White Bay - Our first office in Canada

Understandably, we’ve been asked, "Why have we decided that our first office outside of Australia will be in Vancouver, Canada?"

Well, the first and undoubtedly the biggest reason, is that our very own Michael Perry has indeed worked in Canada before which has been instrumental in providing insider knowledge of the Canadian marketplace, as well as familiarising us with the Canadian staples that every Vancouverite should know. Vital local institutions that make this city tick, like Japadog, cycling the Seawall and the Crispy chicken burrito from Taco-Fino.

We are a big family here at White Bay and we are always looking for new ways to not only provide a great work/life balance for our people, but also find ways to promote career growth and a sense of educational fulfilment. So, as our Sydney team got bigger, the need to push our boundaries out to create more opportunities, became that much greater.

Michael will be taking the opportunity to build the office, whilst also rolling his sleeves up and leading from the front. There is no one I have ever worked with more suited to the task and with Michael at the helm, our Canadian adventure goes from being a calculated risk to a near forgone conclusion of success.

So what has Vancouver got going for it?

#1: TECH STARTUPS

Vancouver is one of the world’s top start-up ecosystems, with the industry growing by 6% every year. We are even the home of three of Canada’s tech unicorns: Slack, Hootsuite and Avigilon. If you have dreams of not only entering the creative technology industry but also shaping the future of it with your own business, then Vancouver is the place to be.

#2: JOB OPPORTUNITY

Vancouver’s tech industry faces a shortage of 30,000 employees, and it will only continue to grow in the years that follow. One of the most well-known issues facing the industry is that there won’t be enough skilled people to fill all of the available positions. While this is a hurdle to overcome for the industry overall, this is good news for someone hoping to find employment, as there will be no lack of opportunity. The BC government reports that 83,000 tech jobs are expected by 2027.

#3: VIRTUAL REALITY HUB

Studies show that the virtual and augmented reality industry will be worth $79 to $215 billion in the next year. Metro Vancouver is a city expected to really take VR and AR technology to the next level, having shown continuous growth in the new media industry over the past several decades. We have already seen the use of virtual reality for much more than just gaming; it can be used for product manufacturing, as a training aid for the workplace (ie: surgeons, firefighters), or for visualization of large-scale construction plans.

#4: VANCOUVER IS HOLLYWOOD NORTH!

Vancouver is going strong these days as a major player in the film industry, recently being named the #2 film city by MovieMaker magazine. This is due to not only the city’s obvious physical beauty but also in part because Vancouver is home to the world’s largest concentration of VFX and animation studios. Those in the movie-making biz know that there is no lack of talent in the city when it comes to post-production and 3D artists.

#5: EVENTS & SUPPORT

Vancouver is home to many of the best and brightest events and conferences, especially when it comes to professions within technology, creativity and innovation. Not only that, but it is a truly multicultural city that has attracted immense global talent over the years. This means there are tech events happening in Vancouver at pretty much all times, from Women in Tech sessions, coding workshops, talks on SEO and social media strategy, AI demonstrations, or intros to UX/UI lessons, just to name a few. Often, these events are even free of charge! People are eager to share their knowledge and contribute to the growth of the industry. You will also find multiple co-working spaces around the city, which provide a space for like-minded individuals to work, connect and collaborate. You will never struggle to find someone to support or inspire you as you navigate your Creative Technology career in Vancouver. It’s a thriving community, one we can’t wait to be part of!

#6: RECRUITMENT  

The Vancouver recruitment industry is crying out for some specialisation. Too long have salespeople been dressed up in recruiter’s clothing, ‘specialists’ in their market after a mere few weeks of training. Enough of the suits! Enough of the sales!

We don’t train salespeople and turn them into recruiters. We hire ex-industry professionals to recruit the industries they know best. Why? Simple. It takes talent to find talent. Our belief is that the recruitment industry will continue to head in this trajectory because of one simple fact: It’s what our clients want. They crave to speak the same language as their recruiter, to truly understand each other, far beyond the words of a job description. It’s important. It improves the process for all involved, not just recruiters and clients, but candidates too. It’s the way forward, and it’s our mission to help not only ourselves, but the entire industry to get there. 

If you would like to experience the difference of a real ex-industry pro either helping you to find talent or to help you find your ideal role then please reach out: contact@whitebay.ca

Finally, we are hiring! - if you are keen upon a new challenge and have at least two years commercial experience within the digital media or technology sector, take that first step and say hello. Who knows, maybe you will be opening your own White Bay office in the future.........