The pandemic has helped prove that Nova Scotia’s economic future is largely dependent upon building its digital economy, says Andrew Rau-Chaplin.
Dean of Dalhousie University’s faculty of computer science, Rau-Chaplin said the pandemic accelerated the need for digital skills, allowing people to stay productive from anywhere.
Because of technology, a relatively low cost of living and a more relaxed lifestyle, he said, Nova Scotia has become an attractive place to relocate.
Rau-Chaplin insisted, although many Nova Scotians might not believe it, that Nova Scotia is already on the cutting edge of the digital economy. Demand for digital talent in the province is growing faster than the available workforce.
The ability to write code isn’t just essential to computer-related industries; it has spread across all sectors of the economy, from medicine, the arts and tourism to agriculture and fish plants, he said.
For example, in Dal's master’s program, each student experiences a four-month paid industrial internship, with 100 per cent placement each year. Rau-Chaplin said that if it was double the number of students, the school would still have placements for everyone.
Increased digital adoption is key to a more prosperous future of well-paying, flexible jobs for the next generation, he said, which is why computer science is expanding to create a pipeline of diverse and talented individuals contributing to a thriving digital economy in Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada.
Recently, Dalhousie announced it was starting a new initiative under the slogan Here We Code, which aims to encourage more Nova Scotians to consider a career in the digital world.
There is nothing new about the drive to train more people for the digital economy. In March, the previous government in Nova Scotia announced it would be giving $16.8 million to four universities to enhance computer science programs. The funding breakdown was based on total enrollment for each university’s computer science program: Dalhousie, $13.3 million; Acadia, $1.47 million; Saint Mary’s, $1.27 million; St. Francis Xavier, $794,000.
The We Code Here campaign, Dalhousie says, is an attempt to attract more students to computer science. For the more politically minded, the announcement can also be viewed as a reminder to the new Progressive Conservative government that funds have been committed to build the computer science component of the provincial economy.
“We look forward to working in collaboration with Nova Scotia’s vibrant digital ecosystem to grow the talent pipeline and really showcase what we have to offer as a province and region,” said Rau-Chaplin.
Dal already bills its computer science faculty as Atlantic Canada’s largest centre for technology education and research. Over the next five years, however, its overall enrollment will grow to 2,500 students, with hundreds of graduates per year, in addition to research and professional master’s students, many of whom will be looking for employment in the province and region.
While possessing math skills is useful, Rau-Chaplin said, the key attribute for people going into computer science today is critical thinking and problem solving, no matter their background knowledge of coding or technology.
Participation in the digital economy requires digitally skilled workers, but there is a shortage. People who support funding for computer science point to a KPMG business outlook survey that suggested Canadian businesses are struggling to find talent with the digital skills necessary for their companies to compete globally.
The inability to attract or retain digitally skilled talent was identified as the single greatest threat to growth prospects.
ROGER TAYLOR: N.S. computer science funding aims to expand digital economy | Saltwire - SaltWire Network
Read More
No comments:
Post a Comment