A National ICT Week to tackle the ICT labor shortage

MONTREAL – December 17, 2008 – The Canadian Coalition for Tomorrow’s ICT Skills (CCICT) will conduct a series of events and activities to tackle the crisis in the information and communications technology labor market of an increasing shortage of
university graduates with information technology skills. The marquee event will be a National ICT Week to be held in Fall 2009.

The Coalition, which includes companies, academic institutions, professional associations, industry organizations, and other stakeholders with an interest in developing Canada’s ICT capabilities, invites students, employees, employers,
educators, parents, and governments to join in making National ICT Week the vehicle for
Canada’s vision of 21st century career innovation. Activities will inform students,
educators, employers and immigrant organizations about the exciting changes in ICT
careers.

ICT jobs are becoming increasingly complex, demanding and specialized, but are also a
lot more interesting, exciting, diverse, and relevant to Canada’s most pressing business
and social challenges. In every field – from entertainment to health to the environment –
ICT is at the cutting edge of change and creativity, calling for a new kind of ICT
professional, more like a well-rounded Renaissance person than a traditional
technologist.

“The Coalition is determined to make a meaningful difference to Canada’s
competitiveness and National ICT Week will help to achieve this goal,” said Stéphane
Boisvert, Coalition Chairman and President of Bell Canada’s Enterprise division.
Over the next eight years, Canada’s employers will hire about 150,000 new information
and communications technology professionals in response to ongoing growth demands
and employee retirements. But employers cannot find or hire the ICT professionals that
are needed. While some regions have a large pool of ICT workers, their qualifications do
not match the requirements needed. Other regions, particularly Alberta and
Saskatchewan, face ICT talent shortages across the spectrum from technicians to
programmers, engineers, consultants and managers.

The year-old Coalition also announces the appointment of David Ticoll as its first
Executive Director. Mr. Ticoll is an author, entrepreneur, researcher, policy analyst and
industry leader, and has been a senior advisor to the Coalition since June 2008. He is
also a Director of the Information Technology Association of Canada and served as
Chair of the Expert Panel at the Information and Communications Technology Council
for the past five years.

“The Coalition is an ambitious and vitally important initiative. I look forward to working
with all industry stakeholders – students, employees, immigrants, educators, employers,
and governments – as partners in making change happen,” said Mr. Ticoll.
The Coalition has elected an Executive Committee:
• Chair and President: Stéphane Boisvert (Bell Canada)
• Vice-president: Terry Power (Sapphire Technologies)
• Secretary: Anne-Marie Doin (Ericsson Canada)
• Treasurer: Gilles Godbout (Hydro-Québec)
• Member at Large: François Morin (Bell Canada)
• Executive Director: David Ticoll

In addition, the Coalition has engaged the Conference Board of Canada to conduct a
national survey of high school students, parents and guidance counselors on their
attitudes regarding ICT careers. The results will be released early in 2009.

About the CCICT

Founded in 2007 by Bell Canada, the CCICT is an industry-led, action-oriented, open
multi-stakeholder initiative. Its mission is to ensure that Canadian organizations can
engage information and communications technology professionals with knowledge, skills
and talents to meet the evolving and diverse needs of this exciting field. Members
include companies, academic institutions, professional associations, industry
organizations, and other stakeholders with an interest in developing Canada’s ICT
capabilities.

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Source: Canadian Coalition for Tomorrow’s ICT Skills