In the last 15 years, BC’s tech sector has outpaced the province’s overall economy, growing by 91% to generate over $15 billion dollars in GDP per year2. The sector’s prominence will only increase as technology products and services become ever more ubiquitous and deeply interwoven into all industries, including those not traditionally associated with tech. Despite this promise, BC’s tech sector faces a significant headwind: a growing talent deficit. The availability of talent has been a perennial concern for companies in the sector. This was perhaps most prominently highlighted in 2016’s #BCTECH Strategy, in which tech talent was identified as a fundamental pillar of a thriving tech sector – and was suggested to be lacking in the province. The goal of the 2016 TechTalentBC Report is to quantify this talent deficit and analyze its factors in order to diagnose difficulties and identify specific areas in which remedial action can be taken to ensure that BC’s tech companies have access to the quantity and quality of tech talent required to compete and become global leaders.

1. March 2017

2. Our Vision
for top global talent.
a go-to destination
To establish BC as a global
top 10 tech ecosystem and

3. This report assesses the demand and supply of human capital among
32 occupations comprising BC’s thriving tech sector, to address employer
concerns about talent shortages constraining growth.
Purpose & Formation
Objective
Sources
Primary Data
11 surveys,5 subsector committees,
5 workforce committees,
27 key informant interviews
Secondary Data
BC Stats, Stats Canada, LMO, LFS, BC Headset,
BC Tech Jobs, Partner resources, Other
This report is part of a Sector Labour Market
Partnership (LMP) program supported by:
Produced in partnership with:Partners

4. Constrained Growth Scenario: 165,500
We forecast the development of about
16,500 new tech jobs between 2016 - 2021.
However, the demand for employment from
BC’s tech companies is nearly 3x higher.
Key Findings
Expanded Growth Scenario: 196,000
BC’s tech sector will be able to support 47,000
new jobs by 2021, representing 30,500 additional,
unmet jobs (on top of the 16,500 in the
constrained growth scenario).
To support the 30,500
additional job openings,
BC will require access to
new, key sources of talent by 2021:
12,500
new entrants
(new graduates) to fill
entry-level roles.
8,500
Immigrants
to fill key senior-level or
specialized roles.
9,500
other workers
(reskilled workers, career
transitioners, and under-
represented groups) to
fill key roles.
Computer programmers, Software engineers, Graphic designers,
Systems analysts, QA UX/UI designers, civil and electrical
engineers, computer/network technicians, technical sales
specialists and business managers.
BC tech’s top in-demand occupations
BC's tech sector reached approx. 149,000 jobs in 2015
and is on pace to grow to 165,500 or 196,000 by 2021
under two possible scenarios:

5. BC Tech Sector Overview
BC’s tech sector includes a wide array of industries and regions across the province.
BC Tech Scope: Subsectors and Regions
Information and Communications
Technology (ICT)
Lifesciences (LS)
Interactive and Digital Media (IDM)
Cleantech (CT)
Engineering Services (ES)

6. Source: KPMG British Columbia Technology Report Card, 2015 Edition
Distribution and Growth of Companies
In a sign of progress, the number of companies growing from small to medium and large sizes has increased.
BC Tech Sector Overview
Over 80% of tech companies in BC
are considered small (<10 employees)
Grew by 17%
Grew by 18%
Grew by 14%
Companies with
<10 Employees
10-19 Employees
20-49 Employees
50+ Employees

7. BC Tech Sector Overview
Tech Sector Revenue & Employment
While BC’s tech sector revenue growth has increased by a CAGR of 6%,
the future demand for tech talent will outpace the current growth of the sector’s employment rate.

8. Top occupations
by 2015 include:
Employment Composition & Top Jobs
Technical and
specializedroles
comprisethe largest
current and anticipated
portionof hiringneeds.
BC Tech Sector Overview

9. As the province shifts to a knowledge economy, successfully scaling
BC’s strong base of tech startups into globally competitive anchor
companies is of critical importance to the province’s future prosperity.
Talent Fuels the BC tech sector. Building a solid foundation of human capital, whether home grown or
globally sourced, is among our critical success factors.
Our Opportunity
– BILL TAM,
President & CEO
BC Tech Association
“
”

10. Tech Labour Demand & Supply Forecasts - 2016-2021
New entrants: 40%
(New graduates from post-
secondary institutions)
Other local talent: 31%
(Talent sourced from other local
supply groups, including
underrepresented groups and
career transitioners)
Immigrants: 29%
(Talent sourced from
outside of Canada)
Employment in Key Sources of Talent

11. Forecasted supply by source
12,500 tech jobs + 4,000 non-tech jobs
Forecasted labour demand
As is, BC Tech is on pace to grow to 165,500+ jobs by 2021, adding 16,500+ net new jobs at a CAGR of 1.8%.
Employment Demand & Supply Forecasts - 2016-2021
The Constrained Growth Scenario
6,500
from new entrants
5,000
from immigration
5,000
from other local supply

12. Employment Demand & Supply Forecasts - 2016-2021
Withrapidexpansion, BCtechwillgrowto196,000jobsby2021,growing ataCAGRof4.7%andrequiring anadditional 47,000+workers.
The Expanded Growth Scenario
~19,000
from new entrants
~13,500
from immigration
~14,500
from other local supply
Forecasted supply by source
36,000 tech jobs + 11,000 non-tech jobs
Forecasted labour demand

13. Employment Demand & Supply Forecasts - 2016-2021
Approximately 5,000 jobs will go unfilled per year, totaling nearly 30,500 unfilled jobs by 2021.
Meeting unmet demand for talent
Labour Composition
To meet the demand of 35,000 jobs, the tech sector will require:
12,500
new entrants
8,500
immigrants
9,500
other local supply

14. To meet the talent shortage, BC will need to boost supply from key sources of talent.
Examining Supply Source Challenges
Supply Challenges from Talent Sources
New entrants
(New graduates from post-
secondary institutions)
Other local talent
(Talent sourced from other
local supply groups, including
underrepresented groups and
career transitioners)
Immigrants
(Talent sourced from
outside of Canada)

15. Enrollment Numbers
Job Readiness and Skills Development
Co-op and Experiential Learning
Examining Supply Source Challenges
Challenges: New Entrants
40% of roles sourced are in the new entry segment, indicating a need
for ongoing and annual supply of graduates from PSE institutions.
Capacity in engineering and tech programs has not been keeping up with interest,
only 65% of applicants admitted between 2011-2015. In 2013 only 17% of BC
undergrads pursued a degree in tech, less than Ontario and Alberta.
Tech employers rank the quality of new grads' technical skills favourably,
where as interpersonal and communications skills have room to grow.
Of the top tech-related university disciplines (Engineering & Tech
and Mechanical & Electrical Engineering) had co-op placements
with participation rates over 50% from 2010 - 2014.

16. Sourcing channels
Wait times and unclear instructions
Job readiness & workplace integration
Examining Supply Source Challenges
Challenges: Immigrants
Streamlining immigration pathways would help all sub-sector companies
source skilled talent for to mid to senior level and specialized roles.
The top immigration channels used are Express Entry, BC Provincial
Nominee Program and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
Average wait times is four to six months and 20% of companies report
seven months or longer.
High ratings for technical skills and job performance but there is room
to grow in interpersonal skills, ramp up time and cultural fit.

17. Challenges: Recruiting and Retaining Talent in BC
Examining Supply Source Challenges
Lack of Mid &
Senior level talent
an issue for 60% of
companies yet makes
up only 20% of
recruitment needs.
Local Compensation
rates are an issue.
Average weekly wages
have increased in the
BC tech sector to the
second highest
in Canada.
Salary competition from
other jurisdictions
is driving up local salaries
and hindering recruitment
from other major
tech centres.
Brain Drain
is taking place.
Approx. 30-50% of 2011
graduates in tech and
engineering worked
outside BC and Canada.

18. Examining Supply Source Challenges
Challenges: Other Local Talent
Career transitioners
require retraining and
upskilling initiatives to
transition into the tech sector.
Women represented only 15-
20% of BC's tech labour market
from 2006 - 2015 -- lower than
the Canadian average of 45%.
Many demographic groups are underrepresented in the tech sector
and must be better supported and trained to enter tech careers.
First Nations aged 18 to 65
represented represented less
than 1% of BC's workforce, as
did individuals with disabilities.

19. Recap
For each of the labour sources, there are large
gaps between what BC is on track to produce
and what is needed by the tech sector.
Individualsenteringthe sector
must possessa practicalblend
of technicaland ‘soft’ skillsto
provide valueto organizations.
Meeting the accelerated
employment demand
of BC’s tech sector requires the
following additions by 2021:
12,500
new entrants
(graduates) to fill entry-
level roles.
8,500
Immigrants
to fill key senior-level or
specialized roles.
9,500
other workers
(reskilled workers, career
transitioners, and under-
represented groups) to
fill key roles.

20. Increase the capacity
of post-secondary
programs to produce
additional graduates
eachyearintech-relevant
programs as well as
non-tech programs.
Increase the supply
of immigration and
foreign workers for
senior level and
specialized roles.
Increase investment
in retraining initiatives,
enabling the transition
of local non-tech and
underrepresented
groups of workers to
the tech sector.
Increase investment
and significantly
expand co-op and
experiential learning
opportunities for all
post-secondary and
K-12 tech programs.
Increase investment
in pre- and post-arrival
skills development
programs for foreign
talent.
Our Call to Action

21. Thank You
policy@wearebctech.com