OTTAWA — Kanata North Business Association (KNBA), which represents Canada’s largest technology park, onl Wednesday launched Discover Technata 2.0, a global talent attraction platform consisting of virtual career fairs, talent roadshows and a state-of-the art job board.
The Discover Technata 2.0 platform is the engine of Kanata North’s talent recovery plan and the initiative is being spearheaded by KNBA’s president and executive director, Jamie Petten.
Home to more than 540 companies, the Kanata North Technology Park is recognized as a world leader in the global application market with a number of sub-sectors thriving within the tech cluster, including communications, 5G wireless networking, software-as-a-service, connected and autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, assembly and manufacturing, and cybersecurity, among others.
Leading multinationals, such as Blackberry QNX, Nokia, Ericsson, Ciena, Mitel and Huawei, as well as emerging start-ups, including Youi.tv, Solace and Martello Technologies, have chosen to locate many of their key R&D activities within the tech cluster, says the press release announcing Discover Technata 2.0’s launch.
Knowledge-based businesses in the technology park currently employ about 28,000 workers, and other job opportunities are opening in the area for consultants, auditors, sales and marketing professionals, finance experts, and suppliers, says the press release.
According to KNBA, 90% of Canada’s telecom research and development happens in the Kanata North Technology Park. Given the current environment and “remote first” work policies that have been adopted due to the pandemic, the demand for research, development and services related to connectivity and 5G have increased opportunities exponentially for business in the tech park, says the release.
“There is unprecedented growth taking place worldwide related to 5G wireless broadband networks and solutions. Investments are being made around the globe in the communications industry, which will result in significant economic growth for the areas where the tech suppliers are prominent. I participate in this revolution every day,” said Sir Terry Matthews, who counts Mitel among the many Ottawa tech businesses he founded. “Initiatives such as those led by the Kanata North Business Association will ensure continued growth for our global 5G and other leaders for years to come.”
“Kanata North is a globally significant technology innovation cluster and a major contributor to Ontario and Ottawa’s respective economies,” said KNBA president Jamie Petten, in the press release. “KNBA remains focused on initiatives that will foster innovation within the city of Ottawa. We aim to further position this region as one of the world’s leading tech capitals by helping drive the growth of the business area.
“At the same time, we’re offering greater opportunities to talented professionals from around the world, and giving them a chance to thrive in our innovation centre,” she added.
Discover Technata’s job board is expected to be a focal point for job seekers across Canada and internationally, bringing in talented professionals from around the globe to live, work and learn within the tech park’s Global 5G Innovation District and Living Lab, says the release.
In October, the Discover Technata virtual career fair broke a record with more than 17,000 registrants, says the release. KNBA plans to hold a virtual roadshow under the Discover Technata brand to market the burgeoning opportunities at the tech park to job seekers in Toronto, Waterloo, Montreal and Vancouver.
The Kanata North Technology Park is home to two universities as well as the city’s connected and autonomous vehicles public test track, where Ottawa was the first Canadian city to launch testing of an on-street autonomous vehicle communicating with live city infrastructure. In addition, Kanata North is the headquarters for the Canada-wide CENGN (Centre of Excellence in Next Generation Networks).
