According to ICTC’s Outlook 2017-2021, Canada has to fill 216,000 technology-related positions by 2021. To meet demand, we require strategies and actions to attract, recruit and retain all sources of talent for the digital economy. For 13 years, ICTC has been creating labour market integration pathways with employers that help internationally educated ICT professionals secure opportunities in the Canadian digital economy.
ICTC is excited to announce a new program, the Coach Connect initiative, with thanks to funding from Employment and Social Development Canada’s Foreign Credential Recognition Program, that continues to create employment pathways.
The Coach Connect Initiative is an online training pilot program that aims to improve labour market outcomes for participating internationally educated ICT professionals. This national employment-readiness initiative comes at a strategic and significant time for Canada’s digital economy as growth and demand for ICT/digital talent continue to outpace supply. Coach Connect is an incredible opportunity to bolster the industry with highly skilled international talent while upskilling professionals to meet the needs of Canada’s workforce.
“To ensure Canada is able to meet the demands of current and future ICT labour and skills needs, we work with employers by helping to connect them to all sources of talent. Coach Connect provides a targeted solution for recruiting and integrating internationally educated professionals into ICT workforce,” says Sandra Saric, VP of Talent Innovation at ICTC.
By leveraging its knowledge and practical expertise, ICTC is establishing a platform that will be highly accessible to ICT newcomers across Canada, with a particular focus on providing equal opportunities for women.
The program provides three customized training pathways that will vary by participants’ needs and may include virtual, real-time, and/or self-directed skills-development learning; coaching interventions, and online career supports.
Employers may also benefit from gaining access to ICT talent and a financial incentive when they provide work placements to qualified participants
In collaboration with community service providers and employers, Coach Connect is poised to become an integrated and replicable training model that will enable employers to hire the ICT talent they need and also help strengthen Canada’s competitiveness in the digital economy.
For more information or to get involved, email @email.
Funded by the Government of Canada’s Foreign Credential Recognition Program.
