Unlocking New Insights & Potential From Our ... - LinkedIn · @CivicActionGTHA Unlocking New Insights & Potential From Our Technology Workforce | 5 Our labour market is in a state

MARCH 2016

Real-Time Big Data in the Toronto Region

Unlocking New Insights & Potential From Our

Technology Workforce

This Employment Ontar io Project is funded by the Ontar io Government.

The views expressed in this mater ial are the views of CivicAct ion and do not necessari ly ref lect the views of the Ontar io government.

Acknowledgements CivicAction would like to acknowledge the support and contributions of our partners:Employment Ontario Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities

PartnersLinkedIn – Brian Church*, Julie Dossett, Jake Hirsch-Allen, Jakub Husika, Nicole Isaac, Jonathan Lister, Sohan Murthy*, Richard Wiltshire

City of Toronto – Phil Eisler, Eric Fleury, Joe Mazzei, Fehmida Murji, Jennifer Posthumus, Patricia Walcott Information and Communications Technology Council - Sharif FaisalNPower Canada – Julia Blackburn, Andrew ReddinOntario Trillium Foundation – Andrea Cohen Barrack, Tracey Robertson, Dan WilsonRBC – Robert Carlyle Seneca College – David Agnew, Denis GravelleToronto Police Service – Ritesh Kotak*, Peter Sloly* Toronto Workforce Innovation Group – John MacLaughlin Tropicana Community Services – Tameika Crann-Morris*, Marjorie GirdharryUnited Way of Toronto & York Region – Michelynn Lafleche University of Waterloo – Sean Geobey, Tara VinodraiYMCA of Greater Toronto – Lee Fraser

Additional PartnersBitmaker Labs – Mike Jarrell, Andrew Mawer CIBC – Stephanie Cera AmentaFreshBooks – Sara CooperKPMG – Kayla Horne, Lisa KennedyKobo – Jay WatsonThe Learning Partnership – Ian HartlenToronto Public Library – Elizabeth Glass, Linda Hazzan

CivicAction TeamSevaun PalvetzianZainab AbbasiTamara BalanHilary Best

Laura HacheSarah HarrisMyra Khan*Jelena Lazarević

Alanna MagerConnor McCauley*Cindy Tan*Siva Vijenthira

* Indicates individual was formerly with the organization.

5 Executive Summary

13About

LinkedIn’s Data

14Project

Activities

Table ofContents

16Findings

22Employer

Profiles

27Career

Pathways

32From

Information to Action

34Comparison to Other Types of Labour Market

Information (LMI)

36Further

Research

38Conclusion

39Appendix A:

Research Questions &

Methodology

8 Introduction

Unlocking New Insights & Potent ial From Our Technology Work force | 5 @CivicAct ionGTHA

Our labour market is in a state of flux1, with implications for the well-being of our region. As we seek to understand this change, there is a growing need for new sources of information that sit between traditional labour market information (LMI)2,3 and anecdotal evidence of what’s happening on the ground. To unlock these insights, CivicAction partnered with LinkedIn to look at the increasing demand for technology skills in our region.4

Why technology skills? A 2015-2019 labour market outlook report by the Information and Communications Technology Council projects that there will be cumulative hiring requirements of over 50,000 information and communications technology (ICT) workers in the Toronto region.5,6 Our focus on early career roles requiring technology skills highlights potential job opportunities for new entrants to the labour market, especially youth.

Through our partnership with LinkedIn, CivicAction surfaced new insights about the technology skills employers are hiring for and assessed how online platforms can offer new information on real-time skills needs. In addition to LinkedIn, a variety of partners helped shape the research and provided input throughout the process, including the City of Toronto, the Information and Communications Technology Council, NPower Canada, the Ontario Trillium Foundation, RBC, Seneca College, the Toronto Police Service, the Toronto Workforce Innovation Group, Tropicana Community Services, United Way of Toronto and York Region, the University of Waterloo, and the YMCA of Greater Toronto.

This report summarizes the findings of our research, assesses its value in the context of existing sources of LMI, identifies actions being taken by our partners based on our findings to address unmet labour market needs, and suggests areas for further research.

About Labour Market Information and LinkedIn While the Toronto region has access to high-quality labour market information7, some data points are missing. These include real-time region-specific information about job vacancies and forecasts of the occupations and skills we will need in the future.8

Online talent platforms like LinkedIn represent a burgeoning source of insight about the labour market. LinkedIn is the world’s largest online professional network, with over 414 million members in more than 200 countries and territories, including more than 12 million in Canada and 1.9 million in the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) – an estimated 56% of the labour force.9 LinkedIn’s rich data set, comprised of its user-generated member profiles, offers a unique window into a region’s labour market.

While LinkedIn’s data offers insights that other sources of LMI don’t currently provide, this new data source also comes with some potential limitations, such as the potential for misinterpretation as a traditional source of LMI. It is important to understand the distinction between big data and traditional sources of LMI and to consider these new sources alongside traditional sources for a more complete picture.

1.Alexander, C. (2016). “National Priorities 2016 – Job One is Jobs: Workers Need Better Policy Support and Stronger Skills. C.D. Howe Institute. Available at: https://www.cdhowe.org/sites/default/files/attachments/research_papers/mixed/e-brief_227_0.pdf

2. For example, the Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey.

3.LMI is any information, either quantitative or qualitative, that helps an individual understand what is happening in the labour market or make a labour market decisions.

4.Technology skills, as defined by LinkedIn, encompass a variety of traditional ICT sub-skill sets related to hardware and software, including programming, system design, and technology support. The technology skills cluster excludes basic business skills, such as proficiency with Microsoft Office, and instead focused on more technical competencies. This report uses the term technology skills interchangeably with ICT skills.

5.ICTC’s highly reliable and timely labour market intelligence is anchored by Canada wide industry and academic consultations, proven talent programs, and forward looking technology and economic forecasts.

6.The Information and Communications Technology Council. (2015). “Forecast: The Smart Economy Reshaping Canada’s Workforce – Labour Market Outlook 2015-2019”. Available at: http://www.digcompass.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Labour-Market-Outlook-2015-2019-FINAL.pdf

7. Zizys, Tom. (2015). “Labour Market Information in the Greater Toronto Area: Getting Behind the Numbers.” Available at: http://icecommittee.org/reports/ICE-LMI-Report-2015-FINAL.pdf

8.Toronto Region Board of Trade and United Way Toronto. (2014). “Closing the Prosperity Gap: Solutions for a More Liveable City Region.” Available at: http://www.unitedwaytyr.com/document.doc?id=253

9. Statistics Canada. (2015). “Table 5-2: Labour force characteristics by census metropolitan area (seasonally adjusted) – Monthly.” 71-001-X. Available at: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/71-001-x/2015006/t015-eng.htm. Statistics Canada recorded the total labour force of the Toronto CMA at 3,418,600 in June 2015. 1,900,000 / 3,418,600 = 56%

ExecutiveSummary

http://twitter.com/CivicActionGTHA

1.Alexander

https://www.cdhowe.org/sites/default/files/attachments/research_papers/mixed/e-brief_227_0.pdf




http://www.digcompass.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Labour-Market-Outlook-2015-2019-FINAL.pdf




http://icecommittee.org/reports/ICE-LMI-Report-2015-FINAL.pdf



http://www.unitedwaytyr.com/document.doc?id=253


http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/71-001-x/2015006/t015-eng.htm



6 | Unlocking New Insights & Potent ial From Our Technology Work force @CivicAct ionGTHA

10. Also known as the ICT sector.

11. Small firms have less than 1,000 LinkedIn members globally. Mid-

Market firms have between 1,000 and 10,000 LinkedIn members

globally.

12. Enterprise firms have more than 10,000 LinkedIn members globally.

13. Early career roles, as defined by LinkedIn, are individual contributor

level roles that typically require less than five years of work experience.

Methods CivicAction conducted analysis with LinkedIn related to IT skills and roles in the Toronto CMA. CivicAction also convened stakeholders to assess the value of this new source of LMI and identify potential actions on the basis of the information.

Key FindingsThe research offered a new window into the state of the Toronto CMA’s labour market as it relates to technology skills. • Toronto is rich with technology skills. Of the 1.9 million LinkedIn members in

the Toronto CMA, 11% or 214,000 report having technology skills • LinkedIn members in Toronto have a variety of technology skills, including

the top 20 most common skills. • Toronto ranks in the top five city-regions around the world in terms of the

proportion of technology-skilled members represented on LinkedIn.• Employers in the Toronto CMA value technology skills. One in four

companies in the Toronto CMA represented on LinkedIn currently employs technology-skilled members.

• Individuals with technology skills work across sectors. While individuals with technology skills are concentrated in the financial services and insurance and technology sectors, they are represented broadly across sectors.

• Individuals with technology skills are employed in firms of all sizes.10 In certain sectors, such as technology, individuals more commonly work at small and mid-market firms.11 In other sectors, such as financial services, individuals with technology skills are employed in greater numbers at enterprise-sized firms.12

• Toronto is a great place to start a career in technology, based on the high percentage of LinkedIn members with technology skills employed in early career roles.13

• One in ten companies in the Toronto CMA represented on LinkedIn currently employs technology-skilled members in early career roles.

• Nearly 47,000 LinkedIn members in the Toronto CMA were hired into an early career role in the past 12 months - 28% of these members have technology skills. Among those in this group with technology skills, 73% found work outside of the Technology sector in a wide variety of industries. However, the Technology sector still represented the largest single destination for these members.

• Mobile and game development skills are some of the technology skills most likely to be found amongst members recently hired into early career roles. This is a possible indicator of demand for these skills in early career positions. Only 3% of members (59,000) in the Toronto CMA have the top technology skills.

• These skills prepare professionals for a variety of early career roles, such as software developer, IT support specialist and IT systems administrator.



From Information to Action Based on these research findings, our stakeholders have begun to take action on this issue by increasing the exposure of job seekers to career pathways in technology, adapting training opportunities to meet real-time needs, providing access to space and hardware, and by better telling the technology story in our region.

Reflections on Using Big Data On the whole, our partners identified the findings presented by LinkedIn as valuable and complementary to conventional LMI. Our partners agreed that the findings align with other data sources and offer an additional level of nuance and timeliness that is currently unavailable from more traditional sources. Our partners saw tremendous value in using the data in conjunction with existing sources of LMI.

Specific strengths of the research identified by our partners included:• A real-time view of labour market trends• A local view of labour market trends• Identification of technology skills and their distribution• A view into functional roles within industries• New methods of measuring labour market churn• A unique perspective on supply side data by highlighting the skills held by

people who are successful in finding new early career opportunities

Finally, partners saw tremendous value in connecting with other stakeholders from the private, public, and community sectors that are working on this issue from different perspectives.

That said, partners also identified some important limitations of the data, including:• The population of LinkedIn members – LinkedIn’s members predominately,

though not exclusively, work in professional roles and are thus not an accurate representation of the labour market as a whole.

• Self-reported data – LinkedIn’s members self-report their education and employment data on the platform; it is not independently verified.

• The proprietary nature of the data – LinkedIn is a private entity, limiting the ability of some researchers to use this data.

With an eye towards future projects of this nature, partners identified the importance of bringing in data users early on, as was the case in this project, to identify research needs and project parameters, as well as tangible actions that could follow. Partners expressed the importance of connecting the findings of such research with existing labour market partnerships.



Our labour market is in a state of flux.14 According to the Toronto Region Board of Trade and the United Way of Toronto & York Region, changes in the global economy have led to a shift in the type and nature of work in the region.15 These changes have implications for the well-being of our region.

While such shifts can sometimes create challenges for our region, they also present opportunities. New companies with new roles are emerging in Greater Toronto. These roles demand new skills, which our education, training, and employment institutions must understand and respond to.

CivicAction, in partnership with LinkedIn, chose to look at one element of our changing economy – the increasing demand for technology skills. Why technology skills? A 2015-2019 labour market outlook report by the Information and Communications Technology Council projects that there will be cumulative hiring requirements of over 50,000 information and communications technology (ICT) workers in the Toronto region.16 Across Ontario, only 19,000 ICT workers are aged 25 or younger, while 50,000 are nearing retirement, contributing to the need for new skilled talent. The need to replace retiring workers and respond to any increase in demand for technology-skilled workers will be critical in the Toronto region, which continues to be identified as a “North American powerhouse” in ICT.17

More specifically, CivicAction chose to focus on early-career roles in technology. In the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), there are 83,000 young people between the ages of 15-24 who are not in education, employment or training. Unemployment rates are particularly high for some segments, including black (28.0% unemployment) and Aboriginal youth (24.9% unemployment).18 Given the potential career opportunities in technology, an understanding of the jobs open to these individuals and the skills they require has the potential to benefit segments of the population that are currently in limbo.

Through this project, CivicAction developed and promoted labour market information (LMI) related to technology skills for the Toronto region. We produced new value-added insights on the technology skills that employers are hiring for, which our education, training and employer partners can use to shape their labour market development activities. To do so, we collaborated not only with LinkedIn, but also with partners, including LMI experts and end-users from many sectors.

Introduction

14. Alexander, C. (2016). “National Priorities 2016 – Job One is Jobs:

Workers Need Better Policy Support and Stronger Skills. C.D. Howe

Institute. Available at: https://www.cdhowe.org/sites/default/files/attachments/research_papers/

mixed/e-brief_227_0.pdf

15. Toronto Region Board of Trade and United Way Toronto. (2014). “Closing the Prosperity

Gap: Solutions for a More Liveable City Region.” Available at: http://

www.unitedwaytyr.com/document.doc?id=253

16. The Information and Communications Technology

Council. (2015). “Forecast: The Smart Economy Reshaping

Canada’s Workforce – Labour Market Outlook 2015-2019”. Available at:

http://www.digcompass.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Labour-

Market-Outlook-2015-2019-FINAL.pdf

17. City of Toronto. (2010). “Canada’s High Tech Hub –

Toronto”. Available at: https://www1.toronto.ca/static_files/economic_development_and_culture/docs/Sectors_Reports/Canada_High_

Tech_Hub_lores_.pdf

18. Statistics Canada (2011). National Household Survey. Data is

for the Toronto CMA.

50,000ICT workers needed in the Toronto region, 2015-2019.

83,000youth in the GTHA not in education, employment or training.

13multi-sector partners.













https://www1.toronto.ca/static_files/economic_development_and_culture/docs/Sectors_Reports/Canada_High_Tech_Hub_lores_.pdf





@CivicAct ionGTHA

A variety of partners helped shape the research and provide input through the process, including the City of Toronto, the Information and Communications Technology Council, NPower Canada, the Ontario Trillium Foundation, RBC, Seneca College, the Toronto Police Service, the Toronto Workforce Innovation Group, Tropicana Community Services, United Way of Toronto and York Region, the University of Waterloo, and the YMCA of Greater Toronto.

Additionally, we aimed to assess how online platforms such as LinkedIn can be used to harvest new, complementary insights on real-time skills needs. Due to the fast-changing nature of technology, we need easy and accessible ways to understand what skills local employers are hiring for now. LinkedIn can provide real-time insights on what skills GTA residents are reporting and what employers are hiring for. While LinkedIn has an enormous breadth and depth of member-created data, its potential is just starting to be tapped. Through this project, we attempted to develop a ‘proof of concept’ on how big data from an online talent platform, in this case LinkedIn, can be leveraged for insights into the labour market.

Our research is now fueling conversations with a broad cross-section of stakeholders about the role technology skills play in our economy and what employers, training organizations, employment agencies, and community organizations can do to support the development of the skills that fuel our region’s prosperity.

This report summarizes the findings of this research, assesses its value and complementarity to existing sources of LMI, identifies actions being taken by our partners to address unmet labour market needs, and suggests areas for further research.


Labour Market Information (LMI) Needs in the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area

For evidence-based policy makers and demand-driven program developers, LMI is the “secret sauce” of effective action. LMI is any information, either quantitative or qualitative, that helps an individual understand what is happening in the labour market or to make a labour market decision.19 Importantly, LMI consists of both raw data related to the labour force as well as contextual elements that help a user understand and interpret this data.20

LMI is used by a variety of stakeholders. Some of these stakeholders are well versed in the use of this data, including economic development officers and policy analysts. Others have less experience in this area, including job seekers, employment counselors, students, prospective immigrants, and some education providers. Those with less experience may need greater support to develop a contextualized understanding of the data and to make informed decisions on this basis.

While Toronto has access to high-quality labour market information21, some data points are missing. According to the Toronto Region Board of Trade and the United Way of Toronto & York Region22, employment agencies and post-secondary education institutions “lack region-specific information about what jobs are currently available across the region. They have also stressed the need for accurate forecasts about what occupations and skills will be in demand in the future.”

Access to information about the skills employers are hiring for is critical to the development of programs that support job candidates to be well-equipped for these opportunities. This information is also critical for employers, who have advocated through the Canadian Chamber of Commerce for the federal government to invest in skills-based LMI.23

Online talent platforms like LinkedIn represent a burgeoning source of insight about the labour market. Job seekers are already using these tools on an individual basis. For example, one survey of LinkedIn users found that almost 1 in 5 users are using the online platform to understand the skills that are in demand and to seek training.24 Such sources could complement traditional sources of LMI and could potentially be applied to increase the effectiveness of education and training.

One of the leading online talent platforms globally is LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network with over 414 million users in more than 200 countries and territories. LinkedIn presents its vision as creating economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce. To help achieve this vision, they have developed the world’s first “Economic Graph.” The graph is a digital mapping of the global economy, comprised of profiles, companies, job opportunities, the skills required to obtain those opportunities, every higher education organization, and all the professionally relevant knowledge associated with each of these entities.

Researchers are turning to platforms such as LinkedIn to capture new information. As McKinsey Global Institute observed, “[t]oday online talent platforms are gathering rich troves of data on how labo[u]r markets function. By capturing and saving this data over time, they can track the positions that employers are filling, the skills required, and career pathways that take people from education and entry-level positions into more fulfilling work. Capturing this data and applying sophisticated analytics could produce better insight into how the demand for specific skills and occupations is evolving – in greater detail and something much closer to real time than traditional labor statistics.

19. Zizys, Tom. (2015). “Labour Market Information in the Greater Toronto Area: Getting Behind the

Numbers.” Available at: http://icecommittee.org/reports/ICE-LMI-

Report-2015-FINAL.pdf

20. Ibid.,

21. Ibid.,

22. Toronto Region Board of Trade and United Way Toronto. (2014). “Closing the Prosperity

Gap: Solutions for a More Liveable City Region.” Available at: http://

www.unitedwaytyr.com/document.doc?id=253,

23. Canadian Chamber of Commerce. (2015). “How Good

is Canada’s Labour Market Information?” Available at: http://

www.chamber.ca/download.aspx?t=0&pid=3703f4f6-25ff-e411-

bafe-000c29c04ade,

24. McKinsey Global Institute. (2015). “A Global Labour Market

that Works: Connecting Talent with Opportunity in the Digital Age”.

Available at: http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/employment_and_growth/connecting_talent_with_opportunity_in_the_digital_age.



Available at: http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/employment_and_growth/connecting_talent_with_opportunity_in_the_digital_age.



Available at: http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/employment_and_growth/connecting_talent_with_

opportunity_in_the_digital_age





http://www.unitedwaytyr.com/document.doc?id=253,



http://www.chamber.ca/download.aspx?t=0&pid=3703f4f6-25ff-e411-bafe-000c29c04ade,




http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/employment_and_growth/connecting_talent_with_opportunity_in_the_digital_age












@CivicAct ionGTHA

This could create new visibility into skills shortages and requirements, the effectiveness of particular educational institutions and programs, talent migration patterns, and work productivity. This information would be valuable to policy makers, companies, and individuals alike.”25 Additionally, they note, platforms such as LinkedIn “can track trends in the demand for skills, salaries, and the work outcomes associated with specific institutions and degree programs. This can help students make more informed decisions and help educational institutions design programs that offer a better chance of success.”26 In spite of this potential, it is not yet well understood how relevant insights might be gleaned from new sources of big data, or how to ensure these labour market signals are properly interpreted.

Getting access to new sources of information on real-time skills trends for fast-changing industries from platforms like LinkedIn could be a helpful addition for training providers and employers who are creating opportunities for youth to upgrade their skills and gain experience in fields where employers are hiring. Data requires context to be meaningful; in the case of LinkedIn, consumer-driven big data has the potential to provide signals and directional insights on the talent market in our region. Questions remain on the nature of the insights and how to make use of this new data source.

“Today online talent platforms are gathering rich troves of data on how labo[u]r markets function. By capturing and saving this data over time, they can track the positions that employers are filling, the skills required, and career pathways that take people from education and entry-level positions into more fulfilling work. Capturing this data and applying sophisticated analytics could produce better insight into how the demand for specific skills and occupations is evolving – in greater detail and something much closer to real time than traditional labor statistics.” – McKinsey Global Institute


11M+3.8M1.9M

members inCanada

members inOntario

members inGreater Toronto

LinkedIn Canada

LinkedIn data current as of June 2015© Mapbox, Data ODbL © OpenStreetMap contributors



LinkedIn has access to a rich data set comprised of its member profiles. LinkedIn’s members can add employment, education, and skills data to their profiles to illustrate their expertise. This aggregated data gives LinkedIn unique insight into tens of thousands of skills represented in the region’s labour market. LinkedIn has high market penetration in the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) with 1.9 million members – an estimated 56% of the labour force.27

LinkedIn clusters tens of thousands of individual skills that members choose to display on their profile into categories for analysis. Technology skills, as defined by LinkedIn, encompass a variety of traditional ICT sub-skill sets related to hardware and software. The technology skills cluster excludes basic business skills, such as proficiency with Microsoft Office, and instead focuses on more technical competencies.

While LinkedIn’s data offers many opportunities for insights that other sources of LMI don’t currently provide, it is important to recognize that this new data source also comes with some potential limitations, such as the potential for misinterpretation as a traditional source of LMI. For this reason, it is vital to educate data users about the distinction between big data and traditional sources of LMI. It is also important to recognize that this data source does not offer predictive capabilities or forecasts of what the labour market will look like. It is therefore important to clearly emphasize to those using this information that this data source should be viewed and compared with other more traditional data sources.

CivicAction and its Toronto region partners are not alone in seeking out this kind of collaboration with LinkedIn. LinkedIn has collaborated with a variety of partners to provide Economic Graph data. Recently, LinkedIn collaborated with the US White House on TechHire, with the Markle Foundation and Rework America Connected on “middle skills”, and on other projects with Chicago, Amsterdam, and Manchester. In addition, LinkedIn has fielded applications and awarded research opportunities to 11 academic partners under its Economic Graph Challenge. With this project, Toronto joins a growing list of jurisdictions exploring the potential for big data to inform new approaches to the labour market.

About LinkedIn’s Data

27. Statistics Canada. (2015). “Table 5-2: Labour force characteristics by census metropolitan area (seasonally adjusted) – Monthly.” 71-001-X. Available at: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/71-001-x/2015006/t015-eng.htm. Statistics Canada recorded the total labour force of the Toronto CMA at 3,418,600 in June 2015. 1,900,000 / 3,418,600 = 56%






In late 2014, spurred by the visit of global LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner, CivicAction identified an opportunity to bring LinkedIn’s unique approach to LMI to the Toronto Region. With the support of the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities under the Ontario Labour Market Partnerships Program, CivicAction undertook the following project activities. For a more in depth description of the research questions that informed this project and the research methodology employed, please see Appendix A.

Project Activities



PlanningDeveloped research plan to

answer key research questions, including interviews, focus

groups, and e-mail surveys to collect input.

Shared plan with research partners for feedback.

Research

Conducted analysis with LinkedIn related to IT skills and roles in the

Toronto CMA.

Reviewed relevant literature.

ShareShared research with project

partners for early feedback and identification of additional

resources.

Engaged labour market researchers for additional context

and comparison to existing research.

Shared research findings with broader labour market

stakeholders.

Engage & ConveneEngaged stakeholders to review

and respond to findings, and identify how research could be used to bolster or complement existing research that is used to

inform their labour market development activities.

Hosted 2 stakeholder roundtables with 60 individuals from 41

organizations.

Collect Feedback & Evaluate Process

Interviewed partners and surveyed stakeholders to assess the value of new research insights.

Summarized how partners plan to apply the research.

Identified additional research questions.



28.This is the latest year for which information was available.

29. City of Toronto. (2016). “Key Industry Sectors: Technology.”

Available at: http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=c664c1b5c62ca310VgnVCM1000007

1d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=401132d0b6d1e310VgnVCM10000071d

60f89RCRD

The research offered a new window into the state of the Toronto CMA’s labour market as it relates to technology skills.

Map of Technology Skills in the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (CMA)

Toronto is rich with technology skills. LinkedIn’s data shows that of its 1.9 million members in the Toronto CMA, 11% or 214,000 report having technology skills. Our educational institutions are helping to build the skills of the labour force in this area. In the 2011/2012 academic year28, 2,559 full-time students were enrolled in computer science programs at Toronto area universities; 5,935 students were enrolled in technology and related programs at Toronto area colleges.29

The table on the next page shows the top 20 technology skills present amongst LinkedIn members in the Toronto CMA. Toronto ranks in the top five city-regions around the world in terms of the proportion of technology-skilled members we have represented on LinkedIn, as demonstrated in the second table on the next page.

Findings

214Khave

technologyskills

LinkedIn members are locatedin the Greater Toronto Area

1.9MToronto is rich with

technology skills.

11% of Greater Toronto Area

members have technology skills.


http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=c664c1b5c62ca310VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=401132d0b6d1e310VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD







1 IT Infrastructure and System Management

2 Software Engineering Management and Requirements Gathering

3 Web Programming

4 C/C++

5 Microsoft Windows Systems

6 Computer Network and Network Administration

7 Database Management and Software

8 Software QA and User Testing

9 Computer Graphics and Animation

10 Microsoft Application Development

11 Business Intelligence

12 Java Development

13 User Interface Design

14 SAP ERP Systems

15 Perl/Python/Ruby

16 Data Engineering and Data Warehousing

17 Mac, Linux and Unix Systems

18 Web Architecture and Development Framework

19 Shell Scripting Languages

20 Middleware and Integration Software

Top 20 Technology Skill Categories by Membership

Technology Skilled Members Per City, as a Percent of the Total

1 San Francisco Bay Area, United States of America 14.9%

2 Greater Seattle Area, United States of America 13.1%

3 Sydney, Australia 11.4%

4 Stockholm, Sweden 11.0%

5 Toronto, Canada 10.8%

6 Greater Boston Area, United States of America 10.6%

7 Montreal, Canada 10.6%

8 London, United Kingdom 10.5%

9 Berlin, Germany 10.4%

10 Oslo, Norway 10.3%

11 Calgary, Canada 10.2%

12 Vancouver, Canada 10.2%

13 Madrid, Spain 10.0%

14 Dallas/Fort Woth Area, United States of America 9.7%

15 Paris, France 9.4%

16 Halifax, Canada 8.5%

17 Milan, Italy 8.5%

18 Greater Chicago Area, United States of America 8.3%

19 Greater New York City Area, United States of America 7.6%

20 Greater Los Angeles Area, United States of America 6.2%



30. Also known as the ICT sector.

31. Small firms have less than 1,000 LinkedIn members globally.

32. Mid-Market firms have between 1,000 and 10,000 LinkedIn members

globally.

33. Early career roles, as defined by LinkedIn, are individual contributor

level roles, specifically non-management level job titles, that

typically require less than five years of work experience.

Who is Hiring for Technology Skills in Toronto?

Employers in the Toronto CMA value technology skills. One in four companies in the Toronto CMA represented on LinkedIn currently employs technology-skilled members.

While individuals with technology skills are concentrated in the financial services & insurance and technology sectors30, members with technology skills are represented across sectors.

Individuals with technology skills are employed in firms of all sizes. In certain sectors, such as technology, individuals more commonly work at small31 and mid-market firms.32 In other sectors, such as financial services, individuals with technology skills are employed in greater numbers at enterprise-sized firms.

Toronto is a great place to start a career in technology, based on the high percentage of LinkedIn members with technology skills employed in early career roles.33

Financial Services & Insurance

Government/Education/Non-profit

Professional Services

Technology

Retail & Consumer Products

Healthcare & Pharmaceutical

Media & Entertainment

Architecture & Engineering

Aero/Auto/Transport

Telecommunications

Manufacturing/Industrial

Oil & Energy

Industry Sector Distribution of Toronto Area Members

Members with technology skills

0K 20K 40K 60K 80K 100K 120K 140K 160K 180KMembers located in Toronto census metropolitan area

19K

33K

37K

45K

48K

51K

78K

108K

119K

140K

148K

176K



Technology




Telecommunications





Aero/Auto/Transport


Oil & Energy

Industry Sector Distribution of Toronto Area Members with Technology Skills, Broken Down by Size of Company

0K 5K 10K 15K 20K 25K 30K 35K 40K 45K 50KTechnology Members located in Toronto census metropolitan area

SMBMid-MarketEnterprise

“SMB” companies have less than 1,000 members globally.“Mid-Market” companies have between 1,000 and 10,000 members globally.“Enterprise” companies have more than 10,000 members globally.

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Percentage of Technology Skilled Members and Technology Skilled Members in Early Career Roles

Sydney

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MontrealVancouver

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Technology skilled members, as a percent of total

6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16%

40%

35%

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San Francisco Bay



11K10,894 companies

employ members with technology skills in early

career roles

98K98,170 companies in Greater

Toronto represented on LinkedIn

25K25,455 companies

employ members with technology skills





Technology




Aero/Auto/Transport


Telecommunications

Oil & Energy

Industry Sector Distribution of Toronto Area Members Who Started an Early Career-Role in the Past 12 Months (July 2014 to June 2015)

Members with technology skills

0K 1K 2K 3K 4K 5K 6K 7K 8K Members located in Toronto census metropolitan area

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1.1K

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1.9K

2.3K

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3.9K

5.0K

5.3K

7.0K

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7.5K

One in ten companies in the Toronto CMA represented on LinkedIn currently employs technology-skilled members in early career roles.

Nearly 47,000 LinkedIn members in the Toronto CMA were hired into an early career role between June 30, 2014 and June 30, 2015 - 28% of these members have technology skills. Among those in this group with technology skills, 73% found work outside of the Technology sector in a wide variety of industries. However, the Technology sector still represented the largest single destination for these members.



The table below shows the technology skills most commonly held by technology-skilled members who started an early career role between June 30, 2014 and June 30, 2015 – a possible indicator of demand for these skills in early career positions. Only 3% of LinkedIn members (59,000) have these skills.

These skills prepare professionals for a variety of early career roles. The most common occupational categories amongst LinkedIn members with technology skills in early career roles are described in the table on the right.

1 Software Developer

2 Information Technology Support Specialist

3 Information Technology System Administrator / Engineer

4 Information Technology Generalist

5 Graphic Designer

6 Web Developer

7 Information Technology Consultant

8 Software Tester

9 Salesperson

10 Administrative Employee

11 Manufacturing / Mechanical Engineer

12 Network Engineer

13 Research / Graduate Assistant

14 Project Manager

15 Customer Service Specialist

16 Service Engineer / Technician

17 Construction / Maintenance Tradesperson

18 Animator

19 Customer Service Representative

20 Data Analyst

Most Common Occupational Categories Belonging to Technology-Skilled Members in Early Career Roles

1 Mobile DevelopmentiOS, Android, iQuery Mobile

2 Game Development Character Animation, Compositing, Unity3D

3 Perl/Python/Ruby

4User Interface DesignDesign Thinking, Adobe Fireworks, Wireframes

5 Computer Graphics & AnimationAfter Affects, Maya, 3D Studio Max

6 Algorithm DesignAlgorithms, Modeling, Optimization

7 C/C+

8 Web ProgrammingHTML5, JavaScript, PHP

9 Java Development

10 Microsoft Application Development.NET, Visual Studio, VBA

11 Database Management & SoftwareMySQL, Postgres, MongoDB

Top Technology Skill Categories Associated with Members Who Were Recently Hired Into Early Career Roles


22 | TITLE OF REPORT

Employer ProfilesAs the research demonstrates, technology-skilled professionals are employed in a wide variety of sectors. We spoke with employers in some of the sectors identified by this research as hiring for technology skills in early career roles. In the profiles on the next few pages, these employers share what skills they are hiring for, in which positions, what they look for in terms of training pathways, and what potential career pathways exist for individuals in early career technology roles within their organization.

@CivicAct ionGTHA

FreshBooks is the “small business accounting software designed for you, the non-accountant”. Their customers include service-based small businesses and freelancers in over 120 countries who use the service to manage their invoices, expenses, time tracking, and payments – all online, in the cloud, using technology built by technology-skilled employees.

FreshBooks’ growth has been tremendous, doubling in size over the last two years, to 246 employees. In 2015, 70-80% of their new hires were in technology roles. All of their staff are required to have some technology skills, from customer support workers to developers, product managers, and user experience designers – although the depth of knowledge required varies depending on the role.

“We’re a learning organization,” says Sara Cooper, Senior Manager, Talent Attraction & Intelligence at FreshBooks. Candidates’ “learning mindset” and emotional intelligence are weighted equally with their technology skills in the hiring process, and all staff are expected to continue to build their skills and try new experiences at the organization. Developers can’t rely on one particular coding language their entire career; they need to evolve as the entire technology sector evolves, which means using emerging frameworks like Ember.js and staying ahead of the curve.

Cooper notes that this hiring approach has led to an engaged and collaborative staff team with a range of experiences and credentials: some have post-secondary degrees in computer science, while others have attended coding schools. In one case, an employee began in an entry-level customer

support position, moved into quality assurance, and then became a scrum master.

Another came in as a Developer five years ago and is now a Director of the Development team. FreshBooks is also currently expanding their co-op program for technology-skilled roles in development and user experience; they like that the co-op program allows students to “get over the hurdle” of having no job experience.

For young people entering technology roles, Cooper says that having a technology-focused passion project could make up for a lack of direct work experience. Most importantly, “show employers how you intend to continue developing yourself, and take responsibility for your own learning.”

Technology Sector Employer

Cooper says that having a technology-focused passion project could make up for a lack of direct work experience. Most importantly, “show employers how you intend to continue developing yourself, and take responsibility for your own learning.”


At CIBC, a strategic priority is innovating for the future, and technology is an area of focus; in 2015, CIBC was the first of the big five banks to launch the Apple Watch App and to participate in suretap open mobile wallet, and in 2013 they were first to offer eDeposit for cheques. For CIBC to continue developing innovative products and services, hiring top technology talent is essential.

Of the 24,000 people CIBC employs in the GTA, 5,250 work in their Technology Line of Business – the group that supports all of the bank’s technology functions. From November 2014 to October 2015, CIBC hired 467 people in Technology for roles ranging from support specialists to developers and analysts, and 400 co-op students from colleges and universities across Canada. Stephanie Cera Amenta, Director at CIBC, shared that the technology skills in greatest demand include Information Security, Mobile Development and Design, Big Data, and Cloud Computing. CIBC also has an increased focus on DevOps, which represents a cultural shift towards greater collaboration between development and

operations in order to build, test, and release software more quickly and efficiently. In addition, “FinTech” (financial technology) is another focus area for disruptive new products; CIBC Live Labs, a specialized digital innovation hub created in partnership with MaRS Discovery District, enables CIBC to accelerate its digital knowledge and capabilities through a connection to the Canadian digital start up ecosystem to understand trends and new product development thanks to a team of Canada’s brightest university students with diverse technology expertise.

According to Cera Amenta, credentials are important in the hiring process: line managers often prefer to hire Information Security Specialists with a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) designation and Project Managers with a Project Management Professional (PMP) designation. CIBC’s Capital Markets Technology group values candidates who have a Canadian Securities Course (CSC) designation. She notes that technology programs at educational institutions will need to be tailored to address the skills that are and will be in demand.

CIBC partners with colleges and schools, as well as organizations like Bitmaker, Brainstation, NPower, FDM Group Canada, the City of Toronto’s PAYE Program, and Specialisterne Canada, to recruit young professionals with technology skills, and they invest in mentorship and networking to assist them with building diverse career paths. In 2016, CIBC was named one of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People for the fourth consecutive year; hiring top talent into Technology will continue to be a priority going forward.

Financial Sector Employer

Stephanie Cera Amenta, Director at CIBC, notes that technology programs at educational institutions will need to be tailored to address the skills that are and will be in demand.


At KPMG in Canada, each business day brings something new and different. Their 7,000 staff across the country help solve complex challenges for businesses of all sizes and industries, in areas from accounting to management.

Of KPMG’S 2,500 Toronto Area employees, roughly 10% work in Advisory roles that explicitly require technology skills, including about 200 Risk Consultants who work in IT Advisory, Cyber Security, Cyber Forensics, Data & Analytics, and Forensic Technology. Additionally, KPMG has a number of IT implementation specialists within its Management Consulting practice.

Candidates for IT Audit or Cyber Security positions are usually highly credentialed, in some cases holding a certified accounting designation (for example, Chartered Professional Accountant) as well as other IT certifications (for example, Certified Information Systems Auditor).

According to Kayla Horne, Senior Recruiter, Advisory Services, “Technical skills for Cyber Security and Cyber Forensic roles are highly sought after, and young people looking for career opportunities in the field may be better positioned if they have both hands-on experience in the field and credentials like the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) or Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) designations.”

Another early career role available at KPMG is that of Internal Support Analyst, many of whom come from a variety of educational backgrounds and hold various designations such as the Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE).

Lisa Kennedy, a KPMG HR Consultant, points out that, though formal education is still a requirement for most roles, “Once a candidate has been hired, there are a variety of training opportunities provided to them. In some cases, it would be on the job training or external training if a skills gap exists. A specific training plan is tailored to the individual employee in order to address their specific training needs.”

KPMG nurtures their staff, enabling entry-level employees to navigate through IT career paths, with the potential to rise to Manager, Senior Manager or Partner. Both Risk and Management Consultants can seek additional certifications and gain experience working across multiple industries. To this end, Kayla and Lisa recommend beginning a career with “as much experience as possible through on the job learning as well as course work.”

Professional Services Sector EmployerAccording to Kayla Horne, Senior Recruiter, Advisory Services, “Technical skills for Cyber Security and Cyber Forensic roles are highly sought after, and young people looking for career opportunities in the field may be better positioned if they have both hands-on experience in the field and credentials.”


KPMG

When you pull out your Kobo e-reader to dig into The Girl on the Train, you might not realize that hundreds of technology-skilled professionals made your great read possible. Kobo is a Canadian company, with over 300 employees headquartered in Toronto. They offer a comprehensive library of over 4 million titles on their portfolio of e-reader devices and desktop and mobile apps.

Of the more than 100 hires Kobo made last year, over 50 were for technology roles. “We’re hiring for everything from Java Developers to Quality Assurance (QA) Analysts to Big Data Engineers,” says Kobo Talent Acquisition Lead Jay Watson. Watson and his colleagues look for those who write great code and enjoy doing it. Typically, their hires have at least one year’s experience working with Object-oriented design, C++, or Java.

“We are a fast paced and highly collaborative team,” says Watson. The company looks for developers that have a strong attention to detail and an eye for design. Those technology professionals who understand how business requirements translate into development needs are most likely to succeed.

According to Watson, while Kobo typically hires from co-op and internship programs for its entry-level technology roles, a post-secondary degree or diploma is not strictly required. “If their experiences line up with what we are looking for, we won’t rule someone without a degree out,” says Watson.

With strong demand for this type of talent from a variety of firms, Watson notes that Kobo is working to build its name in the marketplace as a technology employer. Those who are hired have the opportunity to pursue more senior level development roles within the company as they gain experience and expertise.

For aspiring technology professionals, Watson recommends co-op and internship programs to build skills while building your network.

Media & Entertainment Sector Employer

“If their experiences line up with what we are looking for, we won’t rule someone without a degree out,” says Jay Watson, Talent Acquisition Lead, Kobo


@CivicAct ionGTHA

Career PathwaysWith the variety of career opportunities available to those with technology skills, it can be challenging to know what possible career pathways might look like. The following career pathways, sourced from Real Talk – a collaborative project of The Learning Partnership, Tiny Hearts Ltd., and Workopolis, offer a snapshot of career pathways from real professionals with technology skills in the Toronto Region. For more information or to explore other career pathways, please visit www.realtalk.careers.

@CivicAct ionGTHA

www.realtalk.careers

www.realtalk.careers

My JobI work for Four Seasons Hotels Ltd as a Systems Administrator. I am a Windows and VMware administrator for our on-site testing lab. I care for the hardware and software running on it, the storage systems allowing for shared storage, and the networking equipment that connects everything. I work on projects for installing and connecting new systems and performing testing upon them to ensure they function to our specs before those upgrades are deployed to production hotels in the field.

Everyone here is exceedingly nice to work with and quite friendly. As a consultant, I lack benefits and paid vacation time but make significantly more than a full-time employee.

I love that management is interested in innovating and investing in IT, this combined with our hotels making a lot of money means that IT equipment is well financed and looked after.

My Career PathIn high school, I didn’t really know what I wanted to be. Computers and their problems were just something I did for fun since I grew up playing games and building them. I pictured myself helping people and since I was really interested in my History and World Issues classes I pictured myself at an NGO.

Looking back, I would take more STEM courses. Having more math classes would have been really helpful for my confidence. I think I would also take a year off and think more about what I wanted to do in post-secondary.

I didn’t really know what I wanted to do after high school but everyone was going to university so I

went along too. Since I prefer a mix of practical & theoretical I think I would have been more successful in a trade or a college program. I ended up dropping out.

Since I dropped out of university in an unrelated program, working in technical support was very challenging at first. I had to practice my skills and learn a lot more outside of what applied to the few computers I had worked with.

While working I studied for some IT certifications and built my own home lab to gain exposure to other technologies and allow me to transition to better jobs with the experience I gained.

Working in computer operations requires you to be up-and-up on new technologies, techniques, security vulnerabilities and more so I am always looking for new things to learn. Certifications are a nice exposure to the technologies you’re learning about but sometimes what you learn isn’t what you would accomplish practically in the real world.

Completed Certifications• Microsoft Certified Professional • CompTIA’s A+ computer hardware

Certifications in Progress• MC Solutions Associate • 2 Associate-level certifications from VMware -

datacenter virtualization & workforce mobility through desktop virtualization

• VMware Certified Professional • Computer Programming Certificate at Ryerson • Cisco’s Certified Networking Associate

Greg: Systems Administrator at Four Seasons Hotels Ltd

Average Salary: $76,000 - $99,000


My JobI’m a user interface and user experience designer at a company called Sampler. Sampler distributes product samples through digital channels. I help with the brand, applications, experiences and products. I love the work because it is challenging and booming with opportunities. I get to learn about other fields and work with awesome people.

My Career Path

In high school, I wanted to be a lawyer. If I could go back and do it again, I’d be more honest about what I love to do for work. I started doing freelance design work in high school.

After high school, I went to York University and studied Human Rights and Equity Studies. I was passionate about changing the world and at the time I thought human rights was the way to do that. During university, I did more design consulting.

By the end of university, I landed a job at an innovation firm as a visual designer.

Choosing design as a lifestyle and career disappointed a couple of people who were close to me. But I have no regrets.

Ahmed: User Interface Designer at SamplerAverage Salary: $36,000 - $55,000

My JobI’m a Software Engineer at AMD. I work on device drivers, which govern communications between AMD graphics cards and the computer. AMD is the one of the highest paying employers in Canada. Being a worldwide company, you also get to work/mingle with different types of people everyday.

My Career Path

I did not have a solid career path defined when I was in high school. However, I knew that I wanted to be in the field of science/engineering. Looking back, I would have taken more computer language courses. I learned my first computer language in university, and it was bit overwhelming at the beginning.

After high school, I studied Computer Engineering at the University of Toronto. One solid merit of engineering programs at the University of Toronto is its Professional Experience Year program. As part of the program, I committed to 12-16 months at one position. The longer employment period allows employers to thoroughly evaluate your worth - this solid trust will land you the job after your graduation. You will be paid between $30,000 to $50,000, which is enough to pay off your entire tuition. I did my Professional Experience Year with the team I’m currently working with.

Terry: Software Engineer at AMD

Average Salary: $56,000 - $75,000


My JobI am a Web Developer, Server Administrator, and beginner iOS developer at a startup called PUSH that makes a weight training wearable device. I wrote our web portal, manage our servers, and help out the iOS team as needed. I work with a small team of two other developers to write awesome code and make cool technology. I love the work I do, the people I work with, and my boss. I get to do a lot of very different tasks and I’m always learning new things. I get to create new things and solve problems every day. Working in a small company you also get to really know your co-workers and work can be a lot of fun. My boss is very relaxed and has created a great atmosphere at the company too.

My Career Path

In high school, I wanted to be a computer engineer. I took a semester of computer engineering in grade 10 and was hooked. Looking back, I would have done more projects on my own to learn more about technology. There are lots of free resources from the library and the internet but I didn’t start teaching myself new technologies until after university.

After high school, I studied Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Toronto. I loved my university experience. My only regret was not having the confidence to try for more interesting summer positions in my field. I didn’t think anyone would hire a first or second year student for a real programming job, but a lot of companies take on interns in the summer and it’s a great way to learn and gain experience.

Even though I ended up in pure software development I still learned a lot of very useful things in Engineering about problem solving, project management, and basic report writing and business that I wouldn’t have gotten from taking Computer Science. It also meant I had to do a 1 year co-op which was a great experience.

I did my co-op for a very large technology company, and then got hired by them straight out of school. I didn’t really want to work for a large company but it’s difficult to land your first job and it gave me a few years of experience necessary to apply for other more interesting jobs. I also did a lot of learning on my own on the side using free textbooks from the library and free open source software. When I decided to leave my job to find work with a smaller company, I researched what kind of technologies most jobs wanted you to be familiar with and made sure I knew them.

Alex: Web Developer at PUSHAverage Salary: $56,000 - $75,000

@CivicAct ionGTHA30 | Unlocking New Insights & Potent ial From Our Technology Work force


In Demand, No Degree

In the Toronto CMA 31% of the population age 25-64 does not hold a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree.34 The impact of differences in education on employment and earning prospects can be dramatic. In the City of Toronto, the Toronto Workforce Innovation Group found that university graduates earn almost twice as a much as individuals with no post-secondary education.35 Since the 2008 recession, they found that job gains have been concentrated among those with post-secondary credentials.

While the economic outlook may be challenging for those without post-secondary credentials, technology skills may represent one area where a lack of education may not pose such a barrier to job seekers. Our non-traditional training partners (e.g. technology bootcamps) identified all of the technology skills categorized by LinkedIn as those that employers are hiring for in early career roles as attainable without a university degree. According to Mike Jarrell of Bitmaker, “These skills are accessible to those without a degree. You don’t need a math or computer science degree in order to develop these skills, you just need to attack problems with enthusiasm.” Andrew Reddin of NPower Canada echoed this sentiment sharing that many of their graduates without post-secondary credentials are finding success in roles such as infrastructure service analyst or helpdesk analyst. He noted, “many employers are open to the idea of hiring those without post-secondary, but greater awareness is needed.”

These findings were corroborated by interviews with employer partners, who emphasized experience, attitude, and enthusiasm as more important than specific credentials.

34. Statistics Canada. (2011). “2011 National Household Survey, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 99-012-X2011037”. Available at: http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/dt-td/Rp-eng.cfm?TABID=2&LANG=E&APATH=3&DETAIL=0&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=0&GC=0&GK=0&GRP=0&PID=106052&PRID=0&PTYPE=105277&S=0&SHOWALL=1&SUB=0&Temporal=2013&THEME=96&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF=

35. Toronto Workforce Innovation Group. (2015). “95 Months Later: Turbulent Times in Toronto’s Labour Market.” Available at: http://www.workforceinnovation.ca/sites/default/files/95MonthsLater_0.pdf

@CivicAct ionGTHA


http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/dt-td/Rp-eng.cfm?TABID=2&LANG=E&APATH=3&DETAIL=0&DIM=0&FL=A&FREE=0&GC=0&GK=0&GRP=0&PID=106052&PRID=0&PTYPE=105277&S=0&SHOWALL=1&SUB=0&Temporal=2013&THEME=96&VID=0&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF=









http://www.workforceinnovation.ca/sites/default/files/95MonthsLater_0.pdf




Based on these research findings, CivicAction convened relevant stakeholders to identify actions that could be taken to ensure that our region remains competitive and that our talent pipeline is adequately fueled. It was our intention that this research not only enhance our understanding of the skills that our region’s employers are seeking, but also inform employers, training programs, community organizations that work with young people, and job seekers to ensure they develop the skills they will need to succeed.

Our stakeholders have begun to take action on this issue in the following ways:

Increasing Exposure to Career Pathways in Technology

Not enough young people are aware of the variety of career opportunities that exist in the field of technology. Several stakeholders identified opportunities to expose young job seekers to the diversity of career opportunities in technology and to help illuminate the path to job readiness.• CivicAction and LinkedIn held a media announcement of the research

findings on October 28, 2015. Toronto Mayor John Tory, LinkedIn Country Manager Brian Church, CivicAction Chair Rod Phillips, and CivicAction CEO Sevaun Palvetzian spoke to stakeholders and media outlets.

• CivicAction CEO Sevaun Palvetzian and LinkedIn Canada Country Manager Jonathan Lister made a presentation to members of Toronto City Council’s Economic Development Committee on January 15, 2016 to enhance local government’s awareness of the importance of technology to the local economy and the employment opportunity presented by early career technology roles.

• The City of Toronto’s Employment and Social Services Division hosted the Partnership to Advance Youth Employment (PAYE) IT Skills Learning Forum in March 2016, bringing together job seekers, community agencies, training institutions and employers to share the findings of this research regarding the wide range of technology skills that employers from a variety of sectors in the Toronto region are looking for.

Adapting Training Opportunities to Meet Real-Time Needs

Many of our stakeholders identified opportunities to create new training programs or modify existing ones to better address the skills needs of employers in the Toronto region for technology roles. Stakeholders at traditional post-secondary institutions, including several colleges and universities, as well as non-traditional training providers, such as technology bootcamps, are reviewing their curricula to ensure that the skills their programs offer align with those identified by LinkedIn as important to employers.• Seneca College is launching several Accelerator Programs that bundle

multiple tech-focused courses into a short-term, intensive curriculum. These Accelerator Programs will focus on mobile app development, Oracle, cloud computing, data management, web development, and search engine optimization, all in alignment with the Economic Graph research findings.

From Information To hhhhh



• NPower Canada has added a web development and mobile app stream to their existing offerings of free technology and professional skills training for youth facing barriers. Affirmed by the findings of the Economic Graph research, NPower Canada’s new program will be completed by 90 students this year. NPower Canada expects that graduates will be able to leverage these certifications to move into mobile and software development roles across a variety of industries.

• Bitmaker, a leading technology bootcamp in Toronto, is currently discussing the creation of a new fellowship program to address youth unemployment in the GTA through accelerated technology education with the City of Toronto and other stakeholders.

• Employers also identified the importance of these findings in helping to allocate training investments for their technology needs. Several employers shared that they will be circulating the findings of this research to relevant managers to identify opportunities to better train staff and to assist job seekers.

Providing Access to Space and Hardware

One potential barrier to a career in technology is a lack of exposure to technology and limited opportunities to develop skills and interest in the field. Some stakeholders identified opportunities to enhance access to technology in Toronto, especially for those from low-income backgrounds.• Based on the Economic Graph research and the connections made at

stakeholder events, the Toronto Public Library will connect with technology programs to understand their space and hardware needs with an eye to hosting youth technology meet-ups and other activities.

Telling the Technology Story

Many stakeholders intuitively understand that technology represents an opportunity in the region’s economy. Yet in many cases, these stakeholders lack appropriate data points to make the case for continued action and activity in this area. Several stakeholders shared that they would be using the findings from the LinkedIn research in relevant presentations to more effectively market Toronto as a technology hub, and to construct business cases for renewed focus in this area.

Telling the Technology Story

Increasing Exposure to

Career Pathways in Technology

Adapting Training Opportunities to Meet Real-Time

Needs

Providing Access to Space and

Hardware

Our Stakeholders are taking

action in the following ways:

NPower Students Darien Yawching Rickwood, Atiyah Variave, Ivan Urrutia, and Jaiashree Nirmal; Medhat Mahdy, President & CEO, YMCA of Greater Toronto; Sevaun Palvetzian, CEO, CivicAction; Rod Phillips, Chair, CivicAction; Brian Church, Country Manager, LinkedIn Canada*; John Tory, Mayor of Toronto; and David Agnew, President, Seneca College.

* Indicates individual was formerly with the organization.



Comparison to Other Types of Labour MarketInformation (LMI)

When using a new dataset like the LinkedIn data used here, it is important to reflect on its strengths and limitations, as well as the potential value for future applications to persistent challenges in the labour market. CivicAction asked our partners to reflect on these questions.

On the whole, our partners identified the findings presented by LinkedIn as valuable and complementary to conventional LMI. On average, partners gave the research a score of 8.1 out of 10. Our partners agreed that the findings align with other data sources, “validating and re-enforcing that this is a reasonable source of labour market information,” as one labour market specialist suggested.

Indeed, several partners indicated that the findings offer an additional level of nuance that is currently unavailable from more traditional sources. “It complements existing LMI by providing a picture of both the demand and supply side, which is what is missing from our current LMI. Currently, we either don’t see them connected or don’t measure them frequently enough,” said one labour market expert. One researcher identified the findings as “similar to what we see from our employer survey, but coming from the professionals themselves.” Another added, “this project provides lots of information about the individuals in the Toronto CMA, the kind of labour market they are entering, and how they are moving through the labour market. It is not easy to get this information from other sources. We can’t quantify it properly but we can use it in a qualitative way for designing services and illustrating career paths.”

Our partners saw tremendous value in using the data in conjunction with existing sources of LMI. This work, they suggested, could be used to inform or refine more traditional sources of LMI.

Some of our community partners, who are less experienced in the use of LMI, indicated that the findings complemented anecdotal evidence they rely on to make programming decisions. “Our research is primarily hands-on and face-to-face,” said one service provider. “It is interesting to see the landscape as a whole.”

Specific strengths of the research identified by our partners included:• A real-time view of labour market trends• A local view of labour market trends• Identification of technology skills and their distribution• A view into functional roles within industries• New methods of measuring labour market churn• A unique perspective on supply-side data by highlighting the skills held by

people who are successful in finding new early career opportunities

Finally, stakeholders saw tremendous value in the convening activities around the research, which connected allied stakeholders from the private, public and community sectors working on this issue from different perspectives.

@CivicAct ionGTHA

That said, partners also identified some important limitations of the data. Firstly, they noted that the population of LinkedIn members is not necessarily an accurate reflection of the labour market as a whole. Secondly, the self-reported nature of the data by LinkedIn members makes it challenging to validate or confirm. For some, the geography of the CMA was unintuitive or insufficiently granular. For others, concerns about the proprietary nature of this data might make it difficult to rely on or cite.

Our partners stressed that this data is not a substitute for good LMI. As one labour market expert shared, “it is a new source of information that should be complementing the LMI that our government should be providing us with.” They stressed the importance of clearly communicating the limitations of this data. One labour market specialist said, “LinkedIn did a good job of putting caveats around the limitations of the research and making sure that stakeholders understood those caveats.” Looking forward, our partners identified the opportunity to enhance the robustness of future projects leveraging big data sources as labour market specialists gain more experience with such projects.

With an eye towards future projects of this nature, partners identified the importance of bringing in stakeholders early on, as was the case in this project, to identify research needs and project parameters, as well as tangible actions that could follow from the research. Partners shared the importance of connecting the findings of such research with existing labour market partnerships. This would ensure that the benefits of the work flow directly to stakeholders who are best able to act on the findings and tell a comprehensive story of the dynamics at play.

Stakeholders saw tremendous value in the convening activities around the research, which connected allied stakeholders from the private, public and community sectors working on this issue from different perspectives.


Further ResearchOur partners shared their excitement at the role that LinkedIn could play in contributing to an enhanced understanding of labour market dynamics in the Toronto region. Building on this excitement, our partners identified a number of further avenues of research that could leverage LinkedIn as well as other sources of LMI. These include:

Connecting this Work to Existing LMI

Some stakeholders saw value in further connecting this work to existing sources of LMI. For example, it would be useful to connect the identified technology skills that employers are hiring for with the relevant National Occupational Classification (NOC) and North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes.

Repeating this Study

Several stakeholders requested that this study be repeated every six to twelve months. In addition to helping to validate the findings of this study, they saw an opportunity to document evidence of change in the labour market over time.

Enhancing Our Understanding of Skills Needs

Some stakeholders requested an inventory of those skills that employers seek but are unable to find. They identified the need to analyze skills for particular social groups, including low-income individuals and visible minorities. Finally, some stakeholders requested an analysis of those soft skills that employers are hiring for to complement technology skills.

Achieving Greater Sector Granularity on Technology Skills

Several stakeholders saw potential value in diving deeper into the sectors that appear to be hiring for technology skills to better understand the roles and needs within these industries.

Expanding the Scope to Other Skill Clusters

Some stakeholders saw the value of analyzing the skills that employers are hiring for in other growth sectors across our economy. Suggested sectors included professional, scientific and technical services; health and social services; construction; and education.

Exploring Career Pathways

Several stakeholders suggested that this research was “the tip of the iceberg” in enhancing our understanding of career paths. They suggested that future research could go further, with a specific focus on the role of education and training in this field and the employment tenure of individuals with these skills.

@CivicAct ionGTHA

Expanding the Geography

Some stakeholders requested that this study be repeated for the full Greater Toronto Area, to make the findings relevant to those regions outside of the Toronto CMA, and for other urban centres across the province.

Connecting Skills to Compensation

Several stakeholders identified the need for further research into the salaries that individuals with the identified technology skills can expect to earn.

Enhancing the Visibility of the Unemployed or Underemployed

Some stakeholders expressed interest in focusing on the skills of the unemployed or underemployed.

Many stakeholders expressed interest

in participating actively in further research in these

areas.

Connecting this work to existing

LMI

Repeating this study

Enhancing our understanding of

skills needs

Achieving greater sector granularity

on technology skillsExpanding the

scope to otherskill clusters

Exploring career pathways

Expanding the geography

Connecting skills to compensation

Enhancing the visibility of the unemployed or underemployed

Further avenuesof research:


ConclusionWhile Toronto has access to plentiful high-quality LMI, job seekers, employers, educational institutions, students, and employment counselors need support to understand and contextualize this information. One area that these partners continue to identify as a knowledge gap is the connection between skills and jobs. LinkedIn’s data is unique in its ability to provide a view into this connection. Though the data is limited, we are able to see trends in those technology skills for which individuals are being hired in our labour market. This information has been shared with a variety of partners to gain their feedback and to assess the role this research could play in informing programs, funding, and other initiatives to address the key trends of increasing youth unemployment and increasing demand for technology roles. Our partners are already taking action, using these findings to inform labour market activities in the Toronto CMA.



Appendix A:Research Questions& MethodologyResearch QuestionsDuring the Planning phase, CivicAction, in collaboration with our partners, identified the following research questions to guide our work:

Mapping the Technology Ecosystem in the Toronto CMA

• What are the current technology skills and roles represented amongst the population of LinkedIn members in the Toronto CMA?

• Is the Toronto CMA unique compared to other regions with regards to the complement of technology skills represented amongst the population of LinkedIn members?

• What are the current technology skills and roles which show signals of demand amongst the population of LinkedIn members in the Toronto CMA?

• Which companies and which industries do the most hiring for entry-level roles with technology skills in the Toronto CMA?

Training and Education Pathways

• What are the most common training and education pathways associated with the development of technology skills associated with demand based on the population of LinkedIn members in the Toronto CMA?

• Are there any particular technology skills that LinkedIn members in the Toronto CMA are able to develop to a level of employability without post-secondary degrees?

Career Pathways

• What are common career pathways that stem from common entry-level technology roles in the Toronto CMA?

New Sources of Labour Market Information

• How does this research compare to other sources of labour market information?

• How might stakeholders in the labour market use research like this to complement their existing sources of labour market information?

• How valuable are the research findings for stakeholders?• What are the strengths and limitations of this data source?• What future research should be conducted which could leverage big data

sources like LinkedIn?



MethodologyTo answer the questions on the previous page, CivicAction and LinkedIn undertook the following research activities:

Economic Graph Analysis

LinkedIn undertook analysis of its aggregate member data for the Toronto CMA, identifying relevant members using postal code data cross-referenced against census subdivisions located in the Toronto CMA. All analyses were conducted on this member data, current as of June 30, 2015.

Members report a variety of data points that LinkedIn analyzed in aggregate. These data points include: job title, employer, industry, reported skills, and education credentials.

LinkedIn used individual job changes within the previous 12 months as a signal of demand. This signal was then used to identify the skills and roles associated with these job changes. They inferred that a job change over the past 12 months suggests that an employer is hiring for a desirable skill held by the individual.

Literature Review

CivicAction undertook a review of relevant literature related to the Toronto CMA’s labour market, technology skills, the use of big data in labour market analyses, and existing LMI.

Stakeholder Surveys

CivicAction undertook a survey of Roundtable Participants between December 22, 2015 and January 28, 2016. Survey questions can be seen on page 41.

Stakeholder Interviews

CivicAction undertook 18 telephone interviews with select partners and stakeholders between January 12, 2016 and January 22, 2016. Interview questions have been included on page 42.



Stakeholder SurveyGrowing Technology Opportunities in the GTA Roundtable

Thank you for attending a Roundtable Discussion on Growing Technology Opportunities in the GTA. Please complete the following survey to share your feedback and perspectives. Your input will help to inform a final project report to summarize the impact of this work. Your feedback is voluntary and anonymous.

1. In your opinion, what were the most important findings of this research? Check all that apply.

• The proportion of GTA LinkedIn members with technology skills• How Toronto compares to international cities with regards to

technology skilled members• The distribution of technology skilled members amongst sectors in the

GTA• The most common technology skill categories found in the GTA• The proportion of technology members in early career roles in the GTA• The number of companies in the GTA that employ technology-skilled

members• The number of companies in the GTA that employ technology-skilled

members in early career roles• The distribution of technology-skilled members in early career roles

amongst sectors in the GTA• The technology skills associated with members who were recently

hired into early career roles• Other. If other, please specify:

2. What was the most useful learning from you coming out of the roundtable discussion?

3. Did the research findings change your perspective on the labour market in any way? If so, how?

4. What do you think is the most important issue to address when it comes to closing the technology skills gap?

5. What will your organization do differently as a result of reviewing the research and participating in the roundtable?

6. Has this project sparked any further research questions for you?



Stakeholder InterviewsAs a partner to the Economic Graph project, we would like to ask you a few questions on the findings of this work and the strengths and limitations of the project. We estimate that the interview will take approximately 30 minutes.

1. In your opinion, what were the most important findings or aspects of this research?

2. How does this research compare to other sources of labour market information?

3. How does this research complement your use of existing labour market information?

4. On scale of 1 to 10, 1 being not valuable and 10 being extremely valuable, how valuable were the findings of this research project?

5. What were some of the strengths of the LinkedIn data? What were some of the limitations of the LinkedIn data?

6. Do you have any recommendations for future labour market research projects which leverage big data sources like LinkedIn?

7. Has this project sparked any additional research questions for you?

For Community Partners

8. How have you or how do you plan to use or apply the research findings within your organization?

For Employer, Training, and Career Profiles

9. How many employees does your organization have? How many employees does your organization have in the GTA?

10. What proportion of jobs at your organization requires technology skills?11. How many individuals did you hire in the last year? What proportion of

those jobs required technology skills?12. What kinds of technology roles are you hiring for?13. What are the technology skills for which your organization is experiencing

greatest demand?14. How do you source candidates for these roles? 15. Can you describe your ideal candidate for these roles?16. Are you having trouble finding suitable candidates? If so, what do you

attribute this to?17. Looking forward, what do you see as the hiring needs for your

organization in the next year? What proportion of the roles you will be hiring for require technology skills?

18. How is your organization currently engaging with colleges, universities, or other organizations that are involved with training or career counseling?

19. What advice would you have for young people who are considering a career in technology or are considering how to develop their technology skills?

20. How would you describe the common training/educational pathways of those who successful get hired at your company? That are successfully retained?

21. What types of educational credentials and/or experience do you typically seek for roles requiring technology skills at your organization?

22. Which programs or institutions have the most success in propelling their graduates into employment at your organization?



23. Do you typically see successful hires having second or third education credentials? What do these credentials typically consist of?

24. Have your hired individuals without post-secondary degrees into any roles requiring technology skills? How successful have they been in these roles?

25. What are sample entry-level roles requiring technology skills at your organization and what are the minimum requirements for these roles?

26. Is there a career pathway for successful individuals in these roles within your organization? If not, what do these individuals tend to do after leaving your organization?

For Technology Training Programs

27. What are the technology skills that you see as being in high demand from employers?

28. Do you agree with LinkedIn’s list of in demand technology skills for entry-level careers?

29. Of these skills, which can be developed to an employable proficiency without a university degree?


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