Presented at the British Columbia Collaboration Event for Educators - an annual conference that discusses the future of IT and education in Canada.
Presented by Tracy Biernacki-Dusza, National Project manager of the Focus on Information Technology program (FIT); a youth inititiative developed by the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC)
3. www.focusit.ca/www.ictc-ctic.ca
Educational Crisis
Disengagement crisis among learners from
traditional learning & teaching modules
“The majority of students in the upper grades are
not intellectually engaged in the classroom.”
Source: C21 Canada. “C21 Presents: Shifting Minds. A 21st century vision of public education for Canada.” May 2012.
4. www.focusit.ca/www.ictc-ctic.ca
Canada’s Future
Reinvigorating the Canadian educational system
impacts economic, social, environmental and
financial aspirations of Canadians
Multi-literate, creative and innovative
people are the drivers of the 21st Century
Source: C21 Canada. “C21 Presents: Shifting Minds. A 21st century vision of public education for Canada.” May 2012.
5. www.focusit.ca/www.ictc-ctic.ca
The Situation
By 2016, Canada will need more
than 106,000 ICT workers
Systemic shortage of soft skills
Mismatch between capabilities
Youth are not choosing ICT as a
career
Not seen as fun, viable or profitable
Unaware of the opportunities
available in ICT
Canadian graduates lack the
right blend of skills to compete in
the digital economy
21st Century Skills
6. www.focusit.ca/www.ictc-ctic.ca
What is ICT?
http://www.tutor2u.net/business/ict/intro_what_is_ict.htm
A constantly evolving term:
“All the uses of digital technology that
already exist to help
individuals, businesses and
organisations use information.”
“ICT covers any product that will
store, retrieve, manipulate, transmi
t or receive information electronically
in a digital form.”
Information Communications Technology
7. www.focusit.ca/www.ictc-ctic.ca
21st Century Skills
What are They:
Solve real problems
Engage with knowledge that matters
Be respected
See how subjects are interconnected
Learn from and with each other and people in
their community
Connect with experts and expertise
Have more opportunities for dialogue and
conversation
How to Learn Them:
Applied, project-based and interdisciplinary
learning
Collaborative learning
Inquiry and investigation
Technology for learning
Demonstration of competence
Personalized learning
Information access, analysis, synthesis and
the generation of new ideas
8. www.focusit.ca/www.ictc-ctic.ca
The cost of a Bad Hire:
Of new hires 46% fail within 18 months
Another 45% are only fair to marginal performers
That means that 81% of new hires are a disappointment
Associated costs are anywhere between 20% to 200%
Factors contributing to the cost of a bad hire:
Less productivity, lost time, cost to recruit and train, employee morale, and negative impact on
client solutions
Source: http://www.recruitingblogs.com/profiles/blogs/bad-hires-stats-costs-avoidance-poor-excuses-and-other-thoughts
How This Affects Business
9. www.focusit.ca/www.ictc-ctic.ca
Who is ICTC
The Information and Communication
Technology Council (ICTC):
Dedicated to ensuring Canada’s
ICT sector is made up of a
prepared, diverse and highly
educated workforce
Centre of expertise in ICT
research and labour market
intelligence, policy
development, and program
management
Network of industry, education &
government:
Develop Canada’s future skilled
and innovative talent
Empower industries to maintain
a competitive advantage in a
global market
10. www.focusit.ca/www.ictc-ctic.ca
Talent Programs
Women in IT
Youth Initiatives
Focus on IT
Career Focus
Standards
I-ADVANCETM
Career Transitions
Bridge Training for
Internationally Educated
Professionals
Aboriginal Inclusion
14. www.focusit.ca/www.ictc-ctic.ca
Why FIT?
Top Ten in-demand ICT Jobs in British Columbia:
1. Software Engineers
2. Electrical and Electronics Engineers
3. Computer Network Technicians
4. Web Designers and Developers
5. Information Systems Business Analysts
6. Computer Programmers
7. Graphic Designers and Illustrator
8. e-Commerce Managers
9. Computer and Information System Managers
10. User Support Technicians
17. www.focusit.ca/www.ictc-ctic.ca
Technology Trends
118,600 workers employed in BC’s digital economy
BC is Canada’s third largest digital economy
employer in Canada, with12% of all workers
BC’s ICT field is growing:
ICT sector output of $6.96 billion in 2012 Q3
was $71 million higher than it was in 2011
Q3, signifying a growth of 1%
BC is one of the major digital economy hubs in Canada
British Columbia contributed 11% of the total
Canadian ICT output in 2012 Q3
Companies are putting an increasing premium on
reaching clients to provide them with innovative and
customized solutions
Source: ICTC.
Skills in-demand by employers:
Content management system (CMS)
Customer relationship management (CRM)
Database management
Quality assurance
SharePoint
19. www.focusit.ca/www.ictc-ctic.ca
Educational Pitfalls
BC has 64,492 high school grads this
year and only 44,467 children starting
kindergarten
Source: ICTC.
Approximately 40% of students enrolled
in colleges have a university degree
Ever widening gap between university
and college grads
Theoretical skills vs. practical
application
University grads understand
theory but not practice
Majority of post-secondary grads don’t
have any experience working in an
office or professional environment
20. www.focusit.ca/www.ictc-ctic.ca
Hiring New Grads
Source: ICTC.
BC employers are flooded with new grad applicants from Ontario
Difficult for SMEs to hire students as they lack the time & resources to
train & mentor
Ramp-up time for any new hire: 3-6 months minimum
Ramp-up time for a new grad: 6-9 months depending on work
experience/background
Preference towards hiring new grads with co-op experience
Vancouver employers tend to not recruit new grads due to the difficulty
understanding competency and where they could have impact
23. www.focusit.ca/www.ictc-ctic.ca
What is FIT?
FOCUS program for Grades 11 and 12
Delivered through hands-on learning
Project- based learning built on teamwork
Increased awareness and understanding along
with skill development for an ICT career
Based on learning outcomes validated by
business, industry and educators
The core FOCUS program:
Developing PC maintenance skills
Network Administration technical proficiency
Media, Graphics and Communications explorations
Employability/essential skills
Business/entrepreneurship aptitude
Developing work experience skills
25. www.focusit.ca/www.ictc-ctic.ca
Finding Your FIT
Network & Operations Support Concentration
Interactive Media Concentration
Business & Information Analysis Concentration
Software Design & Development Concentration
General Technical Competencies
General Business Competencies
28. www.focusit.ca/www.ictc-ctic.ca
The FIT Advantage
FIT Graduates:
Potential advanced standing for
future studies
Better prepared to write major ICT
certification exams
Valuable career-ready skills
Recognized by employers across
Canada
29. www.focusit.ca/www.ictc-ctic.ca
FIT Students Say…
“It was unique – an open learning
environment. You learn the academic
side, but it’s more about how you manage
your time, assess a project and set goals.”
Ryan Clark, FIT Student
“It was really great. FIT gave me a better
understanding of what we were learning.
I’m building on that now at BCIT.”
Brian Walker, FIT Student
30. www.focusit.ca/www.ictc-ctic.ca
FIT Engages Industry
FIT-IPN: Industry Partnership Network
Partnership between industry and education
within the local community
Brings together ingenuity & resources
of employers and teachers
FIT-assisted co-ops, internships, & work
placements
Delivers hands-on, real-world learning
Reach ahead events, workshops &
presentations for FIT community
32. www.focusit.ca/www.ictc-ctic.ca
Impact your Bottom Line:
Hire once and hire right
Support programs that build employee & graduate skills
Get the inside track on skilled employees & graduates
Increase your Brand Loyalty:
FIT Website industry profiles and job profiles
Product sampling and demonstrations to a targeted youth audience
Enhance your Publicity & Corporate Social
Responsibility:
Include your voice in Education
Network with local officials and other businesses
Reach parents through your industry support
Become Socially Responsible with a ROI
Directly Impact the Future of your Industry:
Opportunity to promote ICT careers
Bridge the gap between youth and employment
Impact workforce of tomorrow today
University & College is too late
Why Partner with FIT?
NOTE TO TEAM:These bullets make up the boilerplate that should be included in all external presentations. It ties in FIT with ICTC and covers the key differentiators for FIT.
Source: C21 Canada. “C21 Presents: Shifting Minds. A 21st century vision of public education for Canada.” May 2012.Disengagement crisis among learners from traditional learning & teaching modules“The majority of students in the upper grades are not intellectually engaged in the classroom.”OECD, European Union, UNESCO and others have determined that multi-literate, creative and innovative people are the drivers of the 21st Century “We need Canadian citizens and their governments at all levels to understand the imperative for modernizing our educational systems to meet the new realities of the knowledge and digital eras.”Reinvigorating the Canadian educational system impacts economic, social, environmental and financial aspirations of Canadians.
Original Slide Content: By 2016, Canada will need more than 106,000 ICT workersSystemic shortage of soft skills required for a 21st Century ICT A pervasive mismatch between the capabilities needed by employers and the skills and experience of many ICT job-seekers.Youths are not choosing ICT as a career choiceNot perceived as fun, viable or profitable career choiceDo not see the opportunities available in ICTIt is no longer enough to be a technical expert: the industry now needs workers with multidisciplinary skills. ICT professionals are increasingly required to understand the business of their companies—the marketing, operations and HR management aspects, for example. Employers are on the hunt for personnel who have specific combinations of ICT experience as well as expertise in domains.In the next five years, Canada is going to see a new, radically different ICT job market emerge.By 2016, Canada will need more than 106,000 ICT workers.In most regions, there will be systemic shortages of ICT workers with the capabilities needed by employers.At the heart of these systemic shortages is a pervasive mismatch between the capabilities needed by employers and the skills and experience of many ICT job-seekers.The consequences of this pervasive mismatch will beSerious recruitment challenges for employers, andDrawn out and often frustrating job searches for many ICT job-seekers, especially those with <5years of experience. PLUS: Youth do not fully comprehend the opportunities available for those with an ICT background
Research in 2010 suggested the costs could be anywhere from 20% to 200%Survey conducted by Harris Interactive, 41% said a bad hire cost more than $25,000 and 25% identified the cost was over $50,000.Associated costs are anywhere between 20% to 200%Survey by Harris Interactive: 41% said a bad hire cost more than $25,000 and 25% identified the cost was over $50,000.Factors contributing to the cost of a bad hire:Writing and replacing a job ads, screening candidates, phone calls and emails, arranging and conducting interviews, checking referencesTraining, client impact, cultural impact, relocation, signing bonuses, and timeLess productivityLost time to recruit and train another workerCost to recruit and train another worker Employee morale negatively affectedNegative impact on client solutions
The Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) is a centre of expertise in ICT research and labour market intelligence, policy development, and program management. Through our strong network of industry, academia and government, we enable the development of Canada’s future skilled and innovative talent, empowering industries to maintain a competitive advantage in a global market.ICTC’s unique position:Authoritative, best-in-class ICT business intelligenceIndependent, neutral policy advisorEstablished networks of partners (government, industry, academia, and international)Strong program management and delivery
ICTC is a leader in developing workforce solutions, enabling Canadian businesses to access the right talent with the right skills needed to drive innovation and productivity in an increasingly competitive environment.In order to ensure Canada is able to meet the demand of future ICT labour needs, we consider all labour market sources including domestic and international. Our programs provide unique and targeted solutions for recruiting, retaining and integrating women, aboriginals, youth and internationally educated professionals into ICT workforce.The objective of ICTC’s Standards and Certification is to identify and develop competency profiles and career pathways for key in-demand occupations and domain knowledge areas (DKAs). The profiles will facilitate the development of human resource strategies targeted at training and recruitment, thereby ensuring an adequate supply of qualified workers for this growing sector.The I-ADVACE certification program - is an industry-wide certification program designed to validate and recognize the technical knowledge, industry experience, business and interpersonal skills of ICT professionals. The goal? To equip professionals with a unique, integrated certification that meets national industry standards. No other certification program combines technical and soft skills like I-ADVANCE™ does.
This diagram summarizes how FIT is effective in giving students the skills, knowledge and abilities they need to build a career path in IT.The Information and Communication Technology Council is the Canadian not-for-profit sector council that manages FIT.We champion collaboration among all stakeholders and are a catalyst for action and solutions on labour market issues, leading the development of Canada’s ICT workforce.ICTC is committed to working with governments, education and industry to ensure young people are prepared for what the future holds in terms of employment.We are dedicated to ensuring Canada’s ICT sector is made up of a prepared, diverse and highly educated workforce.We:Define HR issuesFacilitate shift from school to workRecruit, retain workersDevelop occupational standards, competenciesPromote the workplace as a learning placeDevelop sector, career awareness strategies
Behind the pervasive mismatch is a change in the nature of ICT careers.Declining needs: ‘Commodity Skills’ – application use (Microsoft, etc). Companies assuming you already know how to use Word, Excel, etc.ICT technical capabilities only.Growing needs:ICT skills combined with soft skills (communications, team work) and ‘context skills’, i.e., understanding the business needs and processes to which ICT is applied,ICT skills combined with technical skills from other domains, e.g., ehealth, manufacturing, finance, etc..
Every 60 seconds:- 168 million emails sent- 13,000 iPhone apps downloaded- 98,000 tweets- 698,000 web searchesFrom an economic developmentperspective, the Internet accountsfor 21% of GDP growth in themature countries studied.The Internet creates 2.6 new jobsfor every 1 job lost.McKinsey Global Institute
Ever widening gap between: university and college – theoretical skills vs practical application – academics in university are taught in a vacuum – gap is getting worse, not better – university grads understand theory but not how to put it into practice
Ever widening gap between: university and college – theoretical skills vs practical application – academics in university are taught in a vacuum – gap is getting worse, not better – university grads understand theory but not how to put it into practiceVictoria: 30-35 years of age is average for workforce; 75-90% men vs womenVancouver: 25-35 years of age is average for workforce; 90% menVancouver employers tend to not recruit new grads due to the difficulty understanding competency and where they could have impact, need a lot of infrastructure and support to be successful in organization.
FOCUS is a secondary-school program for Grades 11 and 12Delivered through hands-on learningBased on teamwork, creating and running simulated businesses Allows greater knowledge and work skills necessary to make ICT a career choice Based on learning outcomes validated by business, industry and educatorsThe core FOCUS program focuses on:Developing PC maintenance skillsNetwork Administration technical proficiencyMedia, Graphics and Communications explorationsEmployability/essential skillsBusiness/entrepreneurship aptitudeDeveloping work experience skillsThe FIT program aims to help students…Acquire an understanding of the workplace environment Develop relevant business and technical skillsMake effective and informed career choices in the ICT fieldIncorporate business and technical competencies into their future learning
This slide demonstrates how the student is supported by these three partners. The student is at the center with her existing IT skills – those she has acquired by virtue of the world she lives in. FIT works because it’s a program where ICTC, education and industry work together to help students become successful, digital, global citizens.The student is supported by ICTC through FIT, and by education through a 21st century learning environment. Then, armed with her essential ICT and business skills, the student is able to proceed down a career path into any industry in any sector.What results is a better, more well-rounded student entering post-secondary or the workforce.
Network & Operations Support Concentration IT Essentials Discover/ Exploration Industry Credential (e.g. A+ and Net+ Certification) Work Experience FIT Certificate Software Design & Development Concentration ICTC approved programming languageIndustry Credential (e.g. Java Certification)Work Experience FIT Certificate Interactive Media ConcentrationPathways through High School Industry Credential (e.g. Adobe Certifications) Work Experience FIT Certificate Business & Information Analysis ConcentrationEnhanced business and technical skills to analyze business needs and propose solutionsReviewing possible Industry CredentialWork ExperienceFIT Certificate
Students enrolled in FIT:Become keenly aware of the influence and impact technology has in our daily livesUnderstand the role of ICT in all types of enterprisesIdentify and explore career opportunities within ICTApply specific ICT skills to develop solutions
Students learn most effectively through personal observation, investigation and action. A special business simulation model allows FIT students to practise the techniques they’re acquiring, making their skills more readily applicable to the workforce.Real work experience is possible through FIT-assisted summertime, youth apprenticeship or co-op placements
FIT students complete high school with tangible benefitsadvanced standing for future studies ready to write major ICT certification examsvaluable career-ready skills certified accreditation that is recognized by employers across Canada
FIT-IPN: Industry Partnership Network-Partnership between industry and education within the local community- Brings the ingenuity and resources of both employers and teachers to provide the best possible education to the future workforce of the community. -FIT-assisted co-ops, internships, and work placements-students achieve hands-on, real-world learning-reach ahead events, workshops and presentations for FIT teachers and students
Talking points for Industry PartnersInform by participating in:Summits, Think-tanksCorrect ICT MisinformationBe a part of our Industry Partnership NetworkInspire by:Speaking Opportunities with YouthCoops or InternshipsMentoring: Engaging Girls or Youth At-RiskInvest Through:PartnershipCurriculum Development Event SponsorshipClassroom IT EquipmentDefray Certification CostsSupport the FIT Program Benefits of FIT: Real, Pertinent and Serves Industry’s needsStats from Namir’s Presentation to Industry Canada:Our high school program is now in 8 provinces, we are talking to the others and territories, we are working with aboriginal communities in three provinces about a focus on staying in school program to encourage more Aboriginal participation ( 2006- 795 Alberta) 5515 across Canada. Impacting the Canadian supply chain is very important to Canada’s future workforce.Our work with the educational systems and the training systems to ensure that Canadians have the right skills at the right place at the right time is our mandate.
FIT PROMOTIONAL OFFERINGSWEBSITELogo & LinkPromotion Text & Link Article in Resource MaterialsIndustry/Corporate Profile in Career SectionFeatured Job Profile/Employee from SponsorLeadership Message or Video (3mins max) in Career SectionFit Sponsor Tip of the MonthMutual Website LinkageConduct a contest through the FIT WebsiteSOCIAL MEDIAPromotion via Twitter FeedSponsors Article Links and Logo via FacebookTEACHERS' GUIDELogo on Teaching MaterialStand Alone Educational InsertSpecial Offer Insert TEACHER'S NEWSLETTERLogo on Teachers NewslettersArticle in Teacher NewslettersCorporate Profile in NewslettersNews "tip" COLLABORATION EVENT OPPORTUNITIESProduct Demo at EventsSpeaking Opportunity at EventsPanel OpportunitiesOpportunity to be part of Adivsory CommitteeLiterature DistributionLogo ID on Badge Holders at Special EventsLogo ID on Lanyards at Special EventsEvent Booth Insert in Media Kits Logo on National Partners SignAudio Visual Display at EventsVerbal Recognition at EventsOpportunity for Downloadable Coupon Product SoftwareCorporate signage hung up at eventTRADITIONAL MEDIAPotential to act as Spokesperson for FIT program at Events Name Mention in Press ReleasesInserts in Media KitsCORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITYIncrease in ties to the educational community and therefore the community at large since teachers, parents and students are involved in the FIT program;Opportunity position your company as socially responsible in helping to make a difference in education and employment in regards to communications and technology;BRAND PERCEPTION & LOYALTYAbility to influence students on products, services, company and long-term be able to potentially work for companyAbility to break through the clutter by having teachers deliver information on product or sponsorBrand loyalty: Opportunity for students to use sponsors product or be aware of product at early ageProduct Sampling: Opportunity for student and teacher to use potential product