It is well-established that the tech industry has been growing and changing rapidly for many years, and that trend will continue for the foreseeable future, driven by constant change and growth in customer demand and related growth of emerging products and services. In the 2018 State of the IT Industry report, CompTIA projected a 5% growth rate, with upside forecasts as high as 7%, across the global tech sector in 2018 alone. Concurrently, this year-over-year growth has significantly exceeded the supply of talent. The tech talent challenge remains the number one issue for the industry, and that is why TECNA and its member organizations continue to deliver a range of programs and services in areas such as STEM, diversity and inclusion, apprenticeship, and other talent pipeline programs, and policy leadership.

Just recently, Brooks Raiford, Chair of TECNA's Public Policy Committee, released a statement applauding Kansas Senator Jerry Moran's efforts to introduce the Startup Act, intended to enact meaningful changes to help the tech industry hire qualified workers, including through high-skilled immigration. In Canada, the federal government is looking favourably at making the Global Talent Strategy 2 year pilot, which was based in large part on a proposal submitted by Canadian TECNA members, a permanent program. This initiative dramatically streamlined the process and time involved for Canadian tech companies to access top international talent.

 

One of TECNA's real strengths is its power as a peer learning network, facilitating the exchange and sharing of knowledge and ideas on the services we offer our members in the tech industry. One of our key vehicles in that process is our growing number of Communities of Interest. Given the importance of the talent challenge, it is very exciting to welcome John Shaw of the Northern Virginia Technology Council and Kelly Underell Stevens of the Colorado Technology Association as the new Chair and Vice Chair of the TECNA Workforce Community of Interest. I want to thank John and Kelly for their leadership on this important file and encourage TECNA members to get involved in this and all of our (your) Communities of Interest.