Bridging the Technology Skills Gap
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is Canada's fastest growing sector, fueling economic growth and development across all sectors of the economy. Shortages of well-qualified ICT professionals are viewed as a barrier to growth and innovation by many employers. At the same time, and in spite of the perceived shortage of skilled ICT workers, some groups, such as skilled immigrants and women, are underemployed.
Bridging the Technology Skills Gap: New Evidence-Based Approaches to Leveraging Diversity is a new research project that brings together researchers and industry partners in order to develop evidence based strategies and policies to expand the talent pool and advance inclusion.
- Examine discourses regarding ICT skills shortage and diversity, including definitions and categories in the ICT sector
- Review employment and labour market data, organizational data on employment, and emerging trends in ICT
- Identify systemic, organizational, and individual forces to understand the factors shaping the “skills shortage” and lack of participation by diverse groups
- Engage ICT stakeholders and employers about the hiring needs and barriers they encounter
- Develop new policies, practices and tools to advance inclusion and match job seekers to employers
- Wendy Cukier, Founder, Diversity Institute; Professor, Ted Rogers School of Management, Toronto Metropolitan University
- Abby Goodrum (external link) , Professor and Program Coordinator, User Experience Design, Wilfrid Laurier University
- Catherine Middleton, Professor, Information Technology Management, Ted Rogers School of Management, Toronto Metropolitan University
- Jutta Treviranus (external link) , Director, Inclusive Design Research Centre; Professor, Faculty of Design, OCAD U
- Denise Shortt (external link) , Vice President, Industry Development, Diversity, Events & Program Development, Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC)
- Canada Learning Code (CLC) (external link)
- Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) (external link)
- IT World Canada (ITWC) (external link)
- Magnet (external link)
- Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) (external link)
- Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) (external link)
- Who Plus You (external link)
- Women in Communications and Technology (WCT) (external link)
- Coralus (formerly SheEO) (external link)
- Dalhousie MindFrame Connect (external link)
- The Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) (external link)
- Internet Society (external link)
- Digital Research Alliance of Canada (external link)
- SFU VentureLabs (external link)
- Wilfred Laurier University (WLU) (external link)
This project is funded by the Government of Ontario. Opinions, results and conclusions are that of the authors, and no endorsement by Ontario is intended or inferred.
Contact Us
Contact us to find out more about the Bridging the Technology Skills Gap Project:
diversityinstitute@torontomu.ca