Talent
TALENT
Bridging the Tech Talent Gap
Newfoundland and Labrador’s technology sector is not only thriving, but expanding at an explosive rate. Critical to our continued growth and success is talent; the skilled, passionate, and diverse people who join established companies, become entrepreneurs, or educate others.
Right now, we are facing a talent gap. That is, we need more people with well-aligned experience and skills to enter our ecosystem and enable continued growth. We need more young people learning about and then pursuing an education in tech. More international students choosing to stay and more immigrants choosing to come. We need more people from all walks of life to turn their curiosity about the tech sector into an action plan to enter it.
Facilitating all of this is the purpose of the Tech Talent Team here at techNL. Our mission is to build the immediate, medium, and long-term talent pipeline, and we’ve launched a full-court press to make it happen.
The Team’s main areas of focus are briefly outlined below. One of our major tasks is building an online knowledge centre of rich and relevant resources for all our stakeholders and audiences, so stay tuned as this page will be updated and significantly expanded in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, consider this team ready and eager to help with all things tech talent in Newfoundland and Labrador. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us with your questions, conundrums, insights and ideas.
What we focus on
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Immigration and Newcomers
Connecting out-of-province talent to NL tech companies is essential for our sector’s growth. We work with partners, industry, and community organizations to promote the tech sector as a rewarding career path for immigrants and newcomers.
Job Seekers and Upskilling
From one-on-one matchmaking to raising awareness of industry supports, we work hard to connect qualified individuals with sector employers. We’re also focused on ensuring educational options align with needed skillsets, and guiding those who need upskilling to appropriate resources.
Youth and Educator Support
Young people are tomorrow’s innovators and we want them to be informed and excited about choosing a career in tech right here at home. We provide support for teachers, parents, and students looking to navigate career opportunities in the tech sector.
Industry Support and Resources
Understanding and navigating support programs and resources is an important part of our work. Let us help you do the same so that you can continue to grow your team and your business.
Partnerships
From government bodies and educational institutions to community organizations and industry players, there are many pieces to the ‘talent puzzle.’ Understanding the intersections of this network and forming or facilitating new connections within it is key to amplifying the efforts of all.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
We are working with local experts and those with lived experience to address workforce needs and reduce barriers for equity-seeking groups. It’s all part of our strategy to build a more innovative, resilient, and diverse workforce.
How can we help you
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Newcomers
If you’re a newcomer to our province, let us help you learn more about the pathways to a rewarding career in tech. If you’re an employer, discover ways to connect international talent to your company.
Contact Habin to learn more.
Job Seekers
We can help you explore in-demand skill requirements, learn about existing job opening, and point you to valuable resources. If you’re considering transitioning to tech from another industry, we’ll guide you on education and skills development.
Contact Liam to learn more.
Students
Ready to take on tech, but not sure how to get started? We can help you discover the range of opportunities for an exciting career and the education pathways available to help you succeed in our industry.
Contact Susan to learn more.
Educators
The incredible influence of our K-12 educators cannot be underestimated. That’s why we’ve dedicated a resource to working with educators and young people. Connect with us to learn about educational opportunities and programs that will give the next generation of tech talent a head start.
Contact Susan to learn more.
Employers
techNL’s primary purpose is to help our industry thrive. That means our connections to employers are many. Whether you’re struggling to fill an important role, need help navigating funding or international hiring programs, are curious about diversity, equity and inclusion, or simply want to discuss workforce topics, we’re here to help.
Contant Karla to learn more.
Partnerships
From government bodies and educational institutions to community organizations and industry players, there are many pieces to the ‘talent puzzle.’ Understanding the intersections of this network and forming or facilitating new connections within it is key to amplifying the efforts of all.
Funding Seekers
We can help you explore available programs and funding opportunities to help individuals enter the sector and companies source new tech talent, including funding supports for hiring and retaining employees.
Contact Habin to learn more.
TALENT
Who we are
Karla Hayward, Manager, Tech Talent Strategy
Strategic, insightful, and results-driven, Karla Hayward has more than 20 years of experience collaborating with governments at all levels, small to international private enterprise, and community organizations too numerous to list. Her career has taken her into virtually every industry; from finance to wellness, energy production to environmental stewardship, post-secondary education to tourism, and more.
Karla has led or worked on significant initiatives focused on behavioural modification, awareness and understanding, and recruitment and retention. Tackling multistakeholder challenges (like the tech talent gap!) is the perfect intersection of Karla’s skills in strategic planning and execution, thoughtful relationship management, and highly creative mind. The urgent nature of the tech talent strategy will be well served by her high speed of decision – and even higher energy levels.
CONTACT
Susan Kelly is a skillful educator and passionate community connector. She holds a B. Ed and M. Ed and has worked in the education and community sectors. Her experience developing and delivering a broad range of curriculum content and facilitating employment and youth groups has strengthened her passion for experiential learning. Her academic research on effective professional development practices paired with her work on the teachers’ union influenced a career of inspiring others to do what they love, and love what they do. She is excited by potential and is committed to helping students discover meaningful career paths in the province’s tech sector.
CONTACT
Liam Flanagan, Local Talent Lead
Liam Flanagan began his career in the technology start-up world fostering the earliest of business ideas as the facilitator of Genesis’ Evolution Program. After growing this program to support 60 new NL tech companies per year, Liam moved to Ottawa to pursue a Masters of Entrepreneurship and work full-time for Invest Ottawa’s ScaleUp Program. Supporting Ottawa’s top scale-up technology firms between $1M and $50M in annual revenue gain access to funding, resources, and mentoring eventually lead Liam back to NL, where he joins techNL as Local Talent Lead. If you’re interested in learning more about NL’s tech industry and how you can get involved, send him an email at liam@technl.ca
CONTACT
Habin Haridas, Immigration and Newcomer Lead
Habin Haridas (he/him) first came to Newfoundland and Labrador in 2017 as an International Student in Memorial University’s MBA program. It was during his studies there that he joined the techNL team as Project Manager of the Bounce Health Innovation Project. Now in a new role as the techNL Talent Office Immigration Lead, Habin will pour his lived experience and deep knowledge of the local technology sector into helping other immigrants come, stay, and grow their careers in our province’s tech sector. Before joining techNL, Habin served as an Advisory Consultant at KPMG. He has also worked as an Engineer in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) sector.
CONTACT