SAULT STE. MARIE – BUSINESS – Two companies in Sault Ste. Marie have begun a significant hiring push for roles within the city. Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) is looking to fill 59 positions in 43 roles and sister companies PQA and PLATO Testing have 25 roles. Both companies are looking to fill these as soon as possible and OLG has even gone so far as to create a recruiting event to help with the need.
OLG’s recruiting event, which is a virtual job fair, launches April 21, 2022 and runs from April 27 and 28. It will invite interested candidates to book 15-minute virtual one-on-one interviews with OLG leaders for the role of their choice. In addition to the job postings, the virtual job fair also includes showcasing the City of Sault Ste. Marie because the organization wants to highlight the benefits of living and working in this vibrant community which is home to the OLG headquarters. Further information about the event can be found here: OLG SSM Career Fair
PQA and PLATO’s recruitment effort will be focused on promoting opportunities to local IT talent and attracting those interested in relocating to Sault Ste. Marie from outside the region. Interested candidates can visit their website to learn more about available career opportunities. https://www.pqatesting.com/join-our-team/
The rise of remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that technology-based careers are more flexible than other verticals and, as a result, Sault Ste. Marie is seeing an increase in jobs in technology fields including software testing, software development, project management and more.
In addition, a cultural shift towards recognizing the importance of a work-life balance for employees, in part brought on by the pandemic, has meant that companies including OLG and PQA/PLATO are looking at smaller cities like Sault Ste. Marie for just that. Recognizing the value a strong work-life balance can bring its employees, both companies may offer relocation support to help with a candidate’s move to Sault Ste. Marie.
“OLG has very deep roots in Sault Ste. Marie as we’ve been part of this community for 30 years. OLG’s operations in the community are critically important — today and in the future,” says Nancy Kennedy, OLG’s Senior Vice President of People and Culture. “Our focus is on building a fun, inclusive and performance-driven workplace — one that is a destination for top talent and we want to have that top talent in Sault Ste Marie. We see a real benefit for OLG employees and families to benefit from the advantages of living in a thriving community like the Sault.”
PQA/PLATO plans to hire 25 employees at their Sault Ste. Marie location by summer to meet the demand of local and global clients. Along with the other IT companies in the region, PQA/PLATO are asking qualified candidates to consider Sault Ste. Marie as the place to grow their career in IT. By offering significant advancement opportunities, paid professional development, a hybrid and flexible work environment, and due to the company’s social mission, PQA and PLATO has attracted talent from across Canada.
“Because of the nature of our work, we are able to deliver quality assurance and software testing services to clients around the globe, from communities like Sault Ste. Marie, ON. This smaller city center is known as an emerging IT talent hub, with tech leaders like PLATO and OLG calling it home,” says Keith McIntosh, CEO and Founder of sister companies, PQA and PLATO Testing. “The pandemic has created the perfect dynamic for growth. Employees want to work for us in a community that enables work-life balance and local businesses want to work with us because we share a common goal of investing in our community.”
The pandemic gave rise to the distributed workforce and, since early 2020, much of the regional IT workforce has demonstrated their ability to successfully work from anywhere. Companies like Insightworks, LBMX, Village Media and the City’s own Innovation Centre are all currently hiring for IT related roles in the city.
“Throughout the pandemic, employees’ priorities have shifted. They are placing greater value on quality of life and the holistic benefits of their employment like flexible working arrangements, professional development, and social impact,” said Tom Vair, Deputy CAO, Community Development and Enterprise Services City of Sault Ste. Marie. “PQA and PLATOTesting is one example of a local employer, with offices across the country that has really embraced these circumstances and has become an IT leader in our community. It is also a significant boost for the city to see a major provincial employer like OLG actively prioritizing Sault Ste. Marie in its recruitment drive.”
SOURCE City of Sault Ste. Marie
