Recruiting Computer & Network Operators and Web Technicians in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland

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1 Recruiting Computer & Network Operators and Web Technicians in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland Demand for Computer & Network Operators in Calgary Computer and Network Operators and Web Technicians (collectively network technicians ) have been identified as a high-demand occupation in Calgary, based on the Calgary Labour Demand Forecast In, there were nearly 2,500 network technicians in the Calgary labour force. Between and 2020, demand for these workers is expected increase by 40 per cent, creating demand for an additional 1,000 network technicians by Employers will likely face difficulties recruiting qualified workers for both newly-created jobs and existing positions that become vacant. During the global economic slowdown of , 43 per cent of network technician employers in Calgary recruited network technicians for vacant positions and over half of those who recruited (57 per cent) experienced hiring difficulties. 2 The combination of growing demand and limited supply are likely to result in shortages of network technicians in Calgary over the next decade. In order to meet the high demand for network technicians, Calgary employers may need to access labour markets outside of Calgary, including international labour markets, to meet a portion of their hiring needs. To facilitate targeted recruiting efforts, Calgary Economic Development (CED) has created this guide to identify the best cities and regions for recruiting workers in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Top cities and regions for recruiting are recommended based on the size of the occupational labour force and the likelihood that workers will migrate out of the area. 3 Top Locations for Recruiting in Canada Canada s two largest cities, Toronto and Montréal, have a substantially larger labour force of network technicians than in any other Canadian city, with over 10,000 network technicians in each city. Younger workers have a higher probability of relocating across long distances, and about 40 per cent of network technicians in Toronto are below age 35, while they comprise about 45 per cent of Montréal s labour force. Immigrants have a higher-than-average 1 See Calgary Labour Demand Forecast See Alberta Wage and Salary Survey An out-migration probability index of workers is estimated based on a set of factors that are indicators of future migration. Factors include historical migration patterns, demographics of the occupational labour force, local economic conditions, median income, and the presence of foreign workers in the labour force. 1

2 probability of making a subsequent inter-provincial move, and Toronto and Vancouver have the highest portion of workers who immigrated to Canada between 2001 and 2006 (the most recent period for which statistics are available). Smaller attractive markets for recruiting include Halifax, the Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo Census Metro Area (CMA), Hamilton, and Winnipeg, The Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo CMA has a labour force of just less than 900 network technicians with about half of workers (46 per cent) under age 35. This area may be attractive to Calgary employers if changes at the region s largest high tech employer, RIM, lead to future layoffs of network technicians. Excluding Edmonton, average hourly wages of network technicians in Calgary are higher than in all of the top-recommended cities in Canada, at $28.37 in Technicians in Halifax had average hourly wages of $21.00 in, and could potentially experience the greatest increase in wages by relocating to Calgary. See Table 2 for additional wage information in the top recommended cities. Table 1 Recruiting Indicators for Network Technicians in Canada, by CMA Rank Census Metro Area Employment () 4 Average Wage Per Hour Emigration Probability Index* Under Age 35 () Percent of Occupational Labour Force International or Non- Immigrants Inter-Provincial Permanent to Canada Migrants Residents (5 Year Period) (2006) 1 Toronto 10, % 10% 10% 1% 2 Montréal 10, % 8% 7% 1% 3 Québec 2,911 n.a % 1% 1% 1% 4 Ottawa 2, % 8% 3% 1% 5 Vancouver 2, % 13% 7% 1% 6 Edmonton 2, % 8% 2% 1% 7 Halifax % 8% 2% 2% 8 Kitchener- Cambridge- Waterloo % 9% 4% 1% 9 Winnipeg 1, % 6% 4% 2% 10 Hamilton % 4% 3% 0% Calgary 2, % 18% 6% 1% *See footnote 3 for additional information about the Emigration Probability Index. Note: Data is measured for Census Metropolitan Areas unless otherwise noted. Figures for Calgary may differ from information presented earlier in this report describing labour demand for the Calgary Economic Region. Sources: Labour Force Survey, 2006 Census of Canada, RDA Global, Labour Market Information - HRSDC WorkingInCanada.gc.ca 4 Figures for employment in Calgary are for the Calgary Economic Region. Figures for other cities are for the census metropolitan area (CMA) 5 International and inter-provincial migration statistics are analyzed based on data collected in the 2001 and 2006 Census. The data required to analyze this migration pattern for the most recent 5 year period is not available at the time of this analysis. 2

3 Table 2 Wages for Network Technicians in Canada, by CMA Provincial Wages Recent Wage Range (CAD) or Salary, Census Metro Area Average Reference Low Wage High Wage Average Wage Year Toronto * 46,888 49,470 Montréal ,874 45,439 Québec n.a. n.a. n.a. 41,874 45,439 Ottawa ,888 49,470 Vancouver * 43,476 46,627 Edmonton ,142 51,944 Halifax ,467 33,342 Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo ,888 49,470 Winnipeg * 35,547 38,855 Hamilton ,888 49,470 Calgary ,858 61,320 Note: Data is measured for Census Metropolitan Areas unless otherwise noted. *Wage data reflects provincial average. Sources: 2006 Census, Labour Market Information - HRSDC WorkingInCanada.gc.ca Top Locations for Recruiting in the United States In the United States, the occupation most closely aligned with NOC 2281 Computer and Network Operators and Web Technicians is: SOC : Computer Occupations, All Other. Cities with high out-migration probability index scores include Los Angeles (L.A.), Seattle, Denver and San Diego. L.A. is the second largest market for these workers and had high unemployment at 10.7 per cent in September-November. San Diego has the youngest average age of network technicians (38 years) and the highest percentage of workers under age 35 (at 45 per cent) of any of the top-recommended US cities. San Diego also has high unemployment at 9.7 per cent, which could cause workers to seek employment opportunities outside of the region. Washington DC has a large labour force of network technicians. At almost 21,000 workers, it is nearly three times the size of the next largest recommended city, but network technicians in Washington have an out-migration probability index score that is below the US average. In addition, unemployment in the city is low, at 5.4 per cent, which could limit the supply of network technicians that are willing to relocate to find work. 6 Calgary median annual salary is calculated based on average hours worked per week and median hourly wage rate reported in the 2009 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey. The average annual salary is the actual figure from the survey. figures for other cities in Table 2 are from HRSDC. 3

4 Salaries in the top-recommended US cities are higher than the average wages of workers in Calgary, although the statistics on wages may not be directly comparable because of differences between definitions for this occupation in the US and Canada. Network technicians in Calgary had average annual incomes of CAD $61,320 in 2009, while US workers earned average salaries of USD $79,790. Table 3 Out-Migration Indicators of Network Technicians in Top 10 US Cities, Rank Metro Area Number of Pct. of who are Non-US Citizens Age Pct. Of Under Age 35 Out- Migration Probability Index* Unemployment Rate 1 Washington, DC/MD/VA 20,660 5% 41 35% Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA 7,910 10% 40 34% Seattle-Everett, WA 6,020 7% 41 37% Chicago, IL 6,470 7% 40 35% Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN 6,620 3% 41 34% San Francisco-Oakland-Vallejo, CA 4,960 12% 40 31% Baltimore, MD 5,750 4% 39 40% Denver-Boulder, CO 3,670 5% 41 34% San Diego, CA 3,400 3% 38 45% Boston, MA-NH 3,970 8% 41 34% United States 183,110 5% 41 34% *The Out-Migration Probability Index gives an indication of the number of workers in the target occupation in each metropolitan area that have made an interregional move in the past 5 years. The index also reflects factors that may affect worker migration, such as historical migration patterns, demographics of the occupational labour force, local economic conditions, median income, and the presence of foreign workers in the labour force. US Average Out-Migration Probability = 100 (for all US workers in all occupations). Table 4 Wages of Network Technicians in Top Ranked Cities for Recruiting in the United States, Metropolitan Statistical Area Hourly Wage** (USD) Salary** (USD) Lower 10% Salary by Quartile (USD) Lower 25% Washington, DC/MD/VA 20, ,830 68,720 89, , , ,960 Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA 7, ,380 41,210 57,580 79, , ,060 Seattle-Everett, WA 6, ,550 37,070 68,550 92, , ,280 Chicago, IL 6, ,280 35,530 50,430 72,920 95, ,580 Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN 6, ,600 45,600 58,850 77,340 95, ,950 San Francisco-Oakland-Vallejo, CA 4, ,590 37,990 60,730 88, , ,300 Baltimore, MD 5, ,170 58,430 79,120 94, , ,240 Denver-Boulder, CO 3, ,660 50,730 64,100 80,200 96, ,160 San Diego, CA 3, ,860 49,600 63,970 83, , ,730 Boston, MA-NH 3, ,410 40,150 61,160 80, , ,600 United States 183, ,790 41,710 59,350 79,240 99, ,700 Calgary (in $ CAD) 2,468 $28.37 $61,320 n.a. **Source for Calgary wage and salary figures is the 2009 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey. Results are updated every 2 years. At the time of this analysis 2011 figures were not yet published. US Data Sources: Bureau of Labour Statistics Occupational Employment Database, American Community Survey, US Census. Analysis by RDA Global. Upper 25% Upper 10% 4

5 Top Locations for Recruiting in the United Kingdom and Ireland In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the occupation most closely related to network technicians is: UK/IE SOC 5245 Computer Engineers, Installation and Maintenance In, there were approximately 104,000 network technicians in the UK labour force and approximately 4,000 network technicians in the Irish Labour Force. Average annual income for network technicians in the UK was 29,000 in (approximately CAD $47,000), which is lower than that earned by workers in Calgary. Official survey data on wages of network technicians in Ireland is not available from government sources, but according to the 2011 Salary Guide by professional recruitment consultancy, Morgan McKinley, 7 IT professionals in network technician-related occupations are paid between 24,000 and 63,000 per year (approximately CAD $33,000 to $86,000), depending on their specific occupation and level of experience. In the UK, the top regions for recruiting are London, the surrounding South East Region (including Greater London as well as Brighton, Oxford, Portsmouth, Southampton), and the South West Region (including Bristol, Bournemouth, and Plymouth). The highest level of historical out-migration is from the London Region and the South West Region, based on analysis of data from the British Quarterly Labour Force Survey. Foreign workers represent a growing share of people migrating out of the UK; as of, non-british citizens represented 65 per cent of long-term migrants leaving the UK, up from 43 per cent in London and Scotland have the greatest percentage of non-british citizens in the labour force, with 32 per cent and 20 per cent of the labour force, respectively. The out-migration probability index score for Irish network technicians is 100, indicating that network technicians in Ireland have a rate of migration that is similar to the Irish average for all occupations. Ireland had one of the highest levels of unemployment in the European Union in November, 2011 at 14.6 per cent. The ongoing recession in Ireland may push some network technicians to seek work abroad. 7 The Salary Guide is available online at: 8 Source: United Kingdom International Passenger Survey (IPS); Estimates of long-term international migration, rolling annual data to Q4. 5

6 Table 6 contains information on the size and characteristics of the UK labour force for network technicians. Regional data is not available on the Irish labour force but a national recruiting strategy in Ireland can be effective, due to the small geographic size of the country. Recruiting in Ireland can be centered in either Dublin or Cork, the two largest cities. Foreign Credential Recognition When recruiting network technicians in the UK and Ireland, Alberta employers may wish to consult the Government of Alberta s Occupational Profiles for specific requirements that workers may need to meet in order to work in Alberta. Alberta s Department of Human Services may also be of assistance in helping employers navigate the potential difficulties associated with recruiting workers from abroad. For more information, please visit their website at: Table 5 High and Low Earnings, by Experience, Selected Irish IT Occupations, Years 3-5 Years 5+ Years IT Classification Low High Low High Low High (CAD) (CAD) Low High (CAD) (CAD) CAD Helpdesk/Desktop Support 24,000 n.a. $32,764 n.a. 31,000 n.a. $ 42,320 n.a. 36,000 $ 49,145 System Administrator 29,000 30,000 39,589 40,954 36,000 37,000 49,145 50,510 53,000 72,353 Network Specialist 31,000 41,000 42,320 55,971 41,000 62,000 55,971 84,639 63,000 86,004 Calgary (Average all) $61,320 Sources: Morgan McKinley s 2011 Salary Guide: Alberta Wage and Salary Survey, Calgary Economic Region. Average month-end annual exchange rate: 1=$ CAD. 6

7 Table 6 Recruiting Indicators for Network Technicians - UK and Ireland, Rank Region/ Country Major Cities Number of Percentage of who are Non- National Citizens Percentage of who are Non-EU Citizens Age* Pct. Of Under Age 35 Out- Migration Probability Index** 1 London Greater London 20,800 32% 27% 36 41% ,318 $43,459 31,217 $49,662 2 South East Brighton, Oxford, Portsmouth, 21,600 14% 5% 37 43% 106 n.a. n.a. 32,144 51,137 Southampton 3 South West Bristol, Bournemouth, Plymouth 9,400 3% 0% 35 45% 107 n.a. n.a. 28,153 44,788 4 Eastern Greater London, Cambridge, Norwich, Peterborough, Ipswich 11,000 3% 0% 35 48% 105 n.a. n.a. 32,336 51,442 5 Leeds, Sheffield, Yorkshire & Bradford, Wakefield, Humberside Hull 6,700 13% 13% 32 53% 106 n.a. n.a. 30,720 48,872 6 West Midlands Birmingham, Coventry 7,800 4% 4% 38 37% 104 n.a. n.a. 26,175 41,641 7 East Midlands 8 Scotland 9 North West 10 North East Nottingham-Derby, Leicester, Northampton Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen Manchester, Liverpool, Preston, Blackpool Sunderland, Newcastle upon Tyne (GBP) (CAD) (GBP) (CAD) 5,100 0% 0% 28 56% ,639 43,970 31,489 50,095 6,700 20% 8% 38 28% 103 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 9,000 0% 0% 49 10% 102 n.a. n.a. 23,107 36,760 2,000 0% 0% 38 29% 104 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Total UK 104,100 13% 9% 37 40% ,479 $43,715 29,418 $46,800 Total Ireland 3,900 0% n.a % 100 See Table 5 Calgary 2,468 n.a. 44% n.a. $61,320 *British data source reports median age figures, while Irish and US data sources report mean age figures. ** Out-Migration index scores for the UK are not directly comparable with those of cities in the US or Ireland. Sources: Quarterly British Labour Force Survey, Survey of Hours and Earnings (UK, ), Central Statistics Office Ireland (), Analysis by RDA Global. 7