In a year that saw the rise of the virtual reality industry, Calgary’s tech talent base is looking to the tech world for job opportunities.
But the city isn’t ready to offer those opportunities yet.
“We’re not sure what the future holds,” said Mike Cammack, executive director of the Calgary Web Development Council.
“We’re working on it.”
Cammack said the council has heard from developers looking to relocate to Calgary in search of work.
“We need more tech developers in Calgary, because they’re the ones who are going to make the next big wave,” he said.
“It’s a very difficult market.”
Some of Calgary’s biggest tech companies are looking to find a home for their tech staffsThe biggest companies in Calgary are Calgary-based Calgary-headquartered technology companies like Uber, Airbnb and Airbnb, which employ more than 1,300 people.
They’re also looking for people to help run their sites.
“They’re the largest employer in Calgary,” said Calgary-Headquartered technology company and Calgary-born CEO of Airbnb, Kevin Reiss.
“They are the ones that have a presence in Calgary and they’re looking for some additional talent.”
Reiss said the tech industry in Calgary is “very vibrant.”
“I think it’s going to get even more vibrant with the technology boom,” he added.
“There are so many tech companies.
They have a tremendous amount of talent.
It’s going for the whole world.”
Calgary-based startup incubator YCombinator said it’s looking for tech workers to run its projects in Calgary.
“The industry has seen a tremendous increase in demand for tech talent,” said YCombinators CEO, Dan Dube.
“While YCombinations is not directly competing with Airbnb and Uber, we are partnering with them to help foster a strong ecosystem for this industry.””YCombinations works with startups to build a network of developers who are focused on building apps that make people’s lives better,” he continued.
“Our founders have worked with many successful startups, and they are a great example of what the world is all about.
We are happy to be a part of that community.”
Uber, which is headquartered in New York, has also announced it will be hiring for the tech and hospitality industries.
Dube said the Uber team is looking for talent in both the Calgary and New York tech hubs.
“When we’re recruiting for jobs in Toronto and New Jersey, we’re looking at people who are tech savvy,” he told the CBC.
“When we recruit for a new team in Calgary we’re not looking for someone who has a high-level background in the tech sector.
We’re looking to attract the people who can bring their talents to the city.”
Dube and Uber have recently been looking to expand their Calgary presence.
The company recently announced that it would be moving into the University District, where it already has offices and employs about 10 people.
The company is also opening a new office in the West Village.
In addition, Uber is looking into new markets in the future, like London, Singapore and London, according to Dube and Reiss, who added that the company is looking at the Vancouver area as well.
According to the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, the Calgary area is home to about 1.3 million people.
There are more than 300 tech companies in the area, and about a dozen of those are based in Calgary.
“With files from CBC Calgary’s Katie Molloy and The Canadian Press
