Aixal Consulting ’s Post

Are you aware of the growing demand for engineers in Canada? According to a recent article by Canada Immigration on LinkedIn, engineers in Canada are held in high regard and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our infrastructure, manufacturing, and environmental sustainability, among other fields. With the Canadian economy expanding, the need for skilled engineers is on the rise. Engineering Canada’s report highlights that around 45,000 job vacancies are expected to be filled between 2020 and 2025 across 14 engineering disciplines. This offers a wealth of opportunities, whether you are a newly qualified engineer or have years of experience in your home country. https://lnkd.in/eCtFxjiT #Engineering #Immigration

Innovation or talent: which is most important for your business’s growth? Spoiler alert: the two should go hand in hand 🤝 Many leaders are embracing technology and innovation for business growth and success. But investing in innovation means nothing if you are not taking a human-centric approach and bringing your people along for the journey. As much as innovation should be a mindset for your organization, it should also be a skill set possessed by all your people. Over time, you want it to become ingrained in your company culture. To seamlessly and successfully integrate new ways of working, you need organization-wide buy-in. If the people responsible for new services or technologies do not fully understand, or are not engaged with, the changes taking place, you face an uphill battle. This is why, despite recognizing AI’s potential for positive change, 82% of leaders say their employees need new skills to fully reap the benefits of it. To properly invest in innovation, you first need to look at your people and processes, recognizing where technology can have the greatest impact. Then it is about finding solutions and making sure your people understand how they will benefit them – not just the business – while also empowering them to use them effectively and confidently. What is your take on the innovation versus talent debate? Read more about embedding an innovation mindset into your workforce here: https://lnkd.in/g-DSn6tZ #Recruiting #Technology #AI

According to an article published by HRD and authored by Jim Wilson, Ontario has introduced the Strengthening Cyber Security and Building Trust in the Public Sector Act of 2024. This legislation aims to enhance the cybersecurity capabilities of public sector entities, particularly in vulnerable areas like hospitals, schools, and children's aid societies. The act would grant the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery the authority to lead cybersecurity initiatives and create regulations specific to various sectors. Additionally, the legislation would increase the authority of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) and introduce a definition of "artificial intelligence system" aligned with leading jurisdictions. It's fascinating to see how the legislation includes provisions for mandatory cyber incident reporting and establishing transparency in the use of AI. What do you think are the potential benefits and challenges of implementing such comprehensive legislation? https://lnkd.in/dh9Cgxye #CyberSecurity #CyberAttacks #DataPrivacy

💡 Employer tip of the day: Selling the role💡 As much as candidates need to impress you (the employer) in their applications and interviews, it’s also important for you to impress them. After all, 70% of candidates are passive job hunters. They aren’t going to leave their current employer unless your company and role is a clear fit or upgrade for them. So, how do you go about selling a position and your company to candidates? Here are our top tips to help: ✅ Start with a strong job description – The goal is clear, accurate and engaging job descriptions that make it irresistible for candidates to apply. Try incorporating insights into your company culture, goals and values to help candidates start to picture themselves working for you. ✅ Talk about growth and the future – Most candidates won’t take a job based on what it can offer them here and now. Instead, they want a role and company they can grow and develop in long-term. Sell candidates a career, not just a job by speaking about future progression, development opportunities and the long-term vision for the role, department and organization. ✅ Ask questions – Every candidate will have different goals and motivations. During interviews, the sooner you can get to know what motivates and matters to a candidate, the more you can personalize your pitch and identify which aspects of your company culture or employee benefits will resonate most. How do you pitch your roles and company during the recruitment process? #Recruitment #Staffing #Recruiters

As of June 2025, Canadian businesses must pay income taxes on two-thirds of their capital gains earnings every year – an increase from one-half.     Will this stifle the future of innovation?    In response to last month’s budget, technology industry leaders are concerned that this tax increase will dampen the innovation economy, impact venture funding and deter small businesses from taking risks, chasing growth or getting started altogether.    Kim Furlong – chief executive officer of the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association – says that the new measures are coming at “the worst possible time”, amidst high interest rates.    “The impact on investors and entrepreneurs is direct, but it will reverberate throughout the whole economy. This strongly signals that risk-taking is not encouraged.”    Following the announcement, The Council of Canadian Innovators gathered over 250 of Canada’s biggest tech companies and investment funds to publish an open letter opposing the measures.     What is your take? Could this spell disaster for the future of Canada’s business landscape?    https://lnkd.in/evg3YuNe    #Recruiting #TalentAcquisition #ExecutiveTalent 

Would you trust Technology to protect you from wildfires?    Following Canada’s worst wildfire season on record, this is currently up for debate.     With more work than ever to do and 9,500 volunteer firefighters quitting in 2023, it is clear to see why many are looking to Technology and AI to better support the critical role of firefighters and, more specifically, fire lookouts.     Living alone in remote locations for up to six months, fire lookouts watch the horizon and report the first signs of a wildfire - the goal being to catch fires quickly and expedite the emergency response.     AI technologies like drones are a logical alternative for this job, operating independently to reduce costs and staffing demand.     But while technologies like these can aid and complement the role of fire lookouts, the fact is they are not currently, and may never be, able to take over the job entirely. And by focusing too much on the Technology, we run the risk of overlooking and overworking the people who are presently responsible for keeping us safe.     In 2023, after testing six systems that use a combination of cameras, sensors, AI and machine learning, Alberta found that none of these systems could beat the detection of a human lookout.   As Trina Moyles – who has served as a fire lookout for the past seven seasons – said: "Technology has a role to play, but Technology is a tool and, at the end of the day, it's a person who's making the decision how to use that Technology. So we really do need to invest in personnel and people."    As with many other industries and use cases, just because technology could, in theory, replace humans does not necessarily mean it should.    https://lnkd.in/ejiVZwNR    #Technology #AI #Leader

Could embracing AI be the key to turning it around? 🤔    While completing an application to join the board of a not-for-profit, Mike Barry – the head of Microsoft Canada – has highlighted just how valuable (and efficient!) AI can be.     Using his very own generative AI tool, Copilot, Barry asked for a five-paragraph letter of interest based on his LinkedIn profile.     The result? He only had to change one word before hitting send.   And it got him (and us) thinking: if more businesses and leaders embraced AI tools, could our productivity problem be solved?    “The truth is Canada has, unfortunately, a long history of not adopting new technologies as fast as others, in particular, the U.S., and some of that does show up in the labour productivity stats,” Barry said.    It is up to leaders to take the time to educate themselves on AI tools, identify key areas where they could make a difference and pass this knowledge on to their workers.     Let us emphasize the phrase ‘key areas’, though. As Barry said, “it’s not about trying to apply it everywhere, but rather (thinking) where are some places where it’s impactful that can be brought to bear soon?”    https://lnkd.in/e_VMxN9B    What is your perspective on the relationship between AI and productivity?    #Recruiting #TalentAcquisition #ExecutiveTalent 

⭐ Candidate top tip: Building rapport during your interviews ⭐️ It can be difficult to shake off the nerves and bring your best self to interviews, especially with just a short amount of time to connect with someone new. But making an effort to build rapport with interviewers will lead to more successful, enjoyable and memorable interviews – for all parties involved. With this in mind, we have compiled four top tips for quickly building rapport during your interviews: ✅ Arrive on time – You never get a second chance at a first impression. To get interviews off to a strong start, try to be on time – or even early. Doing so shows that you respect your interviewer’s time and will leave you a lot more comfortable and relaxed during those early few questions. ✅ Check your body language - One of the easiest ways to establish a connection with someone new is to maintain open body language. Whether an interview is taking place in person or online, avoid crossing your arms and slouching, and maintain eye contact with your interviewer as much as possible. ✅ Practice active listening – Interviews are a two-way street. As much as your interviewer should be listening to you, you also want to be listening to them. Rather than overthinking all you want to say and potentially mishearing a question, focus on listening and connecting with the person in front of you. ✅ Be yourself – It can be easy to sense when someone is inauthentic. Rather than trying to be who you think your interviewer wants you to be, focus on being yourself and letting your personality shine. You will find your interviews feel a lot more natural and relaxed as a result. Bring these four simple tricks into your next interview, and you will be surprised by just how comfortable and enjoyable interviews can be! #Recruiting #InterviewTips #CareerDevelopment

Four ways that Canada’s civil engineers lead the way on sustainability 🌎    Canadian civil engineers stand out on the global stage for their commitment to sustainability, embracing innovation and collaboration to set new standards for infrastructure development.   Whether it is through innovative design, low-impact construction methods, or embracing alternative materials, they are committed to providing optimum results and efficiency while minimizing environmental impact at every turn. And it is something the rest of the world could learn a lot from.    Here are four examples of their ingenuity in action:    ➡️ Shoring design – Helping to support nearby sites and structures during excavation, engineers embrace advanced shoring techniques and approaches such as soil nailing, soldier pile walls, micropiles and ground anchors to minimize disturbance, reduce projects’ carbon footprints, and improve on-site safety.   ➡️ Water engineering – Recognizing the importance of safeguarding water resources, Canadian civil engineering uses innovative designs and methods to ensure wastewater treatment plans, stormwater management and water distribution networks achieve maximum efficiency with the lowest environmental impact.   ➡️ Structural design – Balancing sustainability with optimum function and longevity, engineers use cutting-edge techniques, technologies and materials to develop buildings that will stand the test of time. Examples include high-performance concrete, renewable energy systems and carbon fibre reinforcement.   ➡️ Land development – Canada endeavours to create meaningful, impactful and sustainable communities by adopting a holistic approach to land development. Incorporating mixed land use, innovative growth principles, and sustainable infrastructure and methods, they are responsible for vibrant, fit-for-purpose places that minimise impact while boosting longevity.   And that is just scratching the surface. Civil engineering in Canada has proven in countless other ways, too, that it takes its environmental responsibility seriously. https://lnkd.in/gM_9DQnN   #Engineering #Construction #Leadership