Vancouver technology businesses accompanied the City’s economic development agency down to Seattle to woo back high-demand professionals in technology sector, introduce new digital job-seeking tool.
Vancouver, BC – September 27, 2016 – Last week, the Vancouver Economic Commission (VEC) and five of Vancouver’s foremost technology companies arrived in Seattle to connect with Canadian technology professionals living and working abroad on the West Coast of the United States.
At an information session hosted by the VEC at Safeco Field, delegates from Microsoft, ACL, BuildDirect, Amazon and D-Wave delivered lightning pitches and fielded questions from two suites packed to capacity with Canadian tech experts living in Seattle. At the same session, the VEC unveiled Vancouver CareerScout, a new tool to help tech- and digital entertainment-oriented job-seekers gain an edge with Vancouver’s top employers.
“The Vancouver Economic Commission has conducted years of advocacy work in keeping with our mandate to attract and retain talent in the city,” said Ian McKay, CEO of the VEC. “We hear our business community on a daily basis. Rapid growth and expansion in key sectors such as digital entertainment, innovative technology and clean tech has made talent recruitment an urgent priority for them.”
The Seattle information session is part of the Vancouver: It’s Your Move to Make campaign: a broader initiative by the VEC to connect Vancouver career opportunities with Canadians working abroad. Experts who have gained experience in the tech-dense hubs of Seattle and San Francisco are especially in demand and are well-positioned to take their careers to the next level while contributing to Vancouver’s continued development as a global tech cluster.
“When the CEO of Microsoft visited Vancouver, he made a point of speaking about our leadership in innovation,” said McKay, noting the recent presence of Microsoft’s top executives in Vancouver, during which Satya Nadella and Bill Gates had praised Canada’s immigration policy as a driver of innovation. “Vancouver’s bustling and vibrant downtown core – home to hundreds of homegrown and global technology companies – has captured the attention of entrepreneurs, investors and enterprises from all over the world.”
In addition to another information session to be held in San Francisco on October 19th, the VEC’s talent campaign efforts feature the debut of a new job-seeking tool. Vancouver CareerScout is an online platform designed for the use of non-local skilled workers in the technology sector. Those who sign up will become part of an exclusive pool of talent for consideration by some of Vancouver’s top companies, including the ones represented at the Seattle information sessions.
“Vancouver’s calling card is innovative, creative and sustainable entrepreneurship, supported by a dynamic global business ecosystem,” said McKay. “Record job growth in Vancouver – the fastest growing economy in Canada – can also be attributed to our city being recognised as one of the world’s most livable cities, our proximity to the Asia Pacific and Silicon Valley, and a supportive policy and fiscal framework at all levels of government.”
When Microsoft Canada president Janet Kennedy first announced the global giant’s massive investment in a new global development centre, she said, “We could have gone anywhere in the world … and we chose Vancouver.”
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About the Vancouver Economic Commission
The Vancouver Economic Commission (VEC) works to strengthen the city’s economic future by supporting existing businesses, attracting foreign investment and promoting international trade. The VEC strives to position Vancouver as a globally recognized city for innovative, creative and sustainable business. www.vancouvereconomic.com
About the Vancouver: It’s Your Move to Make Campaign
“The It’s Your Move to Make campaign is a great opportunity for us to connect with the many talented Canadians working abroad who are interested in moving back home. It allows us to share our story and what we are doing in the industry with a group of amazing tech professionals. With so many vibrant tech hubs throughout Canada, the Vancouver tech scene is one that is truly booming. We’re thrilled to be part of this event and meet some of the brightest minds in the field.”
– Monika Mascitti, Talent Acquisition Manager at BuildDirect
Vancouver: It’s Your Move to Make is a talent-facing campaign aimed to attract experienced professionals to Vancouver. It pays particular attention to Canadian citizens working abroad the technology sector, with a focus on the West Coast of the United States. The campaign is comprised of the following: several information sessions in Seattle and San Francisco; the launch of the Vancouver CareerScout job-seeking tool; contests and rewards encouraging engagement; and a supporting social media ad and communications campaign (#Vancouver #YourMoveToMake).
Media Contact:
Ingrid Cheung, Communications Specialist
icheung@vancouvereconomic.com
