May 2, 2019
ICTC, in partnership with Bow Valley College, and March of Dimes Canada, is pleased to be leading a first-of-its-kind study focusing on connecting job-seekers with disabilities with meaningful employment opportunities in Alberta’s technology sector.
In Alberta, roughly one in five people identify as living with a disability. Not only are Albertans with a disability underrepresented in the labour force, but they also tend to experience difficulty finding suitable employment at a rate higher than job seekers without disabilities. At the same time, Alberta’s technology sector is quickly growing, with the demand for digitally-skilled workers expected to outstrip the availability of supply to fill it. Alberta’s tech sector employers must begin to explore a variety of human capital streams to fill in-demand jobs in order to continue to grow, scale and propel growth for the province.
ICTC will engage key stakeholders from industry, government, workforce development organizations, and others, along with Albertan job seekers with disabilities themselves. It will do so to understand opportunities and barriers in connecting this talent pool with jobs in technology and will provide critical information that tech employers can use in order to create inclusive, accessible workplaces that best leverage the potential of workers with disabilities.
“We are delighted to undertake this research to highlight and expand the employment opportunities for people with disabilities in Alberta’s burgeoning technology sector. Leveraging an untapped skilled labour pool makes strong business sense while creating a competitive advantage through increased awareness of new markets and consumers.”— Namir Anani, ICTC President & CEO
Through this ground-breaking research, ICTC will provide an important and necessary foundation to support connections and relationships between employers who are seeking skilled talent to grow their businesses and job seekers with disabilities who are seeking meaningful employment opportunities in technical and digital fields. Ultimately, this research will bring together one of the province’s fastest-growing sectors with an essential source of supply to fill in-demand jobs and sustain economic growth.
For questions or media inquiries, 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.
