Canada’s Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC), in partnership with Calgary Economic Development and the Alberta Ministry of Labour and Immigration, is pleased to announce the completion of its study, Enabling a Digital Future for Alberta.
Over the last few years, Alberta has begun to actively seek methods of diversifying its economy while strengthening the competitive advantage of the oil & gas industry. Recent investments in upstream oil & gas digital transformation, as well as clean energy, biotech, robotics, and artificial intelligence (AI), have served to shine a light on the province, making it an increasingly popular destination for skilled talent.
At the same time, many emerging digital-based sectors like interactive media, connected healthcare, aerospace and others are well poised for growth in Alberta. The uptake in employment among core digital occupations like software developers, data scientists, and cybersecurity analysts is now nearly triple that of the employment prospects for the overall economy – a trend that is expected to continue in the coming years.
ICTC forecasts that the demand for core digital jobs in Alberta is expected to reach nearly 9,000 by 2023, with total potential employment in these occupations numbering more than 77,000. These are 77,000 highly skilled and well-paying jobs for Albertans.
“Alberta’s technology sector has tremendous potential. We have world-class educational facilities, a highly skilled workforce and a wealth of opportunities. We’re pleased to be able to partner with ICTC and Calgary Economic Development to help provide this critical labour market intelligence as part of our commitment to create jobs and expand our economy.” — Jason Copping, Minister Alberta Labour and Immigration
Digitally-skilled workers will be at the heart of economic strength for the province and its key high-growth sectors. Alberta is home to a solid base of STEM-educated professionals, many of which already possess foundational digital skills needed for in-demand occupations in fields like data science. Alberta is also home to world-renowned educational institutions and is playing a leading role in rapidly-developing sectors like AI. Alberta’s future is increasingly promising and diverse; and with digitally-skilled talent spearheading this growth, Alberta’s future is increasingly bright.
“The increased demand in technology jobs is indicative of a burgeoning digital-based economy that is poised to strengthen the industrial fabric of Alberta in the coming years. The combination of a strong STEM-based talent pool and a responsive, quality academic system paves a strong foundation for Alberta’s digital future.” — Namir Anani, ICTC President & CEO
ICTC showcased the findings from this report at a launch event on June 25th at the Metropolitan Conference Centre Calgary. This event was held in collaboration with ICTC’s partners on this initiative, Calgary Economic Development and Alberta Ministry of Labour and Immigration.
A copy of the research can be found here.
For questions, media inquiries or more details, please contact Stephanie Wilson, Senior Director, Digital Transformation & Strategic Outreach at s.wilson@ictc-ctic.ca.
About ICTC:
Through forward-looking research, innovative capacity building programs, and practical policy advice, ICTC fosters innovative and globally competitive Canadian industries empowered by a talented and diverse digital workforce.
Funded by:
The Province of Alberta is working in partnership with the Government of Canada to provide employment support programs and services.
