Ottawa, October 30, 2019 — Canada’s demand for digitally-skilled talent is expected to reach 305,000 by 2023, for total employment of over 2 million in the digital economy, according to a report released today by the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC).
ICTC— a national centre of expertise for digital economy research, policy advice and capacity building—says that employment in Canada’s digital economy has grown almost twice as fast as the overall economy in the past decade. Moreover, ICTC predicts that the demand for skilled talent will continue to scale across all sectors as technology continues to permeate a variety of industry verticals.
ICTC’s report “Canada’s Growth Currency: Digital Talent Outlook 2023” identifies full-stack developers, data scientists, and DevOps engineers as three of the 15 top digital jobs that will be most needed in Canada.
Outlook 2023 identifies six key innovation growth areas across the country:
- Cleantech – carbon-neutral and climate-positive energy and services;
- Clean Resources – the next generation of natural resource extraction;
- Advanced Manufacturing – kickstarting production with technology;
- Interactive Digital Media – tuning in and experiencing design;
- Health and Biotechnology – innovative well-being;
- Agri-foods and Food-tech – tech-based nutrition and production.
“The waves of change sweeping our economy are rapidly shaping a new industrial paradigm. Sustainable business is increasingly seen as a strategic advantage, paving the way for growth and increased employment prospects for Canadians. Preparing an innovation ready workforce for tomorrow’s green and hyper-connected economy is a strategic imperative for Canada in the coming years.” – Namir Anani, President & CEO
With the principles of a sustainable economy at the helm, these sectors are all undergoing extensive change as a result of digital disruption. At the same time, transformative technologies like Artificial Intelligence, 5G, Virtual & Augmented Reality, Advanced Manufacturing Processes, and Blockchain are all radically redefining talent and skills needs, while simultaneously changing the way we work, live, and do businesses. Turning this impending disruption into opportunities will be pivotal.
ICTC is a not-for-profit national centre of expertise for the digital economy. With over 25 years of experience in evidence-based research, practical policy advice, and innovative capacity building solutions, ICTC’s goal is to strengthen Canada’s digital advantage in the global economy.
ICTC’s Digital Economy Demand Outlooks are published every three years and can be downloaded at https://backup.ictc-ctic.ca/research/forecasts/.
For media inquiries or further information about “Canada’s Growth Currency: Digital Talent Outlook 2023,” please contact Paul Stastny at @email.
This study was funded by The Government of Canada’s Sectoral Initiatives Program.
A copy of the report can be accessed here.
