Kevin Dee, CEO of Eagle Professional Resources (Darren Brown, OBJ)

An Ottawa employment expert says IT is the place to be if you're looking for work, but the bad news for all those engineers burned by the telecom meltdown is that much of the opportunity lies in software.

With Statistics Canada reporting that Ottawa's tech sector has added 12,800 jobs so far this year, Eagle Professional Resources CEO Kevin Dee suggests hopeful job seekers polish up their software skills and look to the world of information technology for openings that are available right now.

"It's a great time to be getting into IT. The pace of technology isn't slowing down and the lull of the last few years isn't coming back for some time. Jobs in the Internet and in packages such as SAP and PeopleSoft are available.

"The workforce is still suffering following the tech meltdown, so that means there are a lot of good people looking for work. If I were a new grad today, I would develop good software skills. If you can write well, if you can communicate well, and if you're bilingual and dress nicely you will differentiate yourself from the crowd. Offer to put in the extra hours, develop those skills and you'll be in demand."

The employment spike in the local tech industry is a 30.6-per-cent increase since the start of the year, according to Statscan. Mr. Dee predicts the number of vacancies will soon outpace the number of qualified workers, so those with the right skills and image will have their choice of companies.

"There are also a lot of good people who have left the industry altogether. However, things are picking up in the IT world. The government is spending money again and there are a whole bunch of factors that'll come into play over the next few years. A real problem is that kids aren't taking it in school and women have gone away from the industry because there were no jobs. For the first time in a long time, it's really going to be a buyers market. There will be more jobs than good candidates."

His company contracts out staff to employers around the country. Even in the midst of a soft market, Eagle has grown from three to 10 offices nationwide, including one in Ottawa. Mr. Dee said both existing and new companies would be looking for help thanks to the new tech economy.

"You'll see some big companies beef up again and there will be a number of startups because it's easier to start a company up in a boom rather than a bust. Yes, it has been a tough market the past three years, but you must be ready for when it gets better."

Scott Campbell, the technical recruiter of The Mergis Group – the tech wing of the Spherion Company – agreed that IT is already the target for successful job hunters. "Well, the crystal ball is always a little shady," he laughed, "but I'd say that over the next five years network pros will be in demand. Running, maintaining and optimizing systems will be big."

Mr. Campbell also listed database management, Java and users wishing to get off "the Microsoft heroin" as open avenues for employment seekers.

"Also, there will be lots of movement in engineering of all types as the Baby Boomers retire. Mid-level managers will be hard to find and companies will have trouble filling those roles."

Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation chief Jeffrey Dale trumpets the tech growth, saying parents should be encouraging children to take the appropriate course in school in order to acquire skill sets that will always be in demand.

"Tech will just grow and grow and jobs will be available," he said. "If we're going to compete long term and continue to grow, we'll need the skill sets so we must promote younger people taking tech courses in school."

Mr. Dale pointed out such areas as software, Microsoft .NET, Linux/Unix System Admin, J2EE portal development, and a number of engineering positions as lucrative avenues to follow.

Scott Taylor

scott.taylor@transcontinental.ca