Media Release
Economic Development Winnipeg leads tech talent mission to Argentina
To help Winnipeg companies find the right tech talent to grow their businesses, Economic Development Winnipeg Inc. (EDW) is leading a talent mission to Buenos Aires, Argentina Oct. 18 to 21, 2019.
“Winnipeg is a multicultural city that is well-positioned to welcome top talent from around the world,” said Dayna Spiring, President & CEO of Economic Development Winnipeg. “We want to show qualified tech professionals in other countries how rewarding a career in Winnipeg can be and the many advantages of living here, while helping local companies meet a challenge they regularly face.”
Local businesses are regularly telling EDW that talent attraction and retention is a priority for them. Some top Winnipeg companies are looking abroad for hard-to-find, highly-skilled tech professionals to boost their workforce. As it can be daunting for individual companies to identify and attract foreign talent, EDW’s business development team, YES! Winnipeg is planning international talent missions to key markets where specific talent pools are available and where professionals may find life in Canada an attractive option.
EDW is developing and delivering a talent attraction and retention program for high-growth companies experiencing skill shortages, including in the digital technology sector. All three levels of government and local business leaders committed more than $1.8 million to this talent initiative over a three-year period, with Western Economic Diversification Canada providing 38% of the funding as announced in August 2019.
In addition to financial support provided by the Manitoba Government, EDW is working closely with the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program, which makes it easy for skilled workers to settle in our province as permanent residents.
The mission is being advertised in Buenos Aires in hopes of attracting qualified candidates for positions such as senior software developer, web designer and data scientist. More than 2,000 resumes expressing interest in these Winnipeg-based positions have been triaged in relation to this mission. The participating companies are Bold Commerce, ESLlibrary.com, Farmers Edge and Online Business Systems.
"International recruitment has brought us great success not only in finding top talent, but adding diversity in skillset, ideas, perspective and culture to our team. We're looking forward to exploring Argentina's vibrant tech scene, while building on the fantastic one growing right here in Winnipeg," said Chantal Grindle, Chief Human Resources Officer, Bold Commerce.
To save companies time and resources, EDW is taking care of the mission’s logistics, promotion and coordination of job fairs and interviews. ComIT and the Jewish Federation of Manitoba also collaborated in the cultural and promotional support of this mission.
Over the coming months and years, EDW will be working with its strategic partners in the private sector, government and post-secondary institutions to find the best ways to attract and develop talent now and in the future. Talent availability is key to driving economic growth in our province.
For more details on the Argentinian mission, visit economicdevelopmentwinnipeg.com/talent-mission
About Economic Development Winnipeg Inc.:
Economic Development Winnipeg Inc. (EDW) is the city’s lead economic development agency and champion for local growth. We use expert analysis to highlight the Winnipeg Advantage and prove why we are the best place to live, work and visit.
Through the Tourism Winnipeg and YES! Winnipeg business development teams, EDW grows the local economy by attracting business, investment, events, meetings and people to our city.
EDW is governed by a private-sector board and driven by the needs of the business community.
-30-
For further information, please contact:
Gillian Chester
Manager
Communications & Travel Media
Economic Development Winnipeg Inc.
P: 204.954.1977
C: 204.296.0425
E: gillian@edwinnipeg.com
