Immigration, Skills and Labour
Industry, Energy and Technology
January 14, 2021
New Talent Strategy to Prepare Workers for Careers in Growing Tech Sector
The Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Immigration, Skills and Labour today announced $1.87 million to help meet labour demand for the growing tech sector. Funding from the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Workforce Development Agreement will support techNL’s new Tech Talent Strategy.
Employers in Newfoundland and Labrador’s growing technology sector require more highly trained workers with specialized skills. The Tech Talent Strategy will help meet this demand by working with existing community supports and developing paths to retrain local workers and attract others from across Canada and around the world in three stages:
Finding – networking, marketing campaigns, developing a talent website and strengthening partnerships.
Hiring – engaging with professional job-matching services, employment supports, enhanced training, and working with employers to identify and address workforce needs.
Retaining – enhancing services and supports, including ongoing workplace training, collaboration with the Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism in international recruitment, settlement and integration for newcomers and their families, and special events.
Despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Provincial Government continues to plan for future economic growth in key sectors, including technology.
The Newfoundland and Labrador tech sector is already estimated at a value of $1.6 billion, with approximately 165 companies and 4,000 employees; and demand is expected to exceed 2,000 new tech jobs over the next three years.
This sector’s potential is key to attracting more newcomers to the province, helping to meet the 2022 target of increasing immigration to 2,500 new permanent residents annually, subject to the established COVID-19 special measures orders and guidelines.
Quotes
“Newfoundland and Labrador’s growing technology sector is calling out for workers but employers are challenged to find people qualified for these specialized jobs. Our government is taking steps to prepare Newfoundlanders and Labradorians with the valuable training and skills they need to join this thriving sector. techNL’s Tech Talent Strategy will provide an excellent retraining opportunity for local workers, and also help employers recruit qualified candidates nationally and internationally.”
Honourable Gerry Byrne
Minister of Immigration, Skills and Labour
“Promoting opportunities in the tech sector and ensuring skilled workers are available to fill these positions is key to the success of the innovation economy in Newfoundland and Labrador. We continue to work in partnership with techNL, education partners, businesses and the federal government to create awareness of the many opportunities in this growing industry. Today’s announcement is another step forward to ensuring development of the talent pipeline.”
Honourable Andrew Parsons
Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology
“The number one challenge facing our techNL members and the industry as a whole is the lack of available talent to fuel growth. This funding will enable techNL to bring together the stakeholders in the ecosystem to promote existing programs and connect individuals and companies with resources in the community to enable the sector to grow and thrive.”
Paul Preston, CEO
techNL
“We are very excited to hear about this investment in talent. As a tech company based in Newfoundland and Labrador, attracting and retaining people is incredibly important to us. I am convinced that nothing we do is more important than hiring and developing people. We are happy to be part of this investment into our most valuable asset, our people.”
Rebecca Cook, Human Resources Manager
Avalon Holographics
Learn more
News Release: Provincial Government Partnering with techNL to Promote Careers in Technology
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Media contact
Ryan Crocker
Immigration, Skills and Labour
709-729-1795, 725-9595
ryancrocker@gov.nl.ca
Lisa Lawlor
Industry, Energy and Technology
709-729-5777, 631-8155
lisalawlor@gov.nl.ca
Marlayne Hardy
techNL
709-330-7122
marlayne@techNL.ca
Dana Brewer
Avalon Holographics
709-800-5843
dana.brewer@avalonholographics.com