias best kept secret Entrepreneurial
opportunities here at home

• Subtotal
• HB Studios
• Concertia
• InfoInteractive - AOL

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Nova Scotias best kept secret Entrepreneurial
opportunities here at home
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Nova Scotias best kept secret Entrepreneurial
opportunities here at home
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Nova Scotias best kept secret Entrepreneurial
opportunities here at home
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Nova Scotias best kept secret Entrepreneurial
opportunities here at home