Akito: An AI Agent for Workforce Development
Bridging human potential with technological innovation.
Project Overview
Updated May 15, 2025
The Problem
Canada has a shortage of skilled workers, particularly within Indigenous, rural and newcomer communities, for Canadian companies in tech and digital sectors to compete domestically and globally. This shortage underscores the need for Canadian industry to have targeted, data-driven technology solutions tailored to the regions and communities they are developing and recruiting talent from.
How We Are Solving It
Led by Advancerite in collaboration with Staque Solutions, the Lethbridge Economic Development Initiative Society, Riipen, the University of Northern British Columbia, Uggenti Digital and the Regional Innovation Network of Southern Alberta (RINSA); this project aims to develop Akito, an AI-driven platform for job seekers, employers and CareerTech companies that is integrated with real-time labour market data, as well as a structured accelerator program for CareerTech companies to address Canada’s tech skills gap.
- ‘Akito’ AI Agent Platform: Akito is an AI-driven platform that provides 1) personalized upskilling recommendations for users aligned to labour market needs, 2) job seeker matchmaking and candidate assessments for employers, and 3) a platform for other CareerTech companies themselves to augment and enhance their operations and broaden offerings to learners, employers and intermediaries like non-profits and post-secondaries.
- Labour Market Information Integration: The consortium will leverage data from the Lethbridge Economic Development Initiative Society, the Alberta Innovation Network and the Information Communications Technology Council (ICTC) to align training through the Akito platform with real-time market demands, offering actionable insights into current skill gaps for both job seekers and employers.
- TeckSkillr CareerTech Accelerator Program: A technology accelerator program that will engage CareerTech companies to upskill their respective technology stacks with AI, optimizations, quantum solutions and other trainings.
The combined Akito platform and accelerator programming will initially target southern Alberta as a proof-of-concept, with plans to expand nationally and enhance access to upskilling pathways for Indigenous, rural and newcomer communities across Canada through the consortium’s network of relationships.
The Result
The consortium successfully launched the prototype of Akito in May 2025 as a groundbreaking workforce development AI agent that leverages the latest in labor market intelligence, economic development and technology trends to guide job seekers, organizations and CareerTech companies towards success.
