INVASION OF FRENCH ENGINEERS from ALA into NN KANATA:
From above article it is clear that ALA / NN have an emergency planÿ to get as many workers as they need:
ottawacitizen.com ÿ
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ " ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ But clearly something has to give.ÿ There are only about ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ 55,000 high-tech workers in the region. Even with a rising ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ tide of engineering graduates, new programs to retrain ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ obsolete workers and aggressive foreign recruiting, the ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ industry faces a crisis. "......................... ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ ......................... ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ "ÿ
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ .............. predicted Canada will stay a jump ahead of the U.S., ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ where a new Congressional battle over expanding ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ high-tech visas is brewing. "There are very promising ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ changes in the works to move beyond software skills to ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ semiconductor designers, fibre-optic engineers and other ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ scarce skills which can't be filled in Canada." ................ ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ ..........................
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ ............He said it is now possible to bring skilled workers into ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Canada in three weeks compared with three months in the ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ past.ÿ
ALAÿÿÿ 118000 employees, Market Cap 45 Bÿÿ yahoo.marketguide.com
CSCO 21000 employees, Market Cap 430 Bÿÿ yahoo.marketguide.com
NTÿÿÿÿ 75000 employees, Market Capÿ yahoo.marketguide.com
I think ALA / NN have a lot of dry powder ready to fire away.
Let the fireworks begin,
TA
===============================================================================
Message 12927185
Message #17370 from Tunica Albuginea at Feb 20 2000 10:56PM
James Calladine:OTTAWA CITIZEN: SUN 20, 2000 SEASON on High Tech Recruiting: ottawacitizen.com
Sunday February 20, 2000
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Open season
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ As Ottawa's high-tech community ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ swells, recruiters and workers are ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ taking off the gloves in the all-out ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ war over talent. Bert Hill and ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Jennifer Campbell report.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Bert Hill and Jennifer Campbell ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ The Ottawa Citizen
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Massive expansions by Nortel Networks, JDS ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Uniphase, Cisco Systems and a host of ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ new players is creatingÿ a cut-throat ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ California-style high-technology ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ employment market in Ottawa.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Major companies plan to hire 6,000 new ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ workers this year andÿ a host of new small ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ companies backed byÿ U.S. venture capitalists ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ could push the total hiring above 8,000.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ The strong interest ofÿ the U.S. companies ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ shows that Ottawa,ÿ despite complaints about everything ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ from high taxes to aÿÿ cold climate, still has more talent ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ at attractive prices thanÿ they can find at home.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ But clearly something has to give. There are only about ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ 55,000 high-tech workers in the region. Even with a rising ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ tide of engineering graduates, new programs to retrain ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ obsolete workers and aggressive foreign recruiting, the ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ industry faces a crisis.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Experts are predicting soaring wages, fatter signing and ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ performance bonuses and more generous stock-option ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ plans. Increasingly, companies will have to offer more ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ perks such as cars, computers, even houses, to land top ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ talent. And companies will increasingly make ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ counter-offers to keep key talent.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ "The gloves are off," said Alan Kearns, co-founder of ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ TalentLab.com, an employment agency in the thick of ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ talent war. "Whoever gets the best person wins.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ "The Californian or American style that didn't exist in ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Canada three years ago now does."
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Matt Dumais of Career Agent predicts high- tech stars ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ will start behaving more like hockey or entertainment ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ stars, demanding a re-opening of compensation packages, ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ including stock options, and increasingly resorting to free ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ agency.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ "The arms race for talent is definitely under way -- not ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ just for the top stars but also for the main high technology ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ workforce."
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Recruiters will search for advantage to get attention. ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Watch for more advertising: radio and television, in ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ movie houses, sports arenas, home and garden shows, on ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ buses, billboards and even in the sports sections of ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ newspapers.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Headhunters aren't looking only in the corporate sector. ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ John Chinneck, associate chair of Carleton University's ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ department of systems and computer engineering, recently ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ got a salary offer of $100,000 U.S. and bonuses and ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ benefits worth $75,000 more from a New York financial ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ services company.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ "They are making amazing offers to get the people they ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ want."
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ With pumped-up poaching, it won't be surprising to see ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ fierce competitors challenging each others' tactics in ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ court. Nortel sued Optical Networks, a California startup ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ partly owned by Cisco, which successfully raided Nortel ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ operations in Montreal and Toronto for top talent.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Cisco said this week it will hire 2,400 employees in ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Ottawa in the next few years.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ With the 1997 introduction of Cisco into the market, ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ salaries started to rise toward U.S. rates. Still, Mr. ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Kearns pointed out that the California-based company is ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ paying its Kanata research plant engineers in Canadian ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ dollars while their U.S. counterparts collect more than a ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ third more, based on exchange only. He said that pay is ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ rising 10 per cent in some specialized fields and another ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ 10- to 20-per-cent increase wouldn't be surprising.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Personnel Systems consultant Richard Annett said people ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ with expertise in wireless, networking, systems design ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ and senior software skills are winning pay increases well ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ above those in other technology jobs. "There is real ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ pressure in the market for the top players."
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Nokia, the Finnish cellular phone giant, has been shopping ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ for land for a year and is expected to announce plans for a ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ major development facility based on its Vienna Systems ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ acquisition.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ A wave of major companies is arriving in Ottawa, eager ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ to pick up talent they can't find in California, Texas, North ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Carolina and the New England states.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ A host of tiny new startup companies with names such as ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Catena, Sedona, PowerTel, Extreme Packet Devices and ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Silicon Access is joining the feeding frenzy. Most are ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ looking for 50 to 75 employees and they have large ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ amounts of fresh U.S. venture-capital money to feed their ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ hiring plans.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Mr. Kearns said small companies can offer much bigger ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ stock options with much greater prospect of big gains than ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ the big competitors.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ "Whereas Nortel might offer 5,000 options, you might be ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ offered 20,000 with the startups. And they might be worth ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ a million bucks after four months. That's the wild card."
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ But Bibi Patel, senior manager of the 60-member Nortel ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Canadian recruiting team, said she's not worried. She said ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Nortel has already hired 2,406 people, many of them ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Class of 2000 graduates. "The bottom line is, Nortel ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ wouldn't be making this investment if we didn't think we ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ could find the people."
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ She'll advertise on billboards, at bus stops, Web sites that ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ attract engineers and in the sports sections of newspapers.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Nortel is going to technical trade shows rather than just ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ job fairs. Cisco human resources manager Randy Baker is ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ making the same rounds and more. Cisco also does more ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ subtle but creative marketing by sponsoring events such as ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ an "Ultimate Frisbee" tournament.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Cisco, like most companies, rewards its employees for ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ finding new talent. "We talk to our people and find out ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ what they do and where their friends are."
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Extreme Packet Devices has grown from four employees ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ last March to 62 today and is looking for 20 more. "We're ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ not having any problem," said John Langevin, ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ vice-president of marketing. "We're just a bunch of guys ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ working our tails off. One of things you see is that ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ everyone feels they're part of the success of the company."
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ With so many companies fighting over so few workers, ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ the situation looks bleak. But immigration and education ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ offer hope.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ More than 3,000 workers from Europe and Asia with ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ specialized software skills came to Canada under a new ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ temporary worker program in the past two years. More ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ are expected because Canada now allows the spouses of ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ these people to work in Canada, unlike the U.S.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Howard Greenberg, a Toronto immigration lawyer, ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ predicted Canada will stay a jump ahead of the U.S., ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ where a new Congressional battle over expanding ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ high-tech visas is brewing. "There are very promising ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ changes in the works to move beyond software skills to ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ semiconductor designers, fibre-optic engineers and other ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ scarce skills which can't be filled in Canada."
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ He said it is now possible to bring skilled workers into ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Canada in three weeks compared with three months in the ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ past.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ The University of Ottawa and Carleton University have ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ doubled enrolment in their engineering programs in the ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ past two years, and the results will start hitting job ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ markets soon.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Tyseer Aboulnasr of the University of Ottawa said it will ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ be difficult to expand enrolment more, but it is already ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ reshaping engineering programs to add fibre-optic skills, ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ which are in hot demand.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Dr. Sami Mahmoud of Carleton University said new ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ programs are in the works to reskill up to 150 engineers ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ and scientists annually in fibre optics, semiconductor and ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ software design skills.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ He said the prospects for further enrolment growth are ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ good, provided funding barriers are broken, because ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Carleton has attracted more professors than expected with ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ the prospect of consulting work and sabbaticals at ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ high-technology companies. "Professors in Europe now ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ know what Ottawa has to offer and they are increasingly ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ interested in coming." ÿ
TA
------------
you said
Message #17352 from James Calladine at Feb 20 2000 12:53PM
TUNICA:
"Michael M, we all know CSCO won't let NN go without a fight."
Well, I don't know that, for example. I would love to think that that is true because CSCO has the highest value share currency to offer, and is in a position to be the most generous in any offer.
BUT--what are you basing that comment on?
Best wishes, Jim
|