Workforce and talent

Research centres

100+

Local data

Tech workforce

29k

Ontario Labourforce Survey

In manufacturing

59k

Institutional data

Post-secondary

80k+

Students in Waterloo

On this page:

Why employers choose Waterloo
Hire students and graduates
Partner on research and innovation
Get support to hire talent
Waterloo's high quality of life
Contact us

Why employers choose Waterloo

Waterloo has a steady pipeline of talent in tech, business, skilled trades and the arts. More than 80,000 students study in the region each year, and many stay to work here after graduation.

Waterloo’s workforce includes:

a growing tech sector with more than 29,000 workers
59,000 people working in manufacturing
access to the Toronto–Waterloo corridor – the largest tech workforce in Canada

Compare tech talent costs

Find out the total cost of building your team in Waterloo compared to other cities in North America.

Use the Waterloo EDC Tech Talent Cost Calculator to compare total talent costs across North America, including:

salary estimates
payroll taxes
benefit costs

Use the Tech Talent Cost Calculator

Hire students and graduates

All 3 local schools run co-op or work-integrated learning programs. These programs help employers hire students for short-term or long-term roles.

University of Waterloo

Over 42,000 students study engineering, technology, math and the arts.

runs Canada’s largest co-op program
ranked in the top 1% of universities worldwide
strong global rankings in engineering, technology and math
flexible, inventor-owned intellectual property

A courtyard on the Laurier campus with brick and glass buildings, banners, benches, and a yellow bike sculpture on a cloudy day.

Wilfrid Laurier University

More than 22,000 students study business, economics, data, social science and global affairs.

one of Canada’s largest business co-op programs
known for social entrepreneurship and community research

Conestoga College

More than 20,000 students learn skills for today’s workforce.

strong in trades, health, IT, robotics, and automation
Ontario’s only polytechnic education provider
leader in apprenticeship training and applied research

Partner on research and innovation

Waterloo has over 100 research centres working in physics, quantum computing, climate, materials science, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing. This network gives employers access to world-class research and talent.

Major research partners include:

Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
Institute for Quantum Computing
Waterloo Climate Institute
Centre for International Governance Innovation

You can also partner with:

Conestoga’s SMART Centre – to solve production and technical challenges
University of Waterloo’s Commercialization Office (WatCo) – to turn research into new products and services

Get support to hire talent

These programs can help you hire students, new graduates, and researchers:

Find your job Waterloo Region – a job portal with local labour data
MITACS – funds research partnerships and internships
Student work placement program – wage subsidies for hiring post-secondary students
Youth Employment and Skills Strategy – funding for hiring recent graduates

Waterloo's high quality of life

Waterloo offers a high quality of life that helps employers attract and keep talent. The city is safe, connected and easy to move through, with strong schools and a close mix of parks, culture and community spaces.

Waterloo includes: