Source – huddle.today

• “…Fred Bergman, a senior policy analyst with the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council…sees similar opportunities in remote work for a region that, before the pandemic, was facing labour shortages and an aging population. He says remote work could give more options not just for younger people like Hilary and her husband to stay in the region, but also flexibility for older people who may not want to live in urban centres to find work”

Are Digital Nomads The Future Of The Maritime Workforce?

Hilary Smith has been a Digital Nomad for years, travelling the world before settling down here and working remotely for a company outside the region. In this week’s episode, reporter Inda Intiar chats with Huddle editor Mark Leger about people like Frank and Hilary and the benefits of building a Maritime economy to suit the needs of the remote workforce.

Inda recently wrote a story featuring Hilary, who lives in Quispamsis with her husband and is currently the growth and marketing lead for Roger, a growing fintech startup headquartered in Denmark and the U.S.

“There are two offices, but there really is no difference between being in the office or being remote, there’s a huge portion of remote workers,” Hilary told Inda. “As long as we have a good internet connection, and as long as we have the capacity to be in a place that’s going to let us work for that seven-to-nine hour period every day that we need to get our tasks done, then we’re good to go.”

Inda also shares the perspective of Fred Bergman, a senior policy analyst with the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council, who sees similar opportunities in remote work for a region that, before the pandemic, was facing labour shortages and an aging population. He says remote work could give more options not just for younger people like Hilary and her husband to stay in the region, but also flexibility for older people who may not want to live in urban centres to find work.

“If you have unique skills and there are limited job opportunities for you with that skillset…the only other option is to move. So what better outcome for Atlantic Canada than to keep them here and them being able to find a job for their skillset. It’s a win-win in that sense, it’s good for the individual as well,” he said.

The Huddle “Home Office” podcast, available on Spotify, Google Play, and Apple podcast platforms, features conversations with New Brunswick and Nova Scotia community leaders, entrepreneurs, analysts and Huddle reporters about the issues and events that accelerate and enrich the growth of the region’s economy and culture.