ICTC launches new program to support Alberta businesses to attract and retain top talent

On Wednesday, November 6, the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) hosted an event at Platform Calgary to launch a new program for small and medium-sized businesses in Alberta’s digital economy.

Over 100 business leaders attended the panel discussion and networking event to learn about ICTC’s new Digital Workforce Catalyst Alberta (DWCA) initiative, which supports businesses to address labour shortages with strategies and resources to attract and retain top talent.

Recruiting and retaining skilled employees during a labour shortage is an ongoing challenge for small businesses in Canada. In Alberta, where the digital economy has grown 27 percent in just five years, attracting and retaining top talent is a growing concern. However, many SMEs lack the in-house human resources team to ensure their workforce is resilient, innovative, and future-ready.

ICTC’s new program will support businesses in the digital economy with resources tackling hiring, staff retention, organizational culture, leadership, and diversity and equity.

At the launch event, Alberta’s Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade — the Honourable Matt Jones — remarked via video address, “Digital Workforce Catalyst Alberta is another crucial investment to help our business community thrive, addressing challenges throughout the employee journey from recruitment to retention. We’re dedicated to making Alberta the best place in Canada to live, work, invest, and grow a business. Initiatives like this reinforce our commitment to creating a vibrant business environment.”

During the panel discussion — which featured Jason Cardiff of Clean02 Carbon Capture Technologies and Angela Nguyen of New Win Solutions — Debbie Mastel, owner of Debbie Mastel and Associates, spoke about the importance of programs for small businesses like those offered by ICTC: "As a business owner myself, I see firsthand the difficulties of attracting new talent, retaining valuable employees, and making tough decisions when it comes to separation. These are not easy challenges. They can leave you feeling overwhelmed, especially for small businesses that don't have the resources of the big guys. But that’s where organizations like ICTC come in.” 

ICTC’s Vice President of Capacity Building and Innovation, Lissa Matyas, spoke about the impact of the program on small businesses in Alberta: “Whether it's through upskilling employees; recruiting the right talent; creating more flexible work environments; adopting generative AI into daily work to boost productivity'; or implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion best practices throughout the employee lifecycle, DWCA is designed to tackle these challenges head-on. It's about making sure that Alberta's businesses are not only surviving in this time of transformation — but thriving.”

For more information about ICTC’s Digital Workforce Catalyst Alberta program and to register to participate, visit its website. The program is funded by the Government of Canada through the Canada-Alberta Job Fund.

Don’t miss out on the innovation happening in your backyard. Subscribe to Calgary Tech Journal now: