IBM Investing in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia provided a business environment that allowed IBM to surpass growth projections.

In 2012, IBM projected the creation of 500 jobs over an eight-year period.

Today, the company has been hiring well ahead of the estimated timeline target and working with NSBI, IBM plans to expand with the creation of 250 additional positions.

Chris MacIntosh (IBM), Gerald Lawson (NSBI), Laurel Broten (NSBI), Clement Horton (IBM), Sharon Hodgson (IBM), Binbin Ye (IBM)

IBM has become an integral part of Nova Scotia’s tech industry. The company chose Halifax for its first Canadian Client Innovation Centre (CIC), and has become part of IBM’s global network of delivery centres that span over three dozen countries, employing thousands of service professionals.

We're quite proud of the employee growth we've experienced within the Centre while continuing to contribute to economic growth in Nova Scotia by creating high-value jobs through local investment. 
-Claude Guay, general manager, IBM Global Business Services.

ICT in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia has a globally recognized culture of innovation that leading ICT companies are leveraging.

From start-ups, to big ICT players, to post-secondary institutions, Nova Scotia has the workforce, expertise, innovation, and investment to play a key role in big data.

Nova Scotia’s university capital

Nova Scotia produces more post-secondary graduates per capita than any other province, offering ICT companies access to the highest number of post-secondary graduates in Engineering, Applied Sciences, Mathematics, and Physical Sciences per capita compared to any other province in Canada.

The province’s universities have 22% more students enrolled per capita in ICT related fields than the Canadian average, and more than any other province.

Partnering to grow companies

Nova Scotia’s post-secondary institutions work closely with companies, like IBM, to ensure graduates have the necessary skills to succeed in tomorrow’s economy.

“Employers are pleased with the capability of our students and the level of co-operation with industry. We are seeing significant opportunities in the financial services and data analytics space for our graduates.” Barb Powers, Nova Scotia Community College, Waterfront School of Business Finance and Entrepreneurship

These partnerships have resulted in IBM hiring 50 per cent of CIC employees right out of Nova Scotia’s post-secondary schools. They include graduates such as Clement Horton, Binbin Ye and Chris Peters.

High-value technology stories

In Nova Scotia, Hard Work Pays Off
Chris Peters joined IBM in a development support role following his graduation from Nova Scotia Community College in 2012. His passion was in web development, and IBM supported him with the required training. Around this time, IBM launched a project to develop a Sports Insights solution to help professional sports teams view, organize and surface relevant data important in evaluating an individual player and team performance. Chris was interviewed to join this team but wasn’t selected because they didn’t feel that he had the necessary experience.

Chris knew this was a project he could do well, and took it upon himself to spend his evenings making web demos of the design mockups. As a result, the decision was reversed and Chris joined as a foundational team member. In just two years, Chris has moved from the junior on the team to leading teams and mentoring new early professionals.

In Nova Scotia, Leadership is Recognized
Binbin Ye also started her career with IBM as a recent graduate from Saint Mary’s University. Binbin began in a development role working for a major telecommunication client. Her first project was on the client site to understand the business process and support a new release. Her work ethic and capability were outstanding, and she quickly became a key member of the team on the first delivery.

Binbin understands the value for early professionals and women in technology at IBM. In her spare time, she is a leader in the recruitment of these groups and is actively engaged with Saint Mary’s University to support the development of new leaders.

In Nova Scotia, Innovative Thinking is Acknowledged
Clement Horton joined the IBM team as a graduate from Dalhousie University. He quickly became the in-house guru on test analytics technology and has saved some of IBM’s clients millions of dollars with his innovative thinking.

Today, Clement is now one of only two Canadian Leads in the area and has been tasked to help build the next iteration of this tool.

Hear Chris MacIntosh, Centre Manager, IBM Services Delivery Centre, talk about the five-year career development program for early professionals that was developed in Halifax and is now used as a model in other centres.

Nova Scotia has thriving tech industries

Nova Scotia and IBM have both benefited from the success of IBM’s initial CIC in many ways. The future growth of this company will continue to leverage our Information Communications Technology in Nova Scotia, and enhance partnerships between academia.

“There is a great deal to be proud of in terms of the work NSCC and local universities have realized since the inception of the provincial partnership with IBM. Through CARET, or Collaboration for Analytics Research, Education and Technology, there has been a real collaboration in education, research, and technology. The momentum continues to grow and I have every confidence our shared vision in this area will continue to propel the growth of data analytics in Nova Scotia.”- Don Bureaux, President, Nova Scotia Community College

Learn more about tech in Nova Scotia.