Mayor Jyoti Gondek was among the speakers representing the Alberta city at a Wednesday session hosted by the Collision conference in Toronto – calling herself a “shameless non-techie” but a passionate supporter of the industry.
“You need people to work in your organizations and you need people to be your customers. That’s what I’m focused on,” Gondek told the session. “Retention is very important.”That work involves talking with workers and business leaders about what they’re looking for in a livable city, such as cultural amenities and grocery stores that make immigrants feel at home.
Other panelists discussed the importance of having an ecosystem of tech companies so workers feel reassured that they have career options if they take the risk to move across the country or the world for a job in Calgary.Smith and Gondek both highlighted that the city’s history as an oil and gas hub, and its ample supply of talented workers in the energy sector who have transferrable skills.