May 04, 2009

09-05-04-New-Brunswick-ICT-Statistical-Profile.pdf

1.54 MB

New Brunswick, May 4, 2009 – A new report of the statistical profile of New Brunswick's ICT sector prepared for propel ICT and released today shows great opportunity for the province's sector as well as revealing data that much more work needs to be done to capitalize on it.

“The Survey shows that, in addition to capital, skill-specific talent for the ICT sector is required to take advantage of the opportunities we have” said Anita Punamiya, propel ICT Director and Chair of propel Talent. “This is an industry in dire need of a strategy that includes a priority on recruiting and training the talent pool that is currently lacking in our province.”

Among other details, the report shows:

1. New Brunswick is the only province to register a decline in the number of ICT firms BUT New Brunswick's ICT sector is still growing at double the rate of the rest of our economy, showing a great opportunity that we are not taking advantage of.
2. No single community in the province is leading the others in growth of their ICT sector. The profile shows Fredericton, Saint John, and Moncton are very comparable to each other in terms of opportunity and current size and strength of the sector, highlighting the need for the communities to work together to build a provincial industry.
3. The average ICT company in NB is larger than the average ICT company in other parts of the country, which indicates that support is missing for building a nimble, entrepreneurial culture of small innovative companies that feed the sector and support the larger emerging components of the sector.

“Start-up companies in the ICT sector need capital and people” said Jeff Roach, Executive Director of the propel Accelerator. “This is a people-driven economy and both large and small businesses need the right talent mix to grow their businesses.”

Jeff Reid, organizer of propel Talent and xwave Operations Manager for Saint John believes that the need for more people in our sector is one area where the industry is in full agreement. “propel Talent is a very actively supported initiative from across the province because we all agree that finding the right people for our sector is challenging and will likely get worse if we don't address it immediately” says Reid.

Starting this week, propel Talent is re-distributing a survey to New Brunswick ICT companies that it originally reported on in late 2006 that showed a great demand for people in the sector. “We expect, based on the anecdotal reports that we are already receiving, that, despite the recession, our industry is still growing. This survey and the report that will follow should make this a bit more tangible for us.” says Reid.

About propel ICT
propel ICT (http://propelICT.com) is a private, non-profit, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) organization focused on growing the ICT industry in New Brunswick

About propel Talent
The propel Talent initiative of propel ICT is an active committee of professionals from the ICT and education sectors focused on growing, attracting and retaining talent within the ICT sector of New Brunswick through an integrated workforce solution addressing: Attracting new students, Immigration for internationally-educated professionals, and Repatriation.

About propel Accelerator
The propel Accelerator is a support program that gives New Brunswick start-up ICT companies guidance and mentoring, access to low-cost resources such as equipment, office space, communications and support services, and, most importantly, membership in a business network that can be used to build partnerships or find new markets.

Media Inquires:
Jeff Roach – 506-642-9029