Technology's growing impact on Canada's workforce and economy detailed in new CompTIA report

TORONTO, Nov. 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nearly 300,000 technology jobs have been created in Canada over the past six years, with more employment growth projected in 2023, according to a report from CompTIA, the nonprofit association for the information technology (IT) industry and workforce.

Net tech employment[1] reached an estimated 1,352,210 workers in 2022 and is projected to grow by 1.3% this year, to nearly 1.4 million workers, CompTIA's "State of the Tech Workforce Canada" reveals. All provinces are projected to see an increase in tech employment this year, with nearly 60% of growth in the Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver metro areas.

"Employers that have resumed hiring activity are balancing immediate staffing needs in cybersecurity, cloud computing and tech support with longer-term plans in areas such as advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence," said Gordon Pelosse, senior vice president, employer engagement, CompTIA.

Software engineers and designers, IT support and network technicians, database analysts and administrators, and computer and information system managers are the occupations in highest demand, CompTIA's examination of employer job postings shows. Nearly one-fourth of job postings were for positions in emerging technologies. Slightly more than half of tech job postings in 2022 specified a required level of work experience, with the remaining 40% unspecified.

"Many employers continue to extend recruiting to include talent from alternative pathways, such as those with industry-recognized certifications, rather than traditional university degrees," Pelosse noted.

The Toronto metropolitan area has the highest concentration of technology workers as a percentage of its overall workforce (10.3%), well above the national benchmark (6.6%). Vancouver (8.6%), Montreal (8.5%) and Calgary (6.9%) also are above the national rate.           

The tech industry ? nearly 55,000 business establishments ? delivers a direct economic impact estimated at $113.4 billion CAD, approximately 5.5% of the overall Canadian economy, an increase from $104.6 billion CAD in the prior year. There are also downstream indirect benefits, such as the employment multiplier effect of technology ecosystems. The estimated median annual wage for a technology worker in Canada is $88,233 (CAD), which is 48% higher than the median national wage for all occupations.

CompTIA's "State of the Tech Workforce Canada" provides an in-depth look at employment, economic impact, technology trends, salaries, hiring activity and more across the provinces and metropolitan areas of Canada. The report draws upon a number of data sources including Lightcast, Canadian government statistics (StatsCan), CompTIA and others. The full report is available at https://www.comptia.org/content/research/comptia-state-of-tech-workforce-canada.

About CompTIA

The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is the world's leading information technology (IT) certification and training body. CompTIA is a mission-driven organization committed to unlocking the potential of every student, career changer or professional seeking to begin or advance in a technology career. Millions of current and aspiring technology workers around the world rely on CompTIA for the training, education and professional certifications that give them the confidence and skills to work in tech. https://www.comptia.org/

[1] CompTIA defines "net tech employment" as the sum total of technology professionals working in technical positions (IT support, network engineering, software development, data science, etc.) in all industry sectors; business professionals (administrative, marketing, sales, etc.) employed by technology companies; and dedicated, full-time self-employed technology workers.