Mairead Matthews and Ruth Mengistu
Navigating skills needs in the digital economy
Presentation Synopsis: Behind the latest buzzwords and excitement around emerging tech lies a very real set of challenges for industry and job seekers alike. For industry, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find experienced talent with the specific skill sets needed to drive new technology. For job seekers, it is increasingly difficult to stay on top of industry trends, and to identify and acquire the skills needed to find work.
Through comprehensive research and evidence-based capacity building programs, the Information Communications Technology Council (ICTC) is working to bridge these gaps.
Our deep-dive studies on the impact of emerging tech on Canada's vertical industries are unearthing the skill sets needed to propel its digital economy forward. At the same time, our thoughtfully designed capacity building programs (such as the DEEP initiative, GO Talent and Coach Connect) are helping unemployed and underemployed newcomers, Indigenous peoples, and refugees identify and obtain the skills needed to fill new roles as they emerge.
In this 45-50 minute presentation, we will address some of ICTC's most telling research on the digital economy as a whole, and on Canada's augmented and virtual reality ecosystem more specifically, before walking the audience through case studies demonstrating exactly how ICTC's programs work.
Speaker Biographies
Mairead Matthews is a Research and Policy Analyst at the Information and Communications Technology Council of Canada (ICTC), a national centre of expertise on the digital economy. With ICTC, Mairead brings her longstanding interest in Canadian policy to the conversation on technology and 21st century regulatory challenges. Mairead's focus areas include internet policy, data governance, and the social and ethical impacts of emerging tech.
Navigating skills needs in the digital economy
Presentation Synopsis: Behind the latest buzzwords and excitement around emerging tech lies a very real set of challenges for industry and job seekers alike. For industry, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find experienced talent with the specific skill sets needed to drive new technology. For job seekers, it is increasingly difficult to stay on top of industry trends, and to identify and acquire the skills needed to find work.
Through comprehensive research and evidence-based capacity building programs, the Information Communications Technology Council (ICTC) is working to bridge these gaps.
Our deep-dive studies on the impact of emerging tech on Canada's vertical industries are unearthing the skill sets needed to propel its digital economy forward. At the same time, our thoughtfully designed capacity building programs (such as the DEEP initiative, GO Talent and Coach Connect) are helping unemployed and underemployed newcomers, Indigenous peoples, and refugees identify and obtain the skills needed to fill new roles as they emerge.
In this 45-50 minute presentation, we will address some of ICTC's most telling research on the digital economy as a whole, and on Canada's augmented and virtual reality ecosystem more specifically, before walking the audience through case studies demonstrating exactly how ICTC's programs work.
Speaker Biographies
Mairead Matthews is a Research and Policy Analyst at the Information and Communications Technology Council of Canada (ICTC), a national centre of expertise on the digital economy. With ICTC, Mairead brings her longstanding interest in Canadian policy to the conversation on technology and 21st century regulatory challenges. Mairead's focus areas include internet policy, data governance, and the social and ethical impacts of emerging tech.
Ruth Mengistu is the Team Lead of Outreach and Partnerships at the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC), a national centre of expertise on the digital economy. Ruth brings extensive experience working on initiatives with industry to increase inclusive hiring practices across sectors and increase the representation of underrepresented students and new Canadians among companies operating in the ICT and digital space.
