The document provides highlights from a 2010 study on labour trends in British Columbia's technology sector. Some key findings include: - While the sector was impacted by the economic downturn in 2009, companies expect to grow headcount by 6% in 2010 to return to pre-downturn employment levels. - Top in-demand jobs over the next year include software engineers, technicians, project managers, and sales roles. - The cost of living in BC has surpassed lack of available talent as the primary barrier to recruitment. - Companies indicate a focus on sales, revenue, and profitability following the economic challenges of recent years.

1. FEBRUARY 2010
LABOUR TRENDS IN THE BRITISH COLUMBIA TECHNOLOGY SECTOR

2. This document is intended to provide highlights of the 2010 TechTalentBC study.
For more in-depth information, or a detailed member-briefing, please contact Cindy Pearson, Vice-
President and COO of the BCTIA at 604-602-5234 or cpearson@bctia.org.
2

3. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents .......................................................................................................... 3
Highlights ...................................................................................................................... 4
Observations.......................................................................................................... 11
Recommendations................................................................................................. 14
Labour Demand Forecast ............................................................................................ 15
Headcount Overview ............................................................................................. 15
Management Positions .......................................................................................... 16
Marketing, Sales, Business Development and Customer Service and Support ..... 17
Sole Entrepreneurs ................................................................................................ 22
Appendix I: Project Methodology ................................................................................ 26
Appendix II: TechTalentBC Labour Demand Profile ..................................................... 29
BC Technology Industry ............................................................................................... 32
Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................... 33
3

4. Highlights
TechTalentBC 2010
HIGHLIGHTS
Following a tough economic year where flat was often referred to as the new
growth, British Columbia technology companies tend to be optimistic about their
prospects for 2010 and beyond, signalling an economic recovery and including
the prospects of returning to a labour shortage by 2011.
The conclusions herein highlight a number of the findings of the third wave of
the BCTIA’s TechTalentBC Labour Demand Study. The study is a follow-up to two
previous waves released in 2007 and 2008. These waves forecasted significant
growth in headcount for the BC technology industry in the face of a labour
shortage as the industry achieved peak employment in 2008.
 While the BC technology industry was impacted by the economic
downturn in 2009 and one-third (36%) of respondent companies
reduced their headcount, another one-third (34%) grew their team
between Sept 1, 2008 and Sept 1, 2009. Another one-third (30%) stated
no change in their headcount in the same period.
 In the face of the worst industry downturn since the technology bubble
burst in 2001-2002, the BC technology industry reduced its total
headcount by approximately 6%, or about 4700 jobs.
 Encouragingly, respondent companies tend to believe the worst is now
over and collectively expect to grow their headcount by 6% in 2010,
bringing the industry back to its previous employment peak by the end
of 2010 or early 2011.
The 2010 TechTalentBC study involved an online survey of technology companies
4
across BC using the broad definition for the technology sector as outlined by the
Province of BC through BC Stats. With the 2007 and 2008 studies providing a baseline,
the study includes sample for the entire BC technology industry except for the Motion
Picture and Post-Production sector. The survey was subsequently followed by in-depth
interviews with senior executives and HR professionals across a breadth of BC
technology companies. For further discussion on the study methodology, please see
Appendix I: Project Methodology

5. Headcount Tracking and Projections:
BC Technology Industry
2008 Peak
100000
90000
80000
70000
60000
50000
Bubble Peak 40000
30000
20000
10000
0
Industry Tracking - BC Stats TechTalentBC Estimates Growth Projections
 With a base of approximately 78,500 employees in 2008 (not
including the Motion Picture sector), the BC technology industry
was at a new peak for labour demand in BC, over 10,000 jobs or
14.8% higher than the peak of the technology bubble in 2001.
 Pent-up labour demand at emerging technology companies in BC
helped to absorb much of the employment loss of other companies
in decline.
 With a return to growth in 2010, the BC technology industry is
poised to re-attain its previous peak level and proceed to achieve
new peak labour demand in years to come. The projections for
beyond 2010 (seen above) are based on conservative calculations
that assume the BC technology industry maintains a 3.95%
Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for its headcount – in
line with the CAGR experienced between the technology bust
(2002) and 2008.
Job Categories with Greatest Demand (Absolute Growth)
Designed to collect employee headcounts from participating companies, the
TechTalentBC Labour Demand profile focuses on current-year headcounts by
labour category, as well as expected headcounts one year hence. Changes to the
anticipated employee counts and skills mix provide the foundation for
understanding near-term BC labour trends. 5

6.  Expected demand for new positions is highest in the following
categories over the next twelve months. Note that while some positions
(such as executive management) have a smaller projected relative
growth, their absolute growth is still quite considerable given a
relatively large base.
T OP 10 J OB CATEGORIES
Job Category Growth (%) Growth (#)
Software Engineer (Total) 11.3% 235
Technician/Technologist (Total) 17.2% 207
Project Managers 22.7% 183
Executive Management 6.8% 112
Senior Sales and Sales 195
Management
Analyst (Total) 18.4% 85
Marketing Management 26.5% 73
Mechanical Engineer (Total) 16.1% 68
HW/SW Testing (Total) 13.7% 67
Product Managers 20.3% 64
TOP 10 JOB CATEGORIES TOTAL 1054
 In total, the top ten job categories account for about 22% of the job
growth, a substantial change from 2008 when the top 10 job categories
accounted for more than 40% of the potential new jobs. This is a
reflection that companies are looking to build their companies ‘across
the board’, likely reflecting similar styles of cuts reported during 2008-
2009.
 The majority of job growth within the Software Engineer category is at
the Intermediate level for respondent companies. Curiously, one area
where the respondents expect negative job growth is with Senior
Software engineers.
 Project Managers continue to be a popular job category in 2010
reflecting an expectation to revamp research and development and
customer implementation projects. From discussions with respondents,
this job category currently appears to have a solid supply of this
category as many of these positions became redundant during the
downturn and R&D and implementations slowed.
 Senior Sales and Marketing continue to be in high demand, particularly
as companies report having a very strong focus on profitability and
sales coming-out of the downturn.
6

7. T OP 10 J OB CATEGORIES : COMPARISON 2010 VS . 2008
2010 Rank 2008 Rank
1 Software Engineer (Total) 1
2 Technician/Technologist (Total) 10
3 Project Managers 3
4 Executive Management 8
5 Senior Sales and Sales Management 15
6 Analyst (Total) 40
7 Marketing Management 37
8 Mechanical Engineer (Total) 26
9 HW/SW Testing (Total) 22
10 Product Managers 9
 Top ten job categories are general similar between the 2008 and the
2010 studies, albeit the order has changed for many positions. New
positions of note include Mechanical Engineers and H/SW Testing
positions. Technical and General Customer Support positions also tend
to have declined in relative demand from 2008.
Sole Entrepreneurs
According to BC Stats (Profile of the BC Technology Sector, 2008), in 2007 there
were more than 12,800 companies with no employees (sole entrepreneurs)
working in BC’s technology industry, compared to approximately 7,000
companies that have headcounts.
 While sole entrepreneurs by definition, over 60% of these individuals
sub-contract other similar contractors helping to create in effect small
businesses. Over 16% of sole entrepreneurs report contracting 3 to 5
other FTE’s annually.
 Sole entrepreneurs tend to be a spawning ground for larger companies
too. Over 35% of sole entrepreneurs in the study expect to hire full-
time employees within the next 24 months.
7

8. Barriers to Recruitment
To understand the issues holding back recruitment, in 2008 and 2010 the
TechTalentBC study asked companies what they felt the greatest barriers to
recruiting in BC.
Q. In your experience, what are the key barriers to recruitment
in BC? (Please select up to three)
Higher cost of living
Lack of available talent
Price of talent
Lack of local talent
Cost of recruitment
No significant obstacles
Perceived lack of opportunities for…
Lack of recognition of BC as a center for…
Difficulty obtaining work permits or…
Other
Lack of employment opportunities for…
Lack of graduate students from BC…
0 100 200 300
Index 2010 Index 2008
 While the general barriers to recruiting talent in BC remain largely the
same between 2008 and 2010, there have been some noticeable shifts
reflecting the changing market.
 Where in 2008, the lack of available talent was the most often cited
barrier to recruitment it has shifted to second place having been
overtaken by the higher cost of living (or perceived higher cost) that
comes with living in BC.
8

9. Most Essential Positions to Hire
In recognition of the importance of sales and revenue, particularly in light of the
recent economic conditions, the most essential jobs that companies in BC are
trying to fill are sales-related and specifically senior sales people. As seen by the
first and second positions in the most essential positions table below.
Generally, the top essential positions listed by companies under this question
tend to align with the Top 10 job categories listed in the labour demand profile.
Q. What is the job title of the single most important job position
your company is trying to fill today, or will attempt to fill next?
Sales
Sales - Senior
Web / Interface Developers
Technician / Technologist
Engineer / Developer - Software
Other
Engineering/Development - Senior
Engineer - Specialized
Project Management
Business Development
Web / Interface Designer
Marketing
Finance & Admin
Executive Management
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Sponsorship of Co-operative Education and Interns
To understand if and how BC technology companies might be extending their
talent reach using BC’s academic resources, the TechTalentBC study has
incorporated questions regarding the sponsorship of research, participation in
co-operative education programs and the utilization of graduate interns.
 While the response rate for this section is generally low (39
respondents in 2008), responses were similar for 2010, While spending
on co-operative education positions (high school, college and
undergraduate) slipped modestly, spending on internships saw a
significant drop.
9
 35 companies indicated that they sponsored co-op students between
Sept 1, 2008 and Sept 1, 2009, with the number of positions sponsored

10. ranging from 1 to 15, and supported by a cumulative budget of
$621,000.
 Only 13 companies mentioned that they sponsored graduate interns in
the past 12 months, with a range extending from 1 to 2 intern positions
(down from a max of 9 in 2008). The cumulative budget for these
positions extended to only $168,000 as compared to $500,000 in 2008.
 Overall, 37 respondent companies stated that they have hired former
co-op students and interns, illustrating that the programs can be a
significant source for new talent.
Building Existing Talent through Training
 A considerable majority of the respondent companies (80%) allocate a
portion of their salary budget to support training for FTEs.
 While the majority of respondents (59%) allocate less than 2% of their
salary budget for training, a few respondents (5%) allocate 5% or more
of their salary budget for training purposes.
10

11. OBSERVATIONS
The following are a number of observations from the 2010 TechTalentBC study, many of
which resulted from the in-depth follow-on interviews with CXO’s and senior HR
managers.
While several of these observations are talent-related, many apply broadly to general
technology company business strategy. As a knowledge-based industry, talent and the
corporate execution of strategy are closely linked.
Cycles Happen
 As one respondent cited “Cycles Happen”. More importantly, they cited that the
cycles appear to be shortening in duration with every oscillation. Companies
need to be considering the full oscillation in their long-range planning.
 The relative recency of technology bubble and bust served as a key lesson for
many technology companies and their executives, providing them with the
experience with which to both prepare and respond.
Talent and Capital
 In discussions with senior executives, the link between capital and talent was
widely cited. Several companies mentioned that their inability to raise capital
during the downturn affected their business plans, including pending business
closures.
 As one respondent described the link between talent and capital: “while a good
team may be able to find the capital it requires, with capital you can always find
good people”
 While all companies cited cost containment measures in response to the
economic downturn, those companies who were fortunate enough, or strategic
enough, to raise capital during the previous boom were better positioned to
weather the storm than those which had not.
 Several executives cited that while BC has some incentives for raising capital
here, more needs to be done to ensure that the funds are available to provide
technology companies with the runway that they require. The lack of capital
compared to the amount required was particularly cited by respondents in the
medical devices and biotech sectors often require magnitudes of greater
funding than software companies.
Markets and Prospects
 The industries served by an organization have a large impact on their prospects.
For instance, those companies that service the domestic forestry industry cite
that the downturn for their business started long before September 2008 and
are less likely to foresee a turn-around with 2010. Similarly, companies servicing 11
the mining and oil and gas industries have had a tough 2009 and are conflicted
as to what 2010 will bring as markets for these commodities continue to
fluctuate.

12. For companies like these, the recent downturn had little additional impact as
they had already implemented significant cost reductions including lay-offs prior
to the study period.
 Several of the companies that service horizontal markets seemed to find it easier
to grow during the downturn and are better positioned into the upswing. As one
respondent cited, “there’s always an upmarket somewhere”. Many of the
respondents who grew through 2009 reported shifting focus and resources into
specific vertical segments of their market in order to grow.
Focus on Sales and Profitability
 While the results of the Labour Demand Profile illustrate that companies are
looking for a balance of technical and business talent, respondents cited that
they have made a focused effort on driving revenue and reducing costs to
achieve profitability.
Productivity has Increased
 Several respondents cited that through either lay-offs or acquisition of talented
resources laid-off from larger companies – or a combination of both – they have
very strong, productive teams currently.
 For many of the smaller, emerging companies, the downturn was a boon to
providing access to talent for which they normally wouldn’t have been able to
acquire or afford as easily.
BC has a Good Pool of Talent
 Respondents generally cited that they felt BC had a good pool of talent, albeit
many recognized the need for additional experienced talent from outside of BC
is required to augment our base.
 Respondents often cited the quality of academic and research institutions in BC
as sources of talent.
 Commonly, respondents cited both an increase in quantity and quality in the BC
labour market since the downturn. This has allowed many companies to
increase their level of talent with skilled, experienced workers, many of whom
have large company experience.
The Quality of Life in BC is Important for Attraction and Retention
 As has been cited many times, BC is an attractive place to live and build
knowledge-based businesses. BC’s attractiveness likely has a larger impact on
retention of talent rather than attraction. Two respondents specifically cited that
should their company exit through an acquisition, their staff would almost
entirely stay in BC.
 While BC’s Quality of Life is an important attractor, a commonly cited detractor
12 is the relatively high cost of living (or perceived cost of living) as compared to
other jurisdictions, particularly other jurisdictions in Canada.

13. Good People are Always Hard to Find
 A few respondents cited that they are already having difficulty sourcing the
people that they require to grow.
 A couple of respondents cited that because of the leading-edge nature of their
business, that they’ll never find people with the exact skills and experience that
they require. These companies tend to cite hiring people with adequate skills,
but who are a good fit, and training them on the specifics of their technology
approach.
 Other leading-edge companies, particularly those in software, cited that because
they work with modern technologies, it is extremely rare to find the senior
people that they want who also have a proficient knowledge of their specific
programming environment. For these companies, hiring trade-offs between
technical skills and experience is inevitable.
Community and Personal Networks are Important
 Several companies cited a reliance on their team members to provide referrals
for new potential hires. The stronger the community and networks between
people, the more effective this passive form of recruiting can be.
 While many companies did state that they pay a referral fee, or ‘bounty’ for
referred hires, most felt that it was the social aspect of the favour for a contact,
rather than the financial incentive, was the reason they received the referral.
Most team members will only refer friends and colleague into a company where
they see a good fit.
The Pending Talent Crunch Will Surprise Many
 Despite the optimistic headcount projections provided by many respondents,
the projection of the talent crunch re-emerging in late 2010 or early 2011 is a
surprise to many respondents.
13

14. RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Employee Retention Strategies
BC technology companies need to seriously consider strategies for retaining
their employees as the market heats-up in 2010 and beyond. Retention
strategies are particularly crucial for those companies that were fortunate
enough to acquire high-end talent without the traditional wage premium during
the downturn.
2. National and International Recruitment Programs
The governments of Canada and BC, and the BC technology industry, need to re-
institute attraction programs to encourage talented employees to locate in
Canada. Talent could be from the Rest of Canada, or from international sources,
or a combination of both.
3. Build Local Talent Brands
Companies in BC looking to hire in the next 12 to 24 months should develop
plans to build their local brand. Even if companies don’t sell into the BC
marketplace, awareness in the local market is crucial to attracting top talent.
4. Undertake Supply-Side Research
While the current TechTalentBC research looks at the demand side of the
market, additional work needs to be undertaken to review the supply side of the
market. Particularly, research is required to understand the dynamics that will
determine the severity of the talent crunch including:
 Under-employment issues and opportunities for redress
 Prospects for internal advancement
 Retirement and Succession Plans
 Awareness and desirability of BC as a destination for talent
5. Reinstate BC High-Tech Sector Report
The BC government has developed its own metrics for what constitutes the
High-Tech Sector. In 2009, the BC Government suspended development of their
annual tracking reports profiling the BC High-Technology Sector. At a minimum it
is recommended that the government re-instate a modest tracking report to
ensure that the Province stays on track in building a knowledge industry here in
BC.
6. Continue to Focus on Talent and Capital
Governments at all levels, with encouragement and assistance from the BCTIA,
need to stay focused on both of the key elements of Talent and Capital in order
14 to continue building an innovation economy here in BC.

15. LABOUR DEMAND FORECAST
HEADCOUNT OVERVIEW
Total BC Headcount
In line with the 2007 and 2008 studies, the 2010 TechTalentBC study asked respondents
to estimate the aggregate number of FTEs that they employed in BC on Sept 1, 2009 and
to project the number they expected to employ by September 2010. The difference
between the two is the growth (decline) for each category.
Growth companies were split almost in thirds with 34% of companies expecting to add
headcount by Sept 2010, 30% stating no change, and only 36% declining.
Expected Growth # of Companies % of Companies
Expecting to Add FTEs 93 34%
No Change 83 30%
Expecting a Decrease in FTEs 100 36%
Total Growth Estimate
2008 14,844
2009 14,264 (580) (-4%) (4709)
2010 (Expected) 15,844 1620 (11%) 4427
 Overall, the 2010 TechTalentBC study indicates strong growth potential for BC’s
technology sector, with headcount predicted to grow approximately 6% between
September 1, 2009, and September 1, 2010. While more conservative growth
estimates than previous years, it is still very significant.
 With a base of approximately 78,500 technology jobs (not including the
approximately 6,000 employees in motion picture production and post-production),
a growth of 6% extrapolates to approximately 4400 net new jobs in the industry.
While the actual headcount prediction is typically an optimistic projection
(companies tend to assume that they will hit their requisite milestone targets and be
able to obtain the talent they require when they need it), it is an important indicator
of confidence in both the prospects for individual companies and the industry as a
whole.
15

16. MANAGEMENT POSITIONS
To estimate the human resource needs at the management level, respondents were
asked to indicate the number of managers employed on Sept 1, 2009 as well as the
number of managers expected to be employed by the company by Sept 1, 2010.
General Management
Growth Comparison Growth
2010 (%) 2008 (%) 2010 (FTES)
Executive Management 6.8% 8.8% 112
Marketing Managers 26.5% 26.2% 73
Sales Managers 21.9% 43.0% 88
Business Development Managers 9.0% 24
Project Managers 22.7% 38.0% 183
Program Managers 27.1% 19.4% 63
Product Managers 20.3% 44.0% 64
Technical Managers -3.2% 21.7% (48)
GENERAL MANAGEMENT TOTAL 10.3% 23.1% 558
 According to the results, all areas of management are expected to grow over the
following year. Overall, total management headcount is projected to grow about
10% in the next twelve months, indicating that qualified managers will most
likely represent a growing labour need. This aggregate demand is substantially
less than the demand witnessed in the 2007 and 2008 studies, but still reflects
solid, albeit conservative growth.
 The areas of highest growth are program managers (27%) and marketing
managers (27%), followed by project managers (23%). Technical managers are
surprisingly expected to have the negative headcount growth at (-3%).
 When extrapolated to actual FTE’s, we see the general management category
adding 558 FTEs, or about one-ninth of the overall industry growth.
Specialist Management
Growth Comparison Growth
2010 (%) 2008 (%) 2010 (FTES)
Regulatory/Clinical Affairs 4.1% 7.9% 5
Licensing Management 0.0% 7.2% -
Intellectual Property 5.7% 60.3% 3
Management
Supply Chain Management 4.1% 7.9% 27
SPECIALIST MANAGEMENT TOTAL 10.1% 18.9% 34
 The specialist management categories show some of the lowest forecasted
16 growth of all labour demand categories. Many of these functions are often out-
sourced to professionals which makes this a fairly unsurprising result.

17. MARKETING, SALES, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND CUSTOMER SERVICE
AND SUPPORT
Marketing
In line with the 2008 study, which found the greatest demand for sales and
marketing positions, the 2010 study identified approximately 270 new marketing
positions over the next year. Again, this reflects a continued commitment to
expanding markets to drive revenue.
Growth Comparison Growth
2010 (%) 2008 (%) 2010 (FTES)
Marketing Managers 26.5% 26.2% 73
Product Managers 20.3% 44.0% 64
Marketing - Entry 30.4% 49.9% 39
Marketing - Intermediate 15.5% 51.9% 53
Marketing - Senior 19.5% 32.9% 40
MARKETING TOTAL 21.2% 39.4% 268
 As can be seen in many of the labour demand categories in 2010, the
projected growth is about half of that seen in the 2008 study.
Sales and Business Development
As a job category, Business Development was broken out from Sales for the first
time in the 2010 study due to the difference in skillsets often required between
the two positions.
 In total, 261 FTEs in sales and business development are required to
grow the BC technology industry in 2010 with about 10% of those
positions being business development jobs.
 Sales Managers and Senior Sales people have the highest FTE
requirements with 88 and 108 jobs respectively needing to be filled in
2010.
Growth Comparison Growth
2010 (%) 2008 (%) 2010 (FTES)
Sales Managers 21.9% 43.0% 88
Business Development Managers 9.0% 24
Sales - Entry 31.8% 49.6% 34
Sales - Intermediate 2.2% 35.0% 8
Sales - Senior 30.0% 29.0% 108
SALES AND BUSINESS 17.7% 36.7% 261
17
DEVOLOPMENT TOTAL

18. Customer Service and Support
Growth Comparison Growth
2010 (%) 2008 (%) 2010 (FTES)
Customer Support (General) - 0.0% 32.7% -
Entry
Customer Support (General) - 1.8% 12.5% 8
Intermediate
Customer Support (General) - 6.9% 11.9% 15
Senior
TOTAL CUSTOMER SUPPORT 2.7% 15.9% 23
(GENERAL)
Customer Support (Technical) - 64.0% 29.1% 60
Entry
Customer Support (Technical - 8.2% 23.5% 26
Intermediate
Customer Support (Technical) - 12.2% 14.6% 38
Senior
TOTAL CUSTOMER SUPPORT 17.2% 22.9% 124
(TECHNICAL)
CUSTOMER SERVICE AND 147
SUPPORT TOTAL
 One of the job categories that has the least demand overall in the 2010 study is
customer service and support. It is down significantly from being a high-growth
category in 2008.
 The exception to this lack of demand is entry-level technical support which is
expected to add 60 jobs in 2010 with a demand rate that is over twice that of
2008.
18

19. Technical Development – Hardware, Software and Networks
Growth Comparison Growth
2010 (%) 2008 (%) 2010 (FTES)
Technical Managers -3.2% 21.7% (48)
Program Managers 27.1% 19.4% 63
Project Managers 22.7% 38.0% 183
TOTAL TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT 7.9% 27.6% 198
MANAGEMENT
Analyst - Entry 22.2% 80.0% 15
Analyst - Intermediate 14.9% 50.0% 38
Analyst - Senior 22.8% 28.1% 33
TOTAL ANALYSTS 18.4% 38.2% 85
HW/SW Testing - Entry 20.3% 17.5% 15
HW/SW Testing - Intermediate 15.6% 30.7% 43
HW/SW Testing - Senior 6.4% 13.2% 9
TOTAL HW/SW TESTING 13.7% 21.9% 67
Quality Assurance - Entry 24.0% 8
Quality Assurance - Intermediate 23.7% 23.3% 40
Quality Assurance - Senior 3.2% 4
TOTAL QUALITY ASSURANCE 16.1% 23.3% 51
Hardware Engineer - Entry 37.5% 23.8% 15
Hardware Engineer - 22.0% 31.4% 23
Intermediate
Hardware Engineer - Senior 10.6% 20.6% 18
TOTAL HARDWARE ENGINEER 17.9% 26.2% 55
Systems / Operations 14.8% 29.5% 10
(HW/SW/NW) - Entry
Systems / Operations -39.2% 20.6% (130)
(HW/SW/NW) - Intermediate
Systems / Operations 12.6% 13.1% 38
(HW/SW/NW) - Senior
TOTAL SYSTEMS/OPERATIONS (11.8%) 19.9% (33.0%)
Software Engineer - Entry 27.3% 43.1% 83
Software Engineer - Intermediate 28.2% 43.3% 275
Software Engineer - Senior -15.3% 29.0% (123)
TOTAL SOFTWARE ENGINEER 11.3% 37.4% 94.0
19

20. Growth Comparison Growth
2010 (%) 2008 (%) 2010 (FTES)
Multimedia Developer - Entry 35.7% 20.7% 13
Multimedia Developer - 31.0% 50.0% 23
Intermediate
Multimedia Developer - Senior -20.0% 44.4% (20)
TOTAL MULTIMEDIA DEVELOPER 7.2% 44.0% 6
TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT – 8.1% 30.8% 505
SOFTWARE, HARDWARE AND
NETWORKS
 One-ninth of the overall headcount growth for 2010 is expected to
come from technical development positions within Hardware, Software
and Network development. This demand is not surprising given BC’s
historical reliance on the Information, Communications and
Telecommunications sectors as the backbone of its technology industry.
 Software Engineers, particularly Intermediate Software Engineers have
the greatest expectation of growth (275 FTE’s) while surprisingly, Senior
Software Engineers are anticipating a decrease in demand by a
considerable 123 FTEs.
 Another surprising area of loss is Intermediate Systems and Operations
professionals. This decrease in headcount may be due to an increasing
reliance on hosted systems where many of these traditional in-house
jobs are being managed by outsourcing professionals.
 As seen in the general management, demand remains high for Project
Managers and Program Managers, particularly as companies begin to
ramp-up their R&D efforts again in 2010.
20

21. Technical Development – Non-Hardware and Software
Growth Comparison Growth
2010 (%) 2008 (%) 2010 (FTES)
Electrical Engineer - Entry 16.7% 60.0% 1
Electrical Engineer - Intermediate -22.2% 15.8% (23)
Electrical Engineer - Senior 3.1% 38.5% 3
TOTAL ELECTRICAL ENGINEER (7.5%) 14.9% (19)
Mechanical Engineer - Entry 21.4% 44.4% 8
Mechanical Engineer - 18.5% 25.3% 58
Intermediate
Mechanical Engineer - Senior 3.3% 30.4% 3
TOTAL MECHANICAL ENGINER 16.1% 45.0% 27
Production Engineer - Entry 200.0% 54.8% 5
Production Engineer - 3.3% 8.9% 3
Intermediate
Production Engineer - Senior 23.1% 8.5% 8
TOTAL PRODUCTION ENGINEER 13.6% 13.9% 15
Civil Engineer - Entry 40.0% 31.3% 5
Civil Engineer - Intermediate 9.1% 54.3% 3
Civil Engineer - Senior 0.0% 24.1% -
TOTAL CIVIL ENGINEER 8.6% 33.8% 8
Environmental Engineer - Entry 50.0% 66.7% 3
Environmental Engineer - 11.1% 50.0% 3
Intermediate
Environmental Engineer - Senior 12.5% 20.8% 3
TOTAL ENVIRONMENTAL 15.8% 35.7% 7.5
ENGINEER
Technician/Technologist - Entry 25.0% 35.0% 38
Technician/Technologist - 19.1% 21.8% 128
Intermediate
Technician/Technologist - Senior 10.7% 9.3% 41
TOTAL TECHNICIAN 17.2% 18.5% 207
Scientist - Entry 25.0% 50.0% 3
Scientist - Intermediate 0.0% 29.4% -
Scientist - Senior 0.0% 24.0% -
TOTAL SCIENTIST 2.4% 30.0% 2.5
21
TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT 13.6% 18.5% 303
POSITIONS (Non-HW/SW) TOTAL

22.  With other technical positions, the most notable job category is that of the catch-all
technicians and technologists which are projecting a solid growth of over 200 FTE’s.
SOLE ENTREPRENEURS
 As part of 2010 Labour Demand study, several questions were asked of sole
entrepreneurs to determine whether they are predominantly true entrepreneurs and
contractors or ”contract employees” who spend the majority of their time with one
employer and as such are essentially FTEs at these client companies.
 It is recognized that as knowledge professionals, the broad technology industry
allows people to easily manage their own business, often from their own homes,
providing a very flexible (and low carbon footprint) workforce.
Contract Employees vs. Contractors
Q. Which of the following best describes your business?
(#) % % Change
2010 2010 2008
The Majority of My Time (60% Or More) 4 11.1 10.0% 
is Contracted to One Major Client
My time is typically split between two 3 8.3% 0.0% 
major clients
I Typically Work for Three or More 29 80.6 89.9% 
Clients
 Increase  Decrease No Change
In line with the 2008 study, the entrepreneurs who responded to this study tend to work
for multiple clients, with most (81%) indicating that they work for three or more clients
during the course of a typical year. Few individuals (11%) stated that they spend the
majority of their time with one employer, while 9% stated that they typically spread their
work between two major clients.
Services Provided
As seen in the chart below, the sole entrepreneur tasks run the gamut of business and
professional positions, including many of the specialist positions cited earlier in the main
labour demand profile.
The jobs tend to be desk-bound, reflecting the innate ability to work from home with
relatively minimal equipment required.
22

23. Q. As a sole entrepreneur, what types of services do you typically
provide? (Choose all that apply)
Multimedia Design/Development
Management Consulting
Technical Writing
Marketing and/or Public Relations
Software Development
Sales, Business or Channel…
IT/Network Support
Index
Engineering
Product Development or Product…
Industrial Design
Supply Chain Management
Intellectual Property Management
Game Design
0 50 100 150 200
Services Provided (#) % % Change
2010 2010 2008
Multimedia Design/Development 9 13.2% 47.7% 
Marketing and/or Public Relations 6 8.8% 30.8% 
Technical Writing 8 11.8% 21.5% 
IT/Network Support 5 7.4% 20.0% 
Product Development or Product 4 5.9% 16.9% 
Management
Engineering Services 5 7.4% 15.4% 
Management Consulting 9 13.2% 13.8% 
Sales, Business or Channel Development 5 7.4% 13.8% 
Intellectual Property Management 3 4.4% 9.2% 
Software Development 6 8.8% 7.7% 
Supply Chain Management 3 4.4% 1.5% 
Game Design 1 1.5% NEW in 2010
*Note: Figures may add up to more than 100% owing to multiple responses
23

24. Sole Entrepreneur Industries
Reflecting the breadth of business and desktop-based role outlined above, its’ not
surprising that sole entrepreneurs in BC’s technology industry provide a considerable
plurality of the services to the digital media, ICT and Engineering Services sectors.
Index: Sole Entrepreur X Industry
Digital Media and Gaming
Information and Communications…
Engineering Services
Other
Wireless Technologies
Sustainable/Environmental…
Ocean and Marine Technologies
0 50 100 150 200 250
Sub-Contracting
New to the 2010 study was questioning to understand how many other sole
entrepreneurs each tends to work with (on an FTE basis).
Surprisingly, over 60% of respondent sole entrepreneurs sub-contract to other
contractors creating virtual companies with up to 5 FTE’s.
Q. Do you currently sub-contract to other organizations or independent contractors?
(Please select the most correct answer)
Expected Hires (#) % % Change
2010 2010 2008
I do not currently sub-contract to others 12 38.7% NEW in 2010
I sub-contract 1 to 2 other FTEs annually 14 45.2% NEW in 2010
I sub-contract 3 to 5 other FTEs annually 5 16.1% NEW in 2010
Expectation to Hire Full-Time Employees
 While almost two-thirds of sole entrepreneurs are expecting to remain one-
person companies over the next two years, many are planning to expand and
hire one or two (19%) or three or more (16%) FTEs in the next 24 months. This
24
reflects that many companies start as sole entrepreneurs and virtual companies
before becoming formal companies with FTE’s.

25. Q. Are you planning to hire any full-time employees within the next two years (24
months)? (Please select the most correct answer)
Expected Hires (#) % % Change
2010 2010 2008
Not Planning to Hire Full-Time 20 64.5% 55.0% 
Employees
One to Two Full-Time Employees 6 19.4% 29.0% 
Three or More Full-Time Employees 5 16.1% 15.0% 
 In summary, sole entrepreneurs provide a significant base of support for the
technology industry in BC (14% of the total technology industry headcount), and
offer a number of valuable near-sourced services to the broad BC technology
industry. More importantly, they are a substantial funnel for growing new, larger
enterprises in the sector.
25

26. APPENDIX I: PROJECT METHODOLOGY
The 2010 study is the third wave of the BCTIA’s TechTalentBC Labour Demand study and
for consistency and comparison potential followed a similar format to the 2007 and 2008
studies. The study uses the broad definition of the BC technology industry from BC Stats,
save and except for the Motion Picture and Post-Production sector.
Undertaken as a multi-modal research project, the primary mode was an online survey of
CXO’s and senior HR professionals at BC’s technology companies. To assist respondents, a
fax-back option was also provided facilitating offline data collection.
Follow-on in-depth interviews were also undertaken with 15 CXO’s and senior HR
professionals to provide additional depth and context to the quantitative data analysis
and to confirm hypotheses’ herein.
The quantitative survey was conducted from October 20 to November 4, 2009. An
invitation to participate in the study was sent to 5,123 CXO and Senior HR contacts at
2995 companies across BC. Care was to taken to ensure respondents were selected from
a cross-section of technology sectors, vertical markets serviced, and geographic regions
across BC.
Sample Validation
To validate the sample, the respondent dataset was compared to industry statistics from
BC Stats as published in their Profile of the British Columbia High Technology Sector-2008
Edition.
While the respondent sample has a moderate skew towards more mature companies,
with 276 organizational respondents (including 40 sole entrepreneurs), the data collected
appears to be a representative reflection of the total technology community in BC.
Sample Population
Dec 31, 2007
Total number of respondents (with FTE’s) 236 6952
Total revenue (past 12 months) $4.8B $15.04B
Total headcount 13,789 75,810
(Sep 1 2008)
Average number of employees 58.4 10.9
Median number of employees 18
Average revenue $24.1M 2.16M
Median revenue $1.4M
Average company age 17 years
Collectively, respondent companies with employees represent $4.8B in revenue and had
13,789 employees on September 1, 2008. Effectively, this means that the respondent
26 companies (with FTE’s) account for approximately 32% of the industries revenue and 18%
of the headcount.

27. The sample appears to be skewed slightly toward larger, more mature
companies, which can be seen in the average age of respondent companies (17
years), as well as their average size (58.4 employees), compared to the average
of 10.9 employees cited by BC Stats. However, 50% of respondent companies
reported having fewer than 18 employees (as seen by the median size),
suggesting a good sample of smaller companies.
As larger companies tend to grow more slowly than smaller companies, as was
cited in the 2007 TechTalentBC study, and since they tended to have deeper
cuts, as is seen in the 2010 data, any extrapolation to the broader community
should be a conservative reflection of growth.
As such, the researcher and the BCTIA are comfortable extrapolating the data to
the broad BC technology industry.
Concerns: Survivor Bias and Optimistic Projections
In the 2007 and 2008 TechTalentBC studies it was recognized that companies
were probably over-optimistic in their headcount projections. Achieving
headcount projections typically requires that a company meet a number of
corporate milestones including but not limited to financing, revenue growth and
an ability to find the desired people required within the timeframe required.
As stated in the 2007 and 2008 report, our previous hypothesis was that
company projections were probably optimistic by a factor of 2, although there
has previously been insufficient data to confirm the hypothesis. With the 2010
study, there were 63 companies who had also provided input into the 2007
wave. As such, we were able to confirm projected headcount for September 1,
2008 with the actual headcount for that date. Where a growth of 13.7% was
predicted, only 4.5% growth was realized, likely in part to due to the tightness of
the labour market at that time.
Therefore, when extrapolating actual headcount expected in 2010, headcount
number have been reduced by a factor of 2 to provide a more precise prediction
of actual headcount growth.
Survivor bias is also recognized as a weakness of the study’s methodology. By
nature, companies that have recently ceased operations are excluded from the
sample as they cannot be reached. As such, companies whose headcount has
been reduced to zero are undercounted in the study. Survivor bias was of
particular concern to the 2010 study due to the effects of the recent economic
downturn.
To account for survivor bias, projections of the decrease in industry headcount in
2009 have been multiplied by a factor of 1.46 to provide a comfortable
conservatism to the estimate. This resulted in a gross-up from the reported 4.1%
27
decrease in headcount experienced by respondent companies in the 2010
sample to our projected industry-wide decrease of 6.0%.

28. As TechTalentBC continues in future years, we expect further refinements in its
ability to predict specific headcount demand.
TechTalentBC Labour Demand Profile
The core of the TechTalentBC study is the labour demand profile which asks
companies to provide their current and projected headcounts by major business
and technical job categories. These categories were defined in the 2006 Labour
Demand study with assistance from the Information and Communications
Technology Council.
Respondents were asked to provide their headcounts by category as of
September 1, 2008, September 1, 2009, and to provide their expected
headcounts as of September 1, 2010. The aggregate difference between the two
figures (adjusted for exuberance as cited in the previous section) provides the
projected growth for each category.
The labour demand profile is based on the profile from the 2007 and 2008
baseline studies, with the exception of refinements to separate Business
Development professionals from Sales Professionals, to increase the granularity
of the Quality Assurance job category and to clarify the Production Engineer and
the Systems and Operations job categories.
Despite the fact that many organizations have national and global workforces To
keep the study focused, respondents were asked to only provide input on their
BC-based employment.
Specific results for the TechTalentBC Labour Demand Profile can be found in
Appendix II: TechTalentBC Labour Demand Profile
28

29. APPENDIX II: TECHTALENTBC LABOUR DEMAND PROFILE
2010 Category 2010 2008 2010 2008 Change
Growth Growth Growth Growth
(%) (%) (#) #)
Executive Management 6.8% 8.8% 112 120 
Marketing Managers 26.5% 26.2% 73 49 
Sales Managers 21.9% 43.0% 88 120 
Business Development Managers 9.0% 24 0 **
Project Managers 22.7% 38.0% 183 280 
Program Managers 27.1% 19.4% 63 38 
Product Managers 20.3% 44.0% 64 95 
Technical Managers -3.2% 21.7% (48) 216 
Total Business Management 10.3% 23.1% 558 459 
Marketing - Entry 30.4% 49.9% 39 34 
Marketing - Intermediate 15.5% 51.9% 53 68 
Marketing - Senior 19.5% 32.9% 40 45 
Total Marketing 19.5% 43.8% 131 74 
Sales - Entry 31.8% 49.6% 34 54 
Sales - Intermediate 2.2% 35.0% 8 101 
Sales - Senior 30.0% 29.0% 108 98 
Total Sales 18.6% 34.9% 149 126 
Customer Support (General) - Entry 0.0% 32.7% - 53 
Customer Support (General) - Intermediate 1.8% 12.5% 8 75 
Customer Support (General) - Senior 6.9% 11.9% 15 21 
Total Customer Support (General) 2.7% 15.9% 23 75 
Customer Support (Technical) - Entry 64.0% 29.1% 60 149 
Customer Support (Technical - Intermediate 8.2% 23.5% 26 133 
Customer Support (Technical) - Senior 12.2% 14.6% 38 61 
Total Customer Support (Technical) 17.2% 22.9% 124 172 
Software Engineer - Entry 27.3% 43.1% 83 92 
Software Engineer - Intermediate 28.2% 43.3% 275 253 
Software Engineer - Senior -15.3% 29.0% (123) 161 
Total Software Engineer 11.3% 37.4% 235 253 
Multimedia Developer - Entry 35.7% 20.7% 13 4 
Multimedia Developer - Intermediate 31.0% 50.0% 23 31 
Multimedia Developer - Senior -20.0% 44.4% (20) 27 
Total Multimedia Developer 7.2% 44.0% 15 31 *
Electrical Engineer - Entry 16.7% 60.0% 1 5 
Electrical Engineer - Intermediate -22.2% 15.8% (23) 5 *
Electrical Engineer - Senior 3.1% 38.5% 3 14 
Total Electrical Engineer -9.9% 31.6% (19) 12 
29
Increase Decrease No Change (±10%)

30. 2010 Category 2010 2008 2010 2008 Change
Growth Growth Growth Growth
(%) (%) (#) #)
Hardware Engineer - Entry 37.5% 23.8% 15 8 
Hardware Engineer - Intermediate 22.0% 31.4% 23 42 
Hardware Engineer - Senior 10.6% 20.6% 18 23 
Total Hardware Engineer 17.9% 26.2% 55 36 
Mechanical Engineer - Entry 21.4% 44.4% 8 13 
Mechanical Engineer - Intermediate 18.5% 25.3% 58 31 
Mechanical Engineer - Senior 3.3% 30.4% 3 27 
Total Mechanical Engineer 16.1% 29.4% 68 35 
Production Engineer - Entry 200.0% 54.8% 5 91 †
Production Engineer - Intermediate 3.3% 8.9% 3 54 
Production Engineer - Senior 23.1% 8.5% 8 59 
Total Production Engineer 13.6% 13.9% 15 102 *
Civil Engineer - Entry 40.0% 31.3% 5 12 
Civil Engineer - Intermediate 9.1% 54.3% 3 14 
Civil Engineer - Senior 0.0% 24.1% - 11 
Total Civil Engineer 8.6% 33.8% 8 18 *
Environmental Engineer - Entry 50.0% 66.7% 3 3 
Environmental Engineer - Intermediate 11.1% 50.0% 3 3 
Environmental Engineer - Senior 12.5% 20.8% 3 3 
Total Environmental Engineer 15.8% 35.7% 8 5 *
Engineer (Other) - Entry 18.9% 29.6% 18 13 
Engineer (Other) - Intermediate -51.0% 25.0% (163) 31 
Engineer (Other) - Senior 9.5% 17.0% 30 13 
Total Engineer (Other) -15.8% 23.4% (115) 28 *
Systems / Operations (HW/SW/NW) - Entry 14.8% 29.5% 10 25 
Systems / Operations (HW/SW/NW) - Intermediate -39.2% 20.6% (130) 35 
Systems / Operations (HW/SW/NW) - Senior 12.6% 13.1% 38 19 
Total Systems / Operations (HW/SW/NW) -11.8% 19.9% (83) 40 -
HW/SW Testing - Entry 20.3% 17.5% 15 17 
HW/SW Testing - Intermediate 15.6% 30.7% 43 48 
HW/SW Testing - Senior 6.4% 13.2% 9 15 
Total HW/SW Testing 13.7% 21.9% 67 40 
Analyst - Entry 22.2% 80.0% 15 3 
Analyst - Intermediate 14.9% 50.0% 38 23 
Analyst - Senior 22.8% 28.1% 33 20 
Total Analyst 18.4% 38.2% 85 23 
Technician/Technologist - Entry 25.0% 35.0% 38 27 
Technician/Technologist - Intermediate 19.1% 21.8% 128 38 
Technician/Technologist - Senior 10.7% 9.3% 41 19 
Total Technician 17.2% 18.5% 207 42 
30
Increase Decrease No Change (±10%)

31. 2010 Category 2010 2008 2010 2008 Change
Growth Growth Growth Growth
(%) (%) (#) #)
Scientist - Entry 25.0% 50.0% 3 6 
Scientist - Intermediate 0.0% 29.4% - 8 
Scientist - Senior 0.0% 24.0% - 9 
Total Scientist 2.4% 30.0% 3 12 *
Quality Assurance - Entry 24.0% 8 0 
Quality Assurance - Intermediate 23.7% 23.3% 40 55 
Quality Assurance - Senior 3.2% 4 0 
Total Quality Assurance 16.1% 23.3% 51 27 
Specialty - Regulatory/Clinical Affairs 4.1% 7.9% 5 6 
Specialty - Licensing Management 0.0% 7.2% - 6 
Specialty - Intellectual Property Management 5.7% 60.3% 3 19 
Specialty - Supply Chain Management 12.1% 16.6% 27 22 
Total Speciality 10.1% 18.9% 34 54 *
Increase Decrease No Change (±10%)
*Caution: Small Sample Size
** New in 2010 – Consider as part of sales in 2008 data
† Caution: Probable outlier in 2008 Data
31

32. BC TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY
The following is an outline of the major industry sectors in BC and their relative
strengths with respect to number of companies, number of employees and
annual revenues.
TECHNOLOGY SECTOR STATISTICS
6,000 companies
INFORMATION &
46,000 employees
COMMUNICATIONS $9 billion in revenue
Hardware, Software, Telecommunications and IP over
Everything
500 companies
WIRELESS
6,000 employees
Hardware, Software and Broadband Internet
$2 billion in revenue
100 companies
LIFE SCIENCES 2,600 employees
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices
$900 million in revenue
1100 companies
NEW MEDIA
15,000 employees
Interactive Multimedia, Gaming and E-Learning
$2 billion in revenue
190 companies
AEROSPACE
1,550 employees
Engineering, Manufacturing and Training
$450 million in revenue
1,390 companies
CLEAN TECH
21,000 employees
Hydrogen; Fuel Cells; Power Electronics; Energy Storage;
Wind, Ocean and Solar Power; Environmental Technologies
$2.8 billion in revenue
Data compiled from Profile of the British Columbia High Technology Sector (2008), Wireless in BC
(2007), New Media BC, Aerospace Industry Association of BC. Sectors contain overlapping data due
to companies being listed in more than one sector.
* Headquartered in BC
G LOBAL C OMPANIES WITH A P RESENCE IN BC
3M Touch Systems HSBC Group Robert Bosch GmbH
Alliant Techsystems IBM Sage Group
Ballard Power Systems Inc.* Intel Schneider Electric
Boeing MacDonald, Dettwiler and Scientific Atlanta – a Cisco
Broadcom Corporation Associates Ltd. (MDA)* Company
CDC Software Microsoft Corporation Sierra Wireless*
Dolby Canada McKesson Corporation Seiko Epson Corporation
Eastman Kodak Nokia SAP
Electronic Arts Open Solutions Sophos
Harman International Pixar TELUS*
Industries Plug Power UTStarcom
Honeywell Video Systems Phillips Lighting Vivendi Universal
Walt Disney
32

33. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
TechTalentBC Labour Demand Study is an annual industry study designed to
identify the growth and hiring trends of British Columbia’s technology industry.
SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS
BC Ministry of Housing and Social
Development, Employment and Labour
Market Services–
http://www.labourmarketservices.gov.bc.ca
KEY ORGANIZATIONS
British Columbia Technology Industry
Association – www.bctia.org
The British Columbia Technology Industry
Association (BCTIA) is a not-for-
profit organization that represents the
technology industry of British Columbia. As the
voice of BC's technology industry, the BCTIA
provides the leadership, connection, and action
needed to foster the continued growth and
success of the industry.
Thomson & Associates –
http://www.thomsonconsulting.ca
Led by Steve Thomson, SL Thomson &
Associates Consulting is a boutique research
and consulting firm specializing in market
intelligence and strategy consulting for high-
tech organizations. Thomson & Associates
employs a mix of quantitative, qualitative, and
competitive intelligence research to drive
actionable product and business development
efforts.
33

34. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH