The Massive Technology Show, which includes a conference and networking reception, is expected to attract more than 5,000 people March 28 as it relocates from the smaller Science Centre.

"It says we're a national and, at least, a North American player now in the tradeshow market," says Lindsay Smith, president and CEO of Massive Events Co., the event's producer.

The event was formerly known as Techvibes Massive. But Smith and former business partner Michael Schwarz have divided Massive and Techvibes New Media Inc., which operates popular online tech community Techvibes.com, into two separate companies.

"I've been doing a lot of research lately on what's going on in the technology and business world for tradeshows," says Smith. "There's definitely a strong need for business technologies within that arena. There's not a lot of shows out there that are doing this. The (move to the) convention centre is just a reflection of the need for this type of thing."

Smith says she hopes the conference "educates businesses on the power of technology" and shows them how it can allow them to grow faster and smarter new business and communication technologies.

The tradeshow portion of the event is free while the conference has various fees depending on when people register.

"It's definitely far more expensive to hold a show at a venue like the convention centre, but it accommodates more growth," says Smith. "So it allows us to work with a venue that can accommodate growth for this year and the coming year."

The event bills itself as an opportunity to learn about new technologies "in an inviting, jargon-free environment."

At least one of the speakers, Patrick Sullivan, president and CEO of Toronto-based online jobsite operator Workopolis, plans to address B.C.'s shortage of skilled tech workers.

"I think you need to be a job seeker - or even a challenge seeker, maybe that's a better word - for your entire career," says Sullivan, explaining the theme of his discussion.

A recent study by the B.C. Technology Industry Association determined the province will create 9,000 more technology jobs this year, but will have trouble filling them.

"(Massive) gives us the opportunity to speak to both employers and to job seekers, so it's a little different. Typically, you do either one or the other," says Sullivan, adding B.C. is a key market for his firm, which will host an official Olympic jobsite for the 2010 Winter Games organizing committee.

The technology industry labour shortage is expected to be a hot topic in some of the informal networking conducted between the conference's scheduled meetings.

Firms such as Vancouver-based Metrobridge Networks, exhibiting at Massive's tradeshow for the third straight year, will also use the event to recruit new employees.

"(The tech-worker shortage) is certainly the No. 1 reason we've always attended - from Day 1," says Dorian Banks, Metrobridge's chief technology officer. "It's not really to promote our company from a sales point of view. It's to recruit."

Metrobridge, which has 40 employees operating in Vancouver and Phoenix, has hired at least one new worker per year out of Massive.

"We've stolen them from other companies like ours," says Banks. "This year, I'm looking for two or three tech employees, and we're always looking for as many good sales employees as we can get."

Banks is happy that booming interest in Massive has resulted in the move to a larger venue. But he hopes it doesn't become too big - and expensive - for smaller firms.

He worries about larger multinational high-tech firms coming in, driving up the price of the event and making it "more corporate."

Other conference speakers include John Topping, head of Google's B2B tech division, Dave Chalk of Vancouver-based Chalk Media and Brent Stafford, president and CEO of Shaky Egg Consulting Inc.

In one of the more off-beat discussions, Stafford will explain how companies can promote themselves through video games.

(Monte Stewart can be reached at monte@businessedge.ca)