SkillingUp
Supporting Canadians with disabilities with competitive digital skills training.
Project Overview
Updated July 29, 2024
The Problem
In Canada today, over 6 million Canadians over the age of 15 live with a disability and 39% of unemployed people with disabilities have the potential to work. As demand for digital talent continues to grow and businesses continue to experience a digital skill gap in their workforce, it becomes imperative for the Canadian economy that individuals of all abilities be skilled and equipped with the digital skills that are increasingly in demand across many industries.
LE PROBLÈME
Aujourd’hui, au Canada, plus de 6 millions de personnes âgées de plus de 15 ans vivent avec un handicap et 39 % des chômeurs en situation de handicap pourraient travailler. Alors que la demande de talents numériques continue de croître et que les entreprises continuent de souffrir d’un déficit de compétences numériques au sein de leur personnel, il devient impératif pour l’économie canadienne que les personnes de toutes capacités soient qualifiées et dotées des compétences numériques qui sont de plus en plus recherchées dans de nombreux secteurs.
How We Are Solving It
March of Dimes Canada will lead this short-cycle training program with a goal of supporting Canadians with disabilities to gain the digital skills needed to become confident digital citizens and remain competitively employable in a digital economy. The project aims to train over 1,160 learners and offer continued support over to learners in securing employment or continuing with ongoing education.
Training pathways range from beginner digital literacy and advance to career essential and advanced digital skill certification. Learners will also gain essential employability skills to support their job integration and job search activities, including network expansion through mentorships.
COMMENT NOUS ALLONS Y REMÉDIER
La Marche des dix sous du Canada dirigera ce programme de formation de courte durée dans le but d’aider les Canadiens et Canadiennes en situation de handicap à acquérir les compétences numériques nécessaires pour devenir des citoyens numériques confiants et rester compétitifs sur le marché du travail de l’économie numérique. Le projet vise à former plus de 1 160 apprenants et à leur offrir un soutien continu pour leur permettre de trouver un emploi ou poursuivre une formation.
Les parcours de formation vont de l’initiation à la littératie numérique à la certification des compétences numériques professionnelles essentielles et avancées. Les apprenants acquerront également des compétences essentielles en matière d’employabilité pour soutenir leurs activités d’intégration à l’emploi et de recherche d’emploi, y compris en élargissant leur réseau par le biais de mentorats.
The Result
The SkillingUp project offered training to 945 participants, with 100% of participants being from underrepresented groups in the tech sector. Just under 230 participants completed the full training as of March 31, 2024; of which over 90 achieved employment or transitioned into on-going education after completing the program. An additional 66 learners completed their training, with another 12 obtaining employment following graduation as of June 2024.
SkillingUp provided the momentum to incorporate technology considerations into almost all strategic conversations and future service offerings for March of Dimes Canada. Ongoing MODC program offerings are being designed with SkillingUp as an intervention tool to help ensure their clients become confident digital citizens – conversations that may not have been so relevant if SkillingUp was not developed.
Project Lead
Project Partners
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“We want to ensure that all people with disabilities in Canada are prepared for employment success. Living in a digital first world means that skilling, upskilling and re-skilling are essential to remaining competitively employable. SkillingUp ensures people with disabilities have access to sector-recognized training and certification to support them on their career journey."
President and Chief Executive Officer, March of Dimes Canada -
"Supporting equity and diversity within Canada’s technology sector is crucial to our country’s continued growth and prosperity. We’re proud to support the SkillingUp initiative and the work of March of Dimes Canada, Microsoft and the CIBC Foundation in helping to create a more inclusive and innovative Canada.
Director, Digital Learning Lab, DIGITAL -
"As we embrace the transformative power of emerging technologies, Microsoft must ensure that everyone has the opportunity to thrive in a digital, AI-enabled economy. Digital fluency is becoming a crucial skillset within any role, and sector or industry. As such, through the Microsoft Skills for Jobs program we endeavour to make technology skills accessible to all. Our partnership with March of Dimes Canada reflects our commitment to expanding economic opportunities and empowering individuals of all abilities to reach their full potential.
Philanthropies Lead, Microsoft Canada -
“At CIBC we’re creating a culture of inclusion, and accessibility plays a large role in this. We believe that everyone should have access to opportunities to help achieve their ambitions, which is why removing barriers that get in the way of progress is so important. We’re proud to support March of Dimes Canada and the SkillingUp initiative, which will help remove barriers for the next generation of leaders and changemakers.”
Group Head, People, Culture and Brand, CIBC & Co-Chair, CIBC Foundation