Infographic.ca

Canadian Infographics & Data Visualization

English vs. French – And the Winner is…

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Linguistic duality is an important aspect of Canadian identity, with 17 percent of all Canadians speaking both English and French. Some 84 percent of Francophones outside of the province of Quebec and 12 percent of Anglophones are bilingual. Proficiency in both languages is especially important for public service employees. According to the infographic, 40 percent of all positions in the public service sector require knowledge of English and French. The annual volume of pages translated by the Translation Bureau into both languages totals 1.7 million. Given the importance of linguistic duality, it is not surprising that 2.4 million Canadian students choose to study French or English as their second language.

Canadians embrace linguistic duality, with 81 percent of them favoring bilingualism.  Most Canadians (84 percent) believe that proficiency in French and English improves their chances for finding better employment opportunities. Job opportunities for bilingual people abound, with bilingualism extending beyond English and French. Employers are looking for employees bilingual with English and Mandarin or English and Spanish.

In fact, knowledge of two or more languages is particularly important in today’s global economy. Millions of people around the world are global citizens. We live in a world in which 341 million people speak English, and 220 million people are native French speakers. Two thirds of people around the globe are proficient in two or more languages, with 508 million of them learning or speaking English as their second language. Some 111 million are studying French. Second language study is seen as increasingly important in Canada and around the world. Bilingualism and multilingualism promote cultural competency and awareness and improve one’s chances for career development. In an age of multiculturalism and global interdependence, exposure to foreign languages and cultures gives people great opportunities for cultural immersion and unique learning experience.

Infographic courtesy of Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages

Overnight Trips to Canada Infographic

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In times of global economic downturn, every tourist dollar counts, especially when foreign visitors stay longer and spend more money at their destination of choice. International tourism is important for economic growth and the creation of more jobs. The prosperity of a region is associated with an increasing absorption of labor to receive tourists and the sale and consumption of tourism-related products. Capital is invested in accommodation, travel and tourism services, and the country’s infrastructure.

Canada is a prosperous country with plenty to offer with regard to accommodation, sites of interest, and landmarks. Given the importance of reaching out to foreign visitors, what are the tourism trends in Canada this year?

This infographic gives us an overview of the number of international overnight trips toCanadafrom June 2011 to June 2012. Visitors from the United States, France, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, and India increased in number.China topped the list of foreign visitors, with an increase of 22.7 percent. The year-on-year growth is substantial for tourists from Japan(16.2 percent) and Brazil(14.9 percent). Tourist arrivals from Germany and South Korea decreased by 12.6 percent and 10.9 percent, respectively. Canadians made over 2 million trips abroad, which is an increase of 8.4 percent from 2011.

Over 50 percent of all tourists travel abroad for recreation and leisure. Overall, Canada experienced an increase in arrivals, translating into positive growth, driven by substantial tourism receipts.

 Image courtesy of Canadian Tourism Commission.

 

Canadian Green Jobs

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Non-polluting economies are based on clean energy sources, energy efficient homes, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and sustainable ecosystem management. Development of renewable energy sources and climate change mitigation are among the main goals that drive the growth of the green industry. Canada’s environmental sector is growing, partly driven by a “desire to improve the environment.” This is the main career choice factor for 87 percent of all Canadian environmental employees. This is not surprising given that 24 percent of employees are young people under the age of 30. Young people are full of enthusiasm and can play a key role in environmental protection. They are aware of the negative impact of global crises such as the food crisis, resource crisis, and ecosystem and climate crisis. Young people are acutely aware of the impact of economic growth on the environment and the effects of environmental suicide on the wellbeing of future generations.

Given that 100,000 environmental employees will retire within the next 10 years, young green enthusiasts will have many opportunities for career development in the environmental sector. To this, 44 percent of environmental employers plan to increase their workforce by hiring new workers.

At present, Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, and Alberta are the main markets for the green industry. Green jobs are mainly concentrated in the 4 provinces and in large cities such as Victoria and Vancouver. Whether you are interested in environmental marketing or sustainable resource development, there are many opportunities to go green in Canada.

 

Infographic courtesy of TalentEgg.ca.

Infographic.ca

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An infographic represents a graphic visual display of information so that it can be easily understood by visitors. Also known as information graphic, it is a valuable tool used to establish relationships and patterns and to follow how variables change over a period of time. Infographics help to explain abstract ideas and present scientific and other data by simplifying its presentation. They use symbols and text to communicate messages and make it easier to convey knowledge to wider audience. Thus, infographics are a great tool to engage readers and website visitors.

There are many examples of infographics, including subway maps and tag clouds. They can look like tree diagrams, histograms, or animated and 3D infographics, depending on the purpose. Their design components are often incorporated in titles, commercials, and videos.

Infographics are used for the visual communication of measurements, locations, dates, and comparisons. Pie charts, for example, compare different items and illustrate proportions. They are used in media and business to display information and compare the whole with one or more categories. Line charts are another type and a tool to show progression over a certain period of time. A line chart connects data points together to help users to visualize and understand trends. Timelines serve to describe and visualize events in a chronological order. A timeline shows changes over time and helps users to understand trends and events. Other varieties include figure charts and candlestick charts. Candlestick charts visualize price movements of currencies and securities over a period of time.

Data visualization is an effective tool to reach wider audience. Viewing habits change over time, and many people have become passive recipients of information. They are looking for sources that present complex concepts in a simple manner. People spend less time reading and rely more heavily on visual communication and representation. Users have small attention span, and quizzes, polls, and icons are increasingly used to convey messages and tell stories. Infographics are not only used to present complex information, however. In some cases, visual presentation is a better format than written text. In fact, infographics are an older means of conveying messages, and cave drawings are a good example. Maps and signs also predate written language. Today, mathematicians, computer scientists, and media experts make use of information graphics to communicate information. It is not surprising that infographics have become popular. They are different, interesting, attract attention, and are a great way to offer addictive content. 3D, interactive, and animated information graphics enhance user experience because they combine graphs, charts, pictograms, symbols, and text. Moreover, infographics are easy to share on social media and websites and are transportable or embeddable.

In a single day, webmasters, social media networks, media, and users create 2 million videos, over 1 billion articles and other pieces of writing, and millions of tweets. Given the information overload, people are looking for information that is organized and simplified. Infographics are a great tool to combine graphics, images, and text to visualize complex data. Language allows conceptual analysis but relies on people’s ability to make connections between concepts as to understand them. A graphic is a less effective tool to communicate information, but it makes it easier for people to comprehend. Information graphics combine text and visual representation to use the strengths of both.

Infographics are a tool to highlight and organize facts. Newspapers, magazines, online media, and broadcasts make use of information graphics to highlight important information and hold readers’ attention. This allows people to grasp the main topics and themes. They are a good tool to visualize complex concepts, financial statistics, and scientific research and data. Given the amount of information available, content should be organized and displayed in such a way that visitors find it beneficial, with their experience enhanced. This helps increase visual appeal and attracts loyal visitors. It is important to use compelling imagery as to make words and messages stand out. Information graphics that are carefully chosen help media outlets to exert and expand their influence. They increase retention and help businesses to reinforce their brands. Data visualization improves brand recall and gives media and the business world a greater reach.