ICT Competency Profiles framework will help employers and educators respond to the evolving knowledge and skills needed by ICT workers

OTTAWA - The Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) is pleased to announce the development of a new tool that will have a significant impact on the effective delivery of qualified ICT workers to Canadian employers. The ICT Competency Profiles framework is an online resource that gives employers and educators the framework they need to identify required competencies for various ICT career clusters, create job profiles, target training and align curricula with current and emerging industry needs.

It is the first Canadian framework to lay out national occupation profiles for employment in the ICT sector. The goal of the ICT Competency Profiles framework is to sharpen the precision with which companies are able to seek out and hire the best-prepared ICT professionals.

The ICT sector has been described by employers as the number one contributor to Canada's productivity, and ICTC estimates that Canadian employers will need to fill between 126,400 and 178,800 ICT jobs over the period of 2008-2015. Workers with a mix of technology skills, industry experience and business skills are in high demand, but a lack of qualified resources has caused many ICT employers to face recruitment difficulties.

"The ICT industry is going through a fundamental change where both technical and applied skills are essential," says John Oxley, Director Audience Marketing and Community Evangelism at Microsoft Canada. "The ICT Competency Profiles framework is an excellent tool in helping to support everyone during this transition. It ensures that we have the best workforce possible, and that we are delivering on the value of ICT."

The ICT Competency Profiles address the full spectrum of competencies required to meet the business, managerial, technological and interpersonal requirements of specific career clusters. Tied into the National Occupational Classifications (NOCs), the framework provided by the ICT Competency Profiles helps Canada's ICT sector strengthen itself strategically for a vital and successful future.

"This tool plays an essential role in bridging the gap between the knowledge and skills taught in the classroom and the needs of industry." said Paul D. Swinwood, President of ICTC. "We worked closely with educators and employers across the country to ensure that the Competency Profiles accurately reflect the reality of the market and the needs of the industry. The various components of the framework, along with its user-friendly approach, will make it a valuable HR tool that will help increase the pool of highly qualified ICT professionals in this country and ensure Canada remains at the forefront of the knowledge economy."