1. What are the ICT Competency Profiles? 
2. Why were they developed? 
3. How do they work? 
4. Who was consulted in the development? 
5. Who can benefit from the ICT Competency Profiles? 
6. How are they available? 

What are the ICT Competency Profiles?
The ICT Competency Profiles were created and designed as a versatile HR reference tool for ICT employers, educators and professionals. They lay out national occupation profiles for employment in the ICT sector, and are a foundation on which to define new and evolving work streams and occupational roles.

Why were they developed?
Significant issues have faced the ever-changing Canadian technology sector, including a dwindling supply of workers with the right mix of technical, business and people skills, and a growing gap between the skills taught in the education system and the needs of industry. This highlighted the need for more focused and relevant training of ICT workers. It also underscored an employer’s need for clearly defined job classifications and competencies in order to keep Canada at the forefront of the knowledge economy.

The goal of the ICT Competency Profiles is to:

• Allow for the delivery of qualified ICT workers through improvements and refinements of the Canadian educational system curriculum;
• Increase the pool of highly qualified ICT professionals in Canada;
• Provide a consistent foundation of relevant ICT competencies;
• Provide employers with the ability to address skills gaps within their organization;
• Provide ICT professionals with the information necessary to make informed career decisions; and
• Facilitate gathering of accurate labour market information.

How do they work?
The ICT Competency Profiles offer a Cluster Listing, which illustrates how the 36 Work Streams are related to six general career clusters.

Each Work Stream outlines:

• A Title, Role Description, Typical Background and Sample Job Titles;
• Key Activities, Tasks and Performance Indicators; and
• Competencies, Behavioral Indicators and Proficiency Levels.

The Learning Outcomes for entry-level profiles are also included.

Who was consulted in the development?
Throughout the development process, numerous cross-country focus groups and consultations took place with HR consultants, ICT educators, employers, and individual workers across the sector. Ongoing feedback from stakeholders within the ICT industry has ensured that all proposed content is reflective of the industry’s requirements.

Who can benefit?
If you are an Employer this resource will:

• Give you online access to a national database of ICT work streams with a comprehensive list of competencies needed within each work stream;
• Give you the flexibility to select the competencies that fit your organization and create your own customized ICT job profiles to match your specific needs; and
• Help you succeed in all your human resources functions, including hiring quality staff, creating targeted employee development plans, recognizing and rewarding top performance and preparing succession plans.

If you are an Educator this resource will:

• Provide you with common and consistent information useful for developing curricula that are more closely aligned with current industry requirements;
• Ensure that the knowledge, skills and abilities that students have upon graduation meet industry needs; and
• Help you stay on top of trends in a rapidly evolving sector.

If you are a Student or an ICT Professional this resource will:

• Provide you with a description of the knowledge, skills and abilities needed for career paths; and
• Assist you with career-planning activities to identify learning needs and select targeted professional training.

How are they available?
ICT Competency Profiles are available online. For more information on how to access the ICT Competency Profiles click here.