Tech workers in nonprofits earn on average over $30,000 less than tech workers annually in other
industries in Canada. Many
nonprofits already report not having the
necessary skills to use technology already in place.
TORONTO, July 16,
2024 /CNW/ - New research on the tech workforce in
Canada's nonprofit sector shows
there is a significant gap in the skill sets needed for workers to
succeed in an increasingly digital world. Our research shows that
significant pay disparities exist in this sector and is likely a
major contributor to the tech talent shortage in this industry.
Findings are according to a new research report, Canada's nonprofit Tech Workforce, under
the Futureproofing the Community Service
Workforce initiative.
The report analyzes Canadian census data to evaluate the size
and composition of the tech workforce as well as pay disparities
within the nonprofit sector.
Among the key findings:
- Only one per cent of nonprofit workers are employed in
tech roles compared to five per cent industry average.
The relatively small tech workforce in the non-profit sector
is likely a combination of lower demand and lower ability to
attract tech work.
- Job for job, tech workers doing the same work for nonprofits
earn less. Hiring for tech skills in nonprofits relies
heavily on workers willing to take large salary discounts. For
example, information system specialists (the most common tech
profession within nonprofits) earn 20 per cent less working for
nonprofits than they would working elsewhere.
- The nonprofit sector tends to be more diverse than other
sectors when it comes to gender and Indigenous identity. Tech
workers in the nonprofit sector are twice as likely to be women
compared to the wider economy. Visible minorities are
overrepresented in all tech occupations, including tech work within
nonprofits. In nonprofits, 39 per cent of tech workers have a
visible minority identity, compared to just 28 per cent of all
workers in Canada.
- Indigenous Peoples, women, and visible minority tech workers
in nonprofits are all paid less than other workers. Despite
increased representation, women working in tech for nonprofits only
earn 86 per cent of what men working in tech for nonprofits earn.
Indigenous tech workers are similarly underpaid for tech
occupations within nonprofit organizations versus non-Indigenous
tech workers in nonprofits.
The nonprofit sector is a critical resource to communities
across the country and also acts as a major employer in
Canada. According to Statistics
Canada, 2.5 million Canadians were employed in the sector in 2021,
including 618,000 Canadians employed by community nonprofits.
Additionally, Statistics Canada estimates that nonprofits account
for 8.3 per cent of Canada's
economy in 2021.
To date, there has been limited research into the state of the
nonprofit sector within Canada. To
address this gap, Futureproofing the Community Service Workforce
aims to understand and unlock the nonprofit sector's digital skills
potential.
A companion study released alongside this report, Digital
Skills Demand in the nonprofit Sector, explores the state of
digital skills required by all workers (Information Communications
Technology (ICT) workers and non-ICT workers) in the nonprofit
sector.
Futureproofing the Community Service Workforce is led by a
partnership between Imagine Canada, the Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University, the Digital
Governance Council (DGC) and Blueprint. The Canadian Centre for
Nonprofit Digital Resilience provides a platform to share
information about this project.
About Imagine Canada
Imagine Canada is a national,
bilingual charitable organization whose cause is Canada's charities and nonprofits. Through our
advocacy efforts, research and social enterprises, we help
strengthen charities, nonprofits and social entrepreneurs so they
can better fulfill their missions. Our vision is of a strong
Canada where charities work
together alongside business and government to build resilient and
vibrant communities.
About the Dais at Toronto
Metropolitan University
The Dais is Canada's platform
for bold policies and better leaders. We are a public policy and
leadership think tank at Toronto
Metropolitan University, connecting people to the ideas and power
we need to build a more inclusive, innovative, prosperous
Canada. Visit us at dais.ca
About the Digital Governance Council (DGC)
About Blueprint
Blueprint was founded on the simple idea that evidence is a
powerful tool for change. We work with policymakers and
practitioners to create and use evidence to solve complex policy
and program challenges. Our vision is a social policy ecosystem
where evidence is used to improve lives, build better systems and
policies, and drive social change.
About The Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital
Resilience
The Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital Resilience (CCNDR)
works to create a digitally-enabled nonprofit sector, where
Canada's nonprofits use data and
tech to multiply their impact. It was co-founded by Centraide du
Grand Montreal, The Digital Governance Council, Imagine Canada,
Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund, NTEN, SETSI, and Tamarack
Institute, alongside 180 supporting organizations and 200
individual advisors.
SOURCE Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital Resilience