Manitoba Ecosystem

Software Development

1
Acknowledgements
The information in this booklet is based on the November 2020
Information Communications Technology Council report commission by:

With funding from:

Based on Herron, C., Matthews, M., “Cybersecurity and Software Development Ecosystems Report”
(November 2020), Information and Communications Technology Council. Researched and written by
Mairead Matthews (Research and Policy Analyst) and Chris Herron (Junior Research Analyst) with
generous support from the ICTC Digital Think Tank team.

2
Introduction
In a society shaped by tech, what comes to mind when you think of your
career? As you begin to navigate the professional world, it is useful to
consider the future of work. Technology will disrupt an estimated 25
per cent of Canadian jobs in the next decade, however, more jobs will be
created by technology than lost. Currently, Manitoba is experiencing a
tech talent shortage as there are more jobs available than people to fill
them. Because of this, tech workers are often incredibly valued, have high
job security, and plenty of job opportunities.

Software Developer, Full Stack Developer, UX/UI Designer and DevOps

Engineer - were identified among the top ten most in-demand ICT roles,
by ICTC in its report Canada’s Growth Currency: Outlook 2023, signaling
their importance for the sector. With all of this in mind, this booklet
provides a detailed understanding of the local software development
ecosystem present in Manitoba. Software development has experienced
growth rates and low unemployment over the past ten years in
Manitoba, which stand out even compared to other professions in the
ICT sector. Employers in this field in Manitoba represent a wide range of
industries, including financial services and insurance, the public sector,
manufacturing, and the creative industries.

Although most people enter the field of software development with a

formal academic background – specific skill-sets and experience are key
such as SQL, Python, and Java are most important. This field also demands
soft and transferable skills such as interpersonal communication,
teamwork, and problem solving.

1
The Importance of
Software Developers
Software is the basis of all applications, big and small, from smart phone
apps to video games and operating systems, to global eCommerce or
inventory management solutions. All these activities have a fundamental
need: the right talent to build out the necessary software. Software
Developers play an essential role in constructing the digital worlds that
we increasingly inhabit.

Software Developers are an indispensable part of Canada’s digital

economy. In 2020, Software Developers were identified by Canadian
employers as one of the top ten most in-demand occupations in the
digital economy. This is partly because Software Developers are vital
for many kinds of digital companies.

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 Definition:
Software Developers build applications and programs, then test and maintain those
developed products. They can be full-stack developers, with foundational knowledge in
many areas of software development, or focused on a specific part of development, such
as back-end development, front-end development, or UX/UI. Depending on their level
of experience and their unique specification, they will have knowledge of a variety of
programming languages and automation and version control tools; and may be proficient
with increasingly important aspects of software development, such as database
management tools and application programming interfaces (APIs).

Software Developer Occupations

The four most in-demand digital occupations that could be generally
referred to as Software Developer include: Software Developer,
Full Stack Developer, UX/UI Designer, DevOps Engineer.

Full Stack Developer Software Developer

Full stack developers are proficient with both the back and front end of software development. Software developers build applications and programs, then test and maintain those developed
This means they can manage IT infrastructure like databases or servers, and develop and manage products. They work with build automation and version control tools to automate and validate
APIs along with other elements that focus on the functionality of the product. At the same time, applications based on source code and create consistent processes. They have knowledge of a
full stack developers are also proficient with the front-facing parts of a website that operate variety of programming languages including but not limited to Java, JavaScript, C++, C#, Python
according to the principles of user design and user experience. This includes architecture that and SQL. Software developers possess at least a basic level of comfort with machine learning
monitors responsiveness of applications, design features and usability. Full stack developers are principles and practices, and increasingly, must be proficient with building and using APIs.
proficient with a number of programming languages like C/C++, HTML, Python, Java, JavaScript,
and Ruby on Rails. They are also proficient with database management tools and platforms like
MySQL or MongoDB.

UX/UI Designer DevOps Engineer

UX/UI Designers are often a hybrid blend of software development and design. They possess an DevOps Engineers are a merger between software development, planning, testing,
understanding of usability, ease in navigation, accessibility, and other skills related to creating and troubleshooting. They provide guidance on system opportunities, risks and cost-benefit
effective user interfaces and designs for desktop and mobile devices. UX/UI designers are utilized analyses - all of which contribute to effective strategic organizational and project planning. They
in anything from web design, game design, visual effects, and even graphic design. While UX/UI also develop and implement IT solutions, upgrades, and troubleshooting for system maintenance.
designers do not in all cases need to be proficient with a variety of programming languages like DevOps Engineers possess an understanding of various programming languages like Python and
software developers do, they do require knowledge of design platforms like InDesign, and cloud JavaScript, and can work with a number of development platforms such as Node. js, or React
computing platforms like AWS, Azure or Google Cloud. UX/UI designers also tend to possess Native. DevOps Engineers often possess proficiency with Git and Jira, and are experienced
proficiency with web development tools like Google Chrome Developer Tools, jQuery or Angular.js. with cloud computing platforms like AWS. Lastly, DevOps Engineers also have experience with
deployment technologies like Kubernetes, OpenStack or Jenkins.

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Critical Hard Skills for four in-demand roles
related to Software Development
Nationally
Full Stack Developer Software Developer
Manitoba
• Proficiency with CSS • Proficiency with Java
In a sample of 3,407 Manitoba-based job
• Proficiency with HTML • Proficiency with SQL
postings for roles included in software
• Proficiency with JavaScript • Proficiency with Python development, the top 12 hard skills were:
• Ability to use cloud platforms like AWS • Proficiency with CSS JavaScript, Java, C#, SQL, CSS, Agile
• Ability to work with open-source • Proficiency with open-source version control
Methodology, .NET Framework, HTML,
platforms like Node.js platforms like Git Python, and Application Programming
• Proficiency with SQL • Proficiency with JavaScript
Interfaces (APIs).

• Proficiency with Python • Proficiency with HTML

•
Proficiency with Java

Ability to work with and create APIs

•

•
Ability to work with and create APIs

Ability to use cloud platforms like AWS

Globally
• Proficiency with PHP • Proficiency with C/C++ Similar findings appeared in a recent global
survey of more than 40,700 professional
DevOps Engineer UX/UI Designer developers: JavaScript, HTML/CSS, SQL,
Python, Java, and C# were rated top languages

?
• Extensive experience with • Proficiency with JavaScript and .NET was rated a top framework
continuous integration
• Proficiency with HTML
• Proficiency with Java
• Ability to work with and create APIs
• Proficiency with SQL
• Expert use of InDesign
• Ability to use cloud platforms like AWS
• Ability to work with open-source front-end web
• Proficiency with container management
tools like Docker
frameworks like AngularJS Did you know?
• Expert use of design toolkits like Sketch
• Ability to work with and create APIs
• Expert use of Photoshop
90% of developers report using
• Proficiency with open-source automation
• Proficiency with open-source version control more than one programming
software like Jenkins

• Proficiency with open-source container

platforms like Git
language, while half reported
• Familiarity with JavaScript libraries like jQuery
orchestration systems like Kubernetes using four or more!
• Familiarity with product design
• Familiarity with open-source deployment
platforms like InVision
tools like Ansible

• Proficiency with automation products for

software infrastructure like Puppet

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Soft Skills
Software Developers require soft skills to perform their jobs well. Some of these skills,
such as problem-solving and effective communication, can be learned in an educational
context, while others are more suited to learning “on-the-job”.

Soft skills, such as effective communication, are skills which are not technical or role-
specific, but still vital for the job. These skills are often cross-cutting in that they apply to
many different types of roles. In a sample of 3,407 Manitoba-based job postings for roles
related to software development the top 12 soft skills were: communication, problem
solving, troubleshooting, innovation, management, detail oriented, research, integration,
planning, leadership, interpersonal skills, and written communication.

Domain (Specialist) Knowledge

Domain knowledge, on the other hand, is knowledge that pertains to the specific place,
industry, or sector that the development team operates in. Examples of this kind of place,
industry, or sector-specific knowledge are provided below.

• In developing an effective e-commerce solution, a software development team needs

to have a thorough understanding of e-commerce, including for processes like online
shopping, e-commerce transactions, inventory management, and shipping and delivery.
• In creating a good restaurant POS (point of sale), a software development team needs
to clearly understand the relevant restaurant processes, such as floor plans and
common mechanisms to identify specific tables and customers, or communication
norms between servers and kitchen staff.
• To build a useful, digital solution for pharmacies and their staff, a software
development team would need to know what processes are involved in filling a
prescription, including drop-off, data entry, filling, patient, medication, and dose
review, and consultation.

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Software Developer Experience Track Junior Software Developer
• Approximately 1 year of experience
The specific skills and responsibilities required by a and 1-3 completed projects
Software Developer will also change over time based • Tasks include Q/A testing, UI, small bug fixes,
on their level of experience. The Software Developer and simple features
Experience Track is the path that many Software
Developers take when progressing from Junior to Software Developer
Senior positions. The Experience Track, outlined on • Approximately 2 years of experience
the right, provides a high-level overview of the types and 3-5 completed projects
of projects and tasks that a Software Developer would
• Tasks include more severe bug fixes, nontrivial
have at each experience level. features that are mission-critical, and perhaps
leading a small team

Senior Software Developer

• 3 or more years of experience and more than
5 completed projects
• A highly experienced group lead with architecture
and development tasks that are mission-critical
and product critical

? Did you know?

95% of developers have
at least some college or
university education.

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 Required or Preferred Level of Not all jobs or job postings specify
a required or preferred level of
Experience, Manitoba Job Postings experience. In a sample of 3,407
Manitoba-based job postings classified
as software development, 37% did not
specify a preferred or required level
experience, while 53% did. The most
common required or preferred level of
experience was 2-3 years.

?
Less than 1 year
of experience
4-6 years of
7% experience
17%
7-9 years of
3%
Did you know?
experience In Manitoba, over the last
three years, job-postings for
2%
roles related to software
10+ years of 2-3 years of
experience experience development have included
35% more than forty different
job titles, including Software
Engineer, Programmer, Web
Developer, Java Developer,
User Interface Designer,
DevOps Engineer, and
Android Developer.

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Industry Size and Growth
In terms of employment, Manitoba’s software development ecosystem has seen
steady growth since 2005. Beginning with approximately 2558 jobs in 2005 the
ecosystem grew to 4,569 jobs in 2019.

Unemployment Rates
The unemployment rate among software development has remained relatively low
in Manitoba over time, fluctuating between 0% and 5.5% since 2005 and averaging
approximately 2% in the last five years alone. Unemployment in software development
has also remained consistently lower than unemployment in the province generally.
Low unemployment rates generally signal strong demand and/or talent shortages.

Regional Distribution
Winnipeg is the centre of Manitoba’s software development ecosystem; the city is where
most of the province’s relevant jobs, companies, and academic programs are located.
Winnipeg accounted for 88.8% of the software development jobs located in Manitoba in
2019, and this trend has remained steady for some time. Interestingly, while jobs located
in Winnipeg have fluctuated between 4066 to 4150 over the past five years, jobs located
outside of Manitoba have increased 19% from 470 to 561 since 2015.

?
Did you know?
As software becomes increasingly
pervasive, developers are being employed
in industries ranging from finance and
media to healthcare and education.

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Top Employers by Industry Other
Precision Farming, Healthtech, Retail, etc.

4 Creative Industries
4
Creative Sector Solutions, Video Game Companies
5
6
8
Public Sector
9
Public Organizations, Public Service Solutions

Number of IT Services
Companies
IT Consulting, Digital Transformation

Industrial Manufacturing
Equipment Manufacturers, Services

Financial Industry / Business Solutions

eCommerce (retail, online payments, customer service
solutions), Insurance

Top Employers by Location Top Employer Snapshots

Job postings data also highlights which Manitoba employers have
Location # of Companies
strong employment histories when hiring skilled talent into software
development roles; the most common industries were the financial
Companies based in Winnipeg 20 industry/business solutions, industrial manufacturing, and general IT
services. Just over 80% of the companies were located in Winnipeg.
Overall, a wide range of companies have hired software development
Companies with offices in Winnipeg (but not based in Manitoba) 11
talent in Manitoba over the last three years, including agricultural
equipment manufacturers, insurance companies, and investment
Companies based in Manitoba (other than Winnipeg) 5
management firms.

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 Salary Trends
National Level Trends
At the national level, Back-end Developers, Front-end Developers, and Full Stack
Developers make between CAD $70,000 to $130,000 a year, with Full Stack Developers
making slightly more than their counterparts. Within this range, CAD $70,000 to
$90,000 is considered low, $90,000 to $100,000 is considered medium, and $100,000
to $130,000 is considered high. More senior roles, such as Technical Leads
or Software Architects, tend to earn around $100,000 to $150,000.

National Salary Range, Software

Development Talent
Role Low Medium High

Back End Developer 70k to 90k 90k to 100k 100k to 110k

Front End Developer 80k to 90k 90k to 100k 100k to 120k

Full Stack Developer 80k to 90k 90k to 110k 110k to 130k

Technical Lead 100k to 110k 120k to 135k 135k to 140k

Software Architect 100k to 110k 110k to 130k 130k to 150k

Provincial Level Trends

There is a general tendency for salaries to be lower in Winnipeg and Manitoba than
across Canada. There is also a tendency for Web Developers to have lower reported
salaries than Software Developers and Software Engineers.

? Did you know?

The first Computer Programmer was an English
woman called Ada Lovelace who was born in 1815?
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EDUCATION PATHWAYS:
Traditional and Emerging Education
The education pathway required for a career in software development has changed immensely in recent
years. New education formats have emerged alongside traditional diploma and degree programs, including
certificate programs, boot camps, and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). This change, importantly, is
not a transition but a diversification – one form of education is not necessarily replacing another. Instead,
prospective students benefit from a diverse set of academic choices with varying time and financial
commitments, while prospective employers’ benefit from an array of diversely educated students.

Traditional Education
In terms of Computer Science, Computer Engineering, and IT, Manitoba-based academic
institutions provide the following programs (listed in order of program length)

Program Title Academic Institute Program Length

Diploma, Software Developer MITT 1 Year

Red River
Diploma in Business IT 2 Years
College

Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Brandon

3 to 4 Years
Computer Science University

University of
BSc in Computer Science 3 to 4 Years
Manitoba

BSc or BA, Major in Applied University of

3 to 4 Years
Computer Science Winnipeg

BSc (Engineering) in Computer University of

4 Years
Engineering Manitoba

BSc, Honours in Computer University of

4 Years
Science Manitoba

Emerging Education
Coding bootcamps, MOOCs, and other forms of emerging education can be delivered in
part-time or at-a-distance formats and can therefore complement traditional diploma
and degree programs. In Manitoba, companies like SmartNinja and NobleProg provide
training courses, bootcamps, and certificate programs related to software development
in person, while many more are available from other companies online.
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Summary
Manitoba’s software development ecosystem has seen steady growth
over the past ten years and has shown consistently low unemployment
rates and a relatively high salaries in the last decade. The increasing
prominence of digital devices in the workplace and home paired with
long-term labour market trends provide a strong impetus for Manitoba
to prioritize its growth and competitiveness in this tech field. The tech
ecosystem offers high paying jobs and interesting work, yielding exciting
opportunities for Manitoba students.

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Appendix A: Employer Lists
(who hires in Manitoba in Software Developer)

Software Development: Relevant Companies by industry

Financial Industries—eCommerce (Retail, Online Payments, Public Sector
Customer Service Solutions), Insurance
• The Government of Manitoba has posted several job postings for offices
• SkipTheDishes, a food ordering and delivery service – skipthedishes.com located in Brandon, such as job postings for the Manitoba Health System
Transformation Program - gov.mb.ca
• Wawanesa Insurance, an insurance company – wawanesa.com
• Various public organizations, such as the University of Manitoba and the Workers
• Bold Commerce, an eCommerce software company – boldcommerce.com Compensation Board of Manitoba based in Winnipeg.
• IGM Financial, an investment management firm – igmfinancial.com • Jacobs, a government solutions company – jacobs.com
• 24-7 Intouch, an outsourced customer service solutions company – 24-7intouch.com • Federal Public Service positions located in Manitoba.
• Canada Life an insurance company – canadalife.com

• iQmetrix, a retail commerce solutions company – iqmetrix.com

• Market Force Information, a software company – marketforce.com Professional IT Services (IT Consulting, Digital Transformation)
• Ceridian a human capital management company – ceridian.com • Neo Biz Solutions Inc., a Brandon-based consulting agency – neobizsolutions.ca

• Norima Consulting Inc, an IT consulting company – norimaconsulting.com

• Online Business Systems, a digital transformation and

Industrial Manufacturing (Equipment Manufacturers, Services) cybersecurity consultancy – obsglobal.com

• MacDon Industries, a manufacturer of high-performance • Imaginet – imaginet.com

harvesting equipment – macdon.com • Custom Software Solutions Inc. – cssionline.com
• Price Industries, a mechanical and industrial • Terracor Business Solutions, an IT consulting and software
engineering company – priceindustries.com development firm – terracor.ca
• Hippo CMMS, a web-based maintenance management company – hippocmms.com

• Buhler Industries Inc., an agricultural equipment manufacturer – buhlerindustries.com

• WGI Westman Group Inc., a group of companies that operate in manufacturing, sales, Creative Industries (Creative Sector Solutions, Video Game
and distribution – westmangroup.com Companies)
• General Electric Company, a mechanical and industrial engineering company – ge.com • Tactica Interactive, an interactive digital media company – tactica.ca
• Triple E Canada/Triple E Recreational Vehicles, a Winkler-based manufacturer of • Pollard Banknote Limited, an entertainment company – pollardbanknote.com
motorhomes and RVs – tripleerv.com
• AWS Thinkbox, a software company for artists in the
• BEHLEN Industries LP, a Brandon-based manufacturer of entertainment industry – awsthinkbox.com
steel building systems – behlen-industries-lp
• Ubisoft, an in-house game development company – ubisoft.com

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Other Industries (Health Tech, Retail, AgTech) Companies with offices in Winnipeg
• Farmers Edge, a global leader in decision farming – farmersedge.ca • AWS Thinkbox, a software company for artists in the
entertainment industry – awsthinkbox.com
• The Dufresne Group, a retail furniture and retail
solutions company – the-dufresne-group • iQmetrix, a retail commerce solutions company – iqmetrix.com

• Varian Medical Systems, a cancer care technology and solutions company – varian.com • Varian Medical Systems, a cancer care technology and solutions company – varian.com

• D2L, a global leader in EdTech and the creator of Brightspace – d2l.com • D2L, a global leader in EdTech and the creator of Brightspace – d2l.com

• WGI Westman Group Inc., a group of companies that operate in manufacturing, sales,
and distribution – westmangroup.com
Software Development: Relevant Companies by Location
• Jacobs, a government solutions company – jacobs.com
Winnipeg-based companies
• Ubisoft, an in-house game development company – ubisoft.com
• SkipTheDishes, a food ordering and delivery service – skipthedishes.com
• Ceridian a human capital management company – ceridian.com
• Wawanesa Insurance, an insurance company – wawanesa.com
• Market Force Information, a software company – marketforce.com
• Norima Consulting Inc, an IT consulting company – norimaconsulting.com
• General Electric Company, a mechanical and industrial engineering company – ge.com
• Tactica Interactive, an interactive digital media company – tactica.ca
• Federal Public Service – canada.gc.ca
• Bold Commerce, an eCommerce software company – boldcommerce.com

• IGM Financial, an investment management firm – igmfinancial.com

• The Dufresne Group, a retail furniture and retail Companies based in Manitoba (other than Winnipeg)
solutions company – the-dufresne-group
• BEHLEN Industries LP, a Brandon-based manufacturer of
• Buhler Industries Inc., an agricultural equipment manufacturer – buhlerindustries.com steel building systems – behlen-industries-lp
• Farmers Edge, a global leader in decision farming – farmersedge.ca • Triple E Canada/Triple E Recreational Vehicles, a Winkler-based manufacturer of
• 24-7 Intouch, an outsourced customer service solutions company – 24-7intouch.com motorhomes and RVs – tripleerv.com

• Pollard Banknote Limited, an entertainment company – pollardbanknote.com • The Government of Manitoba has posted several job postings for offices
located in Brandon, such as job postings for the Manitoba Health System
• Canada Life, an insurance company – canadalife.com Transformation Program - gov.mb.ca
• Hippo CMMS, a web-based maintenance management company – hippocmms.com • Neo Biz Solutions Inc., a Brandon-based consulting agency – neobizsolutions.ca
• Terracor Business Solutions, an IT consulting and software
development firm – terracor.ca

• MacDon Industries, a manufacturer of high-performance

harvesting equipment – macdon.com

• Online Business Systems, a digital transformation and cybersecurity consultancy –

obsglobal.com

• Price Industries, a mechanical and industrial

engineering company – priceindustries.com

• Imaginet – imaginet.com

• Various public organizations, such as the University of Manitoba and the Workers
Compensation Board of Manitoba based in Winnipeg.

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Appendix B: Salary Data
Software Developer Salary Data
(National and Provincial)
Glassdoor Salary Data LinkedIn Salary Data

Job Title Manitoba Canada Greater Winnipeg

Job Title Metropolitan Area Canada

Software Median: $64k Based on Median $75k Based on

Developer 148 salaries 6,230 salaries Software
Median: $60k Median $75k
Dev/Engineer

Software Median: $71k Based on Median $83k Based on

23 salaries 3,460 salaries Web
Engineer Median: $50k Median $55k
Developer

Web Median: $54k Based Median $58,790

Developer on 11 salaries Based on 912 salaries

EMSI Salary Data Indeed Salary Data

Job Title Manitoba Canada Greater Winnipeg

Job Title Metropolitan Area Canada

Software
Median: $78,100 Median $90,000 Software
Engineers and Based on 137 salaries Based on 10,036 salaries Median: $69,083 Median $80,715
Designers Dev/Engineer

Web
Computer Insufficient data Insufficient data
Developer
Programmers and Median: $65,900 Median $82,800
Interactive Media Based on 94 salaries Based on 4,665 salaries
Developers

Web Designers Median: $60,000 Median $78,200

and Developers Based on 39 salaries Based on 5,101 salaries

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