iAdvance: driving today’s careers in turbulent environments
The future of work is fluid across digitized industries, but the present is painfully disjointed. ICTC has developed iAdvance to help workers drive their careers smoothly throughout the 4th industrial revolution.
The future of work
A lot has been said about the future of work, digitization, worker mobility, future jobs that we don’t know today, and the prospect of reinventing one’s career multiple times over the course of our professional lives… The reality is that industry transformation is happening at a faster pace than most professionals have prepared for. Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things, and Blockchain have been shifting the foundations for a lot of established professions. Some have been affected by AI more than others, for example, as the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) research found out. The present of work is already here and it’s digital.
ICTC foresees the demand for digitally-skilled talent in Canada to reach more than 305,000 by 2023. — https://www.ictc-ctic.ca/talent-demand-outlook-2023/ (note: stay tuned for an update considering the COVID-19 crisis)
Every region and sector are going through the 4th industrial revolution at their own pace. For example, the crisis in the natural resources sector has put Albertans in a difficult position, although we have some encouraging news to report (more on the EDGE UP program later). The lesson here is that business leaders and individuals alike need to take a proactive stance, investing now in strategic initiatives rather than waiting for the headwinds to force a rather desperate course correction. As we all know, it does help to diversify revenue streams (don’t put all your eggs in the same basket), but the new driver is the accelerated pace of change imposed by the digitization of everything.
Aside from the technological disruption that is changing the very foundation of our economy, increasingly global factors like the evolving trade dynamics, environmental trends, and the crippling effects of pandemics are all impacting the employment landscape in Canada. Enabling robust up-skilling programs such as the iAdvance initiative will go along way in preparing the workforce of tomorrow and responding to the evolving landscape of Canada’s economy.
For individuals, the financial risks are higher because it’s harder to diversify a career than a basket of projects and investments. Professionals are not responsible for macro-economic trends threatening their industry. They must, however, keep abreast of new technology and practices adopted across industries. If they can’t continue with their employer for whatever reason, there may be better opportunities in another industry where their new skills are in high demand. ICTC has launched iAdvance to empower every professional to drive their career where the hot ICT jobs are.
iAdvance
iAdvance is a novel career-building program launched by ICTC in 2019 to provide a delightful experience that builds on our e-Talent initiative. We are making our intelligence of the ICT labour market more accessible and easy to use in three simple steps.
1. Google maps for skills
If a long journey starts with a single step, as the Chinese proverb goes, you have to understand where you stand before you chart a course. Based on our labour market information techniques we can tell you which jobs are closest to your abilities on the basis of competencies, what those jobs are about, and in which regions the demand is higher.
2. Charting a course to a career upgrade
Once you have chosen the next step in your career, we’re helping you get there. We can tell you which skills to chase in order to increase your employability. You can choose your learning options among recognized educational partners. iAdvance helps you find the shortest path to get you where you want to be.
3. Connecting with jobs
Finally, we recognize your up-skilling achievement with an ICTC micro-credential that is a strong signal to the industry, and your employer, that you are job-ready.
While post-secondary institutions provide certificates demonstrating your learning achievements (i.e. past accomplishments), ICTC’s micro-credential speaks to your employability in your future role, based on current industry demand.
Furthermore, you can benefit from ICTC’s connection with the industry, events, and services including a job board.
Live in Calgary: EDGE UP
With EDGE UP we’re running the first pilot of iAdvance in Alberta. EDGE UP is a collaboration between the Calgary Economic Development, ICTC and academic partners, with federal funding from the Future Skills Centre. The demand for this program has already exceeded our expectations, amounting to several hundred candidates, while we have about 50 seats to offer during the first intake.
ICTC is excited to contribute to Calgary’s economy and more importantly, to the career trajectories of workers looking to shift gears into tech. ICTC team members from across the organization have been involved in making EDGE UP a success.
- December 2018: the ICTC research & policy team released a report in collaboration with Calgary Economic Development to shed light on the skills and jobs (i.e. data scientists, software developers, etc.) in high demand in Calgary’s growing tech sector. This study also connected the missing link between displaced engineers from the oil and gas sector (i.e. geoscientists, petroleum engineers, etc.) by highlighting skills that matched and upskilling needs to in-demand jobs in tech.
- March 2019: the ICTC research & policy team creates a tool that maps displaced workers highlighted in the report to in-demand tech jobs in Calgary. The web platform allows users to choose from a dropdown list of five occupations, provides a match (%) to over 10 in-demand occupations, identifies skill matches and mismatches, and offers upskilling resources in Calgary.
- January 2020: my team in the Capacity Building and Innovation Readiness group interviews 76 candidates out of several hundred applicants for EDGE UP, helping them navigate their options and guide them through short-duration learning journeys with our education partners at Bow Valley College, SAIT, and the University of Calgary.
- Spring 2020: my team delivers tailored training, sharing our expertise of the tech sector, insights on culture and mindset in the tech sector, and more. The technical training is offered by our academic partners, and Riipen for the “capstone” applied learning project.
- July 2020: ICTC, in collaboration with EDGE UP partners, delivers a digital certificate that speaks to the new level of employability achieved by each participant. ICTC’s CEO is planning to attend the graduation ceremony to celebrate this ground-breaking achievement in Calgary with all our partners.
Next steps
iAdvance is focused on individuals to help them drive their careers. Our team is designing and adapting the engine in partnership with regions and large employers. Please reach out at m.lijour@ictc-ctic.ca if you’d like to collaborate in this effort.
Let’s build a strong and resilient ICT workforce in Canada!
Stay tuned for more news on EDGE UP and iAdvance.
