Why Work in IT or ICT?
As the economies of Canada and the rest of the world start to recover from the effects of the pandemic, it is clear that many of the impacts will be felt for a long time to come. This is especially true for people who have lost jobs due to closures or are out of work due to low demand, with no end in sight to the situation.
This is a volatile time for all industries, and it may be a while before the workforce recovers. However, there’s one area where the rising unemployment never seemed to hit – and that’s the information and communications technology (IT/ICT) industry.
Canada's Unemployment Rates for IT/ICT
In February 2021, the national unemployment rate had retreated from its prior highs and settled at 8.2%, the lowest level since March of 2020 when the pandemic began. This shows a cautious optimism for the road ahead, but it is still substantially higher than normal – and it is far below Alberta’s overall unemployment rate, which hit 10.7% in January and ended February at 9.9%.
But the tech industry has not been hit nearly as hard – neither in Alberta, nor in Canada as a whole. Between 2001 and 2019, the national unemployment rate for the information and communication technology sector was roughly 3 percentage points lower than the overall rate; while the pandemic surely caused some variations in that data set, the general trend is clear.
As the economy becomes more reliant on information transmission, communications technology, and the ongoing interactions between people and their digital tools, it also becomes more reliable on the people who operate and maintain that connection.
Stats Canada, in their own survey of findings from the labour force in February 2021, found that professional services – of which information technology is a large part – actually experienced the biggest year-over-year increase in employment out of all Canadian industries. About 86,000 more people worked in IT this year than last, showing growth of about 5.6%.
While Alberta’s overall unemployment rate going into March of 2021 was 9.9%, the rate among its professional and technical services industry was just 5.1% - one of the lowest rates of any industry in the province.
Working in IT/ICT in Canada
As more companies have turned to remote work, and many previously “in-person” roles and events have pivoted their focus, the possibilities for IT workers are more numerous than ever. This trend is poised to continue, as the government has proposals for, and is investing billions in, the industry so that the whole country can earn a reputation as a highly skilled centre for digital and technological innovation.
Taken together, this means that IT professionals are in high demand and that their work has immense value. The data shows it, but here at Talint Solutions, we’ve already seen this phenomenon in action – because every day, we deal with IT/ICT workers and large telecommunications companies. Whether they are developing new technology, implementing new product lines, helping to maintain our digital infrastructure, working with data and custom analysis, or one of the many other roles and career paths that an IT professional can follow, we always have a front-row seat to the value these jobs provide.
If you’re searching for a future career with plenty of potential, leading job security, and a knack for innovation, then IT/ICT could be a great fit for you. When you’re ready to make the move, let us know and we’ll be here to help.
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