On Clusters and Magic Formulas

If there is one thing you are guaranteed in South East New Brunswick, it’s a warm welcome. Enjoying balmy September weather and fantastic landscape, my feeling was that the Greater Moncton area also appeared home to a gem of potential growth of a life sciences cluster. 

Catalysed by Tech South East, stakeholders from the area came together recently to progress discussions about how to make this ambition a reality. Inspired by the example of the BioAlliance cluster on Prince Edward Island, there is recognition that development of a cluster requires patience, resource and commitment. 

Many of the key elements are already there – higher education institutions (as well as Mount Allison, the Université de Moncton also has aspirations to build a more entrepreneurial culture), some small R&D start-ups, a host of companies related to the life sciences supply chain, hospitals, a supportive economic development agency and a dynamic industry network determined to effect change.  

I am often asked to help and advise on how to “do a Cambridge” – especially around student dissertation time, where students (not to mention consultants) the world over are searching for the Holy Grail of how to replicate the Cambridge cluster model leading to the famous Cambridge Phenomenon. 

Rather unhelpfully, there is no magic formula. It was a spatial and temporal juxtaposition of inspired people, permissive policies and new opportunities that contributed to the spawning of the Cambridge cluster – and all without public sector funding. Not very helpful for those wishing to replicate the model, as context is everything.

So while a “cookie cutter” model invariably fails, providing an inspiring culture and enabling environment for businesses, government and academia to work effectively together in the so-called triple helix model is a crucial part of cluster development. 

It is ironic that one of the Must-Do tourist attractions at Moncton is Magnetic Hill, a bizarre experience where, having driven to the bottom of the hill and stopped, our car seemed to magically  freewheel backwards up the hill, apparently defying gravity. 

While the economic development trajectory for many cities in the West is undoubtedly uphill, South East New Brunswick is definitely not going backwards. 

© Belinda Clarke, 2011

Director of External Relations

ideaSpace Enterprise Accelerator

Cambridge, UK

What's so special about the tech sector?

A year ago I ended up at the Gender Diversity in the Technological Workplace Summit simply out of curiosity. The list of speakers was interesting and I supported the idea of encouraging women into the technological workplace.  That session must have had an impact on me because two weeks ago, not only did I find myself at the summit again, but I was part of the organizing committee lead by the team from Enterprise Greater Moncton and Landal Inc and sitting on a panel discussing how technology has shaped the workplace. 

Why is it so important to encourage women into the Technology Sector? What’s so special about this sector in particular? We had topics based on: how technology has changed the world of work, careers in life sciences relating to technology, ICT/Engineering, and the financial industry.  Listening to each of the panels, it was evident that the sector has a lot to offer everyone: women, men and our youth.

I found some information online that reiterates the increasing importance of IT into a more quantifiable manner.

(Careermash.ca)

Looking at these statistics, I wonder why we don’t have more women, and youth in general, interested in these careers. What is the missing piece in all of this? Enrolment rates are dropping across the country for technology related programs; regionally we are not at 100% capacity of the programs even when the hiring rate is virtually 100% for graduates. We simply can’t get the next generation interested. WHY??

We as a community teachers, parents, government and industry need to address this issue and begin showing students the value in pursuing  science and technology-based careers.  We need to better connect the students and their passions with this industry that needs them as employees.  We know it can be a rewarding career, and this was a message delivered by the successful and ambitious women at the Gender Diversity Summit. 

Sally Ng

Community Engagement & Outreach Coordinator

Tech South East

sally@techsoutheast.ca

Qu’y a-t-il de si spécial à propos du secteur technologique?

L’année dernière, je me suis retrouvée à la Représentation des sexes lors du Sommet dans le milieu du travail technologique simplement par curiosité.  Les listes de conférenciers étaient intéressantes et j’étais en accord avec le sujet sur le fait d’encourager les femmes à joindre le milieu du travail technologique.  Il y a deux semaines, non seulement me suis-je retrouvée à nouveau à ce sommet... mais je faisais parti du comité organisateur mené par l’équipe d’Entreprise Grand Moncton et Landal Inc et siégeais parmi un jury.

Après avoir écouté plusieurs des histoires inspirantes durant ce sommet racontées par des femmes de partout dans le monde (littéralement).  Les choses ont bouclé la boucle et plusieurs d’entre nous se demandent pourquoi... Pourquoi est-il si important d’encourager les femmes à joindre le secteur des technologies?  Qu’y a-t-il de si spécial à propos de ce secteur en particulier?  Nous avions des sujets basés sur: comment la technologie à-t-elle changé le monde du travail, les carrières en sciences de la santé reliées à la technologie, les TIC/Ingénierie, ainsi que l’industrie financière.  En écoutant chacune de ces tribunes, vous pouvez facilement réaliser que le secteur à beaucoup à offrir non seulement aux femmes mais aussi aux générations futures.  J’ai trouvé de l’information en ligne laquelle réitère son importance en une façon plus quantifiable.

STATISTIQUES DE LA SEMAINE

39% des entreprises en TIC au Québec s’inquiètent qu’une pénurie de main d’œuvre qualifiée nuise à la capacité d’accroitre leur entreprise, selon un sondage de l’Association des Technologies du Québec.

43%  Hausse du nombre des offres d’emplois reliées aux technologies affichées sur eFinancialCarreers au mois d’août - le 18e mois en hausse d’affilée.

25% des plus hauts professionnels au Canada sont des femmes.  Les employeurs veulent doubler ce nombre!

45% des professionnels en technologie ne travaillent pas dans le secteur des technologies.  Ils travaillent dans d’autres industries - y compris le secteur du divertissement, la construction, la fabrication, l’industrie bancaire ainsi que le gouvernement.

100%  Croissance des emplois exigeant des habiletés combinées en affaires et en technologie au cours des 10 dernières années - maintenant 200,000, une hausse de 100,000.

800,000  Le nombre de professionnels en technologie de l’information & des communications employés au Canada.

3%  Le taux de chômage parmi les professionnels en TI en juin 2011 vs 7,4% pour l’ensemble de la main d’œuvre canadienne.  Les experts considèrent 3% comme étant un taux de placement quasi complet.

83,200$+  Revenu annuel du top 22% des professionnels en TI en juin 2011.  Seulement 5% avaient gagné plus de 83,200$ en 2000.
(Careermash.ca)

En regardant ces statistiques, vous vous demandez pour quelle raison nous n’avons pas davantage de femmes et de jeunes intéressés par ces carrières.  Quelle est la pièce manquante dans tout ça?  Les taux d’inscriptions sont à la baisse à la grandeur du pays pour les programmes reliés aux technologies, régionalement nous ne sommes même pas à 100% de la capacité des programmes lorsque le taux de placement est pratiquement de 100%.  Pourtant, impossible d’intéresser la prochaine génération.

En tant que communauté, enseignants, parents, gouvernement et industries, nous devons adresser ce problème afin d’encourager les étudiants à poursuivre une carrière technologique.  Après tout, après avoir écouté toutes ces histoires de femmes ambitieuses qui connaissent du succès lors du Sommet nous savons que cela peut être une carrière enrichissante. 

Sally Ng

Coordinatrice de l'engagement et des relations communautaires

Tech South East

“Faire voler” l’innovation au sud-est du Nouveau-Brunswick

(English version below)

Plus tôt ce mois-ci nous avons fait paraitre un article au sujet de notre AGA et notre soirée sociale annuelle.  Peut-être direz-vous que Tech Sud-Est “prend son envol” et ce fut dans cet esprit que nous avons célébré notre deuxième soirée sociale annuelle au restaurant Parlee Beach.     

Ce fut une belle soirée de musique, bouffe et réseautage tech et je tiens à remercier spécialement nos hôtes - la ville de Shediac et Intelisys Aviation Systems - pour avoir aidé à rendre ce formidable événement possible.  Un merci tout spécial à nos Titan et autres commanditaires pour avoir si généreusement donné de très beaux prix de présence.   

De superbes forfaits de golf à une soirée au ballet jusqu’à une séance photo... certains de nos membres et partenaires chanceux sont repartis avec de merveilleux prix.  Un moment très spécial pour un heureux papa qui a remporté la console Wii comme prix de présence, quelque chose dont ses enfants souhaitaient depuis un bon moment... la photo de ces deux heureux bambins avec la console Wii le matin suivant était, comme on dit, inestimable.     

Et dans l’esprit “d’envol”, nous chez Tech Sud-Est avons eu du plaisir à lancer la Force Aérienne de Tech Sud-Est, offrant un vol aérien à un maximum de trois personnes chanceuses de la région du sud-est du Nouveau-Brunswick.  Le vol fut piloté par notre propre Sally Ng, Coordinatrice de l’engagement et des relations communautaires.  Sally se trouve à être une pilote accomplie ainsi qu’une instructrice de glisse avec les Cadets. 

Le lancement de la Force Aérienne de Tech Sud-Est semblait être une progression tout à fait naturelle.  N’étant pas du genre à rester assise sur ses lauriers, Sally a rapidement profité de cette occasion pour ajouter de l’expérience de vol additionnel à son curriculum vitae afin que notre nouvelle “Force Aérienne” puisse offrir à notre région un service de vol de qualité supérieure.  La preuve?  Voir ci-dessous...

DougRobertson 
President/CEO 
Tech sud-est

“Flying” innovation in South East New Brunswick

Earlier this month we posted a news article about our AGM and annual social.   You might say Tech South East is “taking off”, and it was in that spirit that we celebrated our second annual summer social at the restaurant at Parlee Beach.  

It was a great evening of music, food and tech-networking and I would like to say a special thank you to our hosts – the Town of Shediac  and IntelisysAviation Systems – for helping make this terrific evening possible. Special words of thanks as well to our Titan and other sponsors for generously donating some really cool door prizes.  

From great golf packages to an evening with the ballet to a photography session ... some of our lucky members and partners collected some excellent prizes.  A very special moment for one happy dad who won the Wii doorprize, something his kids had been wanting for some time ... the photo of these two excited youngsters with the Wii the next morning was, as they say, priceless. 

And in the spirit of “taking off”, we at Tech South East had a little fun with the launch of the Tech South East Air Force, offering an aerial tour for up to three lucky people of the south east New Brunswick region.  The tour will be piloted by our own Sally Ng, Tech South East’s Community Engagement and Outreach Coordinator.  Sally just happens to be an accomplished pilot and a gliding instructor with the Cadets. Launching the Tech South East Air Force seemed a natural progression. Not one to rest on her laurels, Sally quickly sought out an early opportunity to gain added flight experience to her resume so the new “Air Force” can offer top flight service to our region. The evidence?  Check it out below ...   

Yes, the Snowbirds (Click to see more pictures) have joined the Tech South East Air Force!   And why wouldn’t they??

Congrats to Sally on a very cool opportunity and keep an eye on the skies ... you never know where the Tech South East Air Force will show up!


Doug Robertson
President/CEO
Tech South East

Workforce Perfect Storm Looms!

Four labour force megatrends are now converging to create a “perfect storm” in the workforce in New Brunswick and across Canada. The impact on employers and job seekers will be more profound than anything in living memory. The four megatrends are:

Megatrend 1: The Great Recession

The global economy and communities across the country have just weathered their worst economic down-turn since the Great Depression nearly a century ago. Despite massive economic stimulus, recovery is slow and faltering, fiscal deficits are at record levels, and budgets are being slashed.

Megatrend 2: Aging Population

Over the next 15 years, baby boomers will retire in virtual annual tsunamis leaving a void in the labour force.  With the decline in birth rates in recent decades, even with aggressive immigration projections, the worker shortfall in New Brunswick and across Canada will grow alarmingly in coming decades.

Megatrend 3: Upskilling of Jobs

Accelerating technological advances have rendered many jobs obsolete, raised skill requirements in remaining jobs, and are producing new jobs at an unimagined rate. More formal education, technical training, and “soft skills” are now demanded of all workers. Employers need IT-literate people who are responsible, can problem-solve, innovate, and collaborate effectively, and have a thirst for learning. It is estimated that 70-80% of all new jobs now require some post-secondary education. Yet, of 100 students in the educational pipeline in grade 9 only 29 will graduate on time with a post-secondary degree, diploma or certificate. 50% of will not be in programs directly related to their studies within 2 years.

Megatrend 4: Unprepared Workforce

Few employers are investing adequately in employee career management and training. Too few workers themselves are investing in upgrading their skills. Many students, at all levels, fail to see personal relevance in their academic studies, thus underachieve.

The storm portends are clear. Many Canadian companies, workers and communities are at risk of becoming storm casualties. The basic building blocks of a whole-community approach to career and workforce development exist but tend to be used in fragmented fashion and underutilized.

Consensus on “best practices” suggests a core of 5 foundation career and workforce resources need to be in place. They include:
1.      Experiential programs at all primary, middle, secondary and post-secondary school levels that help students imagine the future they want to create, and make career and educational planning “real” for students;
2.      A comprehensive Internet-based career exploration and planning system accessible by students at all levels and adults;
3.      An electronic portfolio system accessible through all educational levels out into adulthood;
4.      A course planner system for students, teachers and parents that integrates individual learning plans based on informed career goals with local course offerings and graduation requirements; and
5.      A networking system that introduces motivated students with informed dreams to the people they need to meet in educational and training institutions and local companies. Resulting relationships can lead to work experience, mentoring, job shadowing, co-op, volunteer, and part-time job opportunities that allow employers and job-seekers to “test the fit.”

As a member of Tech South East, National LifeWork Centre(a division of the Memramcook Institute); we welcome opportunities to partner with Tech Southeast and it members to implement a harmonized, whole-community approach to career and workforce development in Southeast New Brunswick to ensure our region prospers despite the perfect storm.

Phil Jarvis

National LifeWork Centre

Ready to roll…. Are you?

It’s been a month since I officially began my adventure as Community Engagement & Outreach Coordinator at TSE. What does that mean exactly? What makes my role important? What do I want to achieve?

We’re all influenced by technology one way, shape or form; therefore it’s an important component in our lives… now it’s your turn to play a part with its development and help the next generation realize the opportunities. We need the support of the community (Everyone!).

Tech South East is working to strengthen the ecosystem in our region to better support the growth of knowledge-based companies.  As the Community Engagement and Outreach Coordinator, it is important for me to be out there raising the awareness of the technology and life science sector in our region – particularly with the youth.  There are some great success stories in South East NB and there are people here working on great projects and in great companies.  We know it’s a great sector to work in and a great region to live in! How do we bring it to a different level?

We are working with our companies, academic and research partners, and all levels of government. But we need to reach further ... to engage with youth and youth organizations, teachers and parents ... to help promote greater awareness and interest in science and technology, and the opportunities that exist in our region’s knowledge industries.  We need to enable them to realize the larger scope of where their education can take them.

Over the last couple weeks, I have been meeting with many champions across our region in order to start the conversation on what we can build upon. Looking forward to some exciting new initiatives that we will roll out during National Science & Technology Week (Oct. 14-23) Stay tuned….

Exciting opportunities are on the horizon and we want South East NB to be prepared to capitalize on them.  Are you on board?

Sally

Tech South East