DeGroote added to Microsoft’s Canada Skills Program

Today, Microsoft Canada announced the addition of eight post-secondary institutions to the Canada Skills Program, bringing the total to 20 schools in six provinces across Canada. Microsoft extends the program to the DeGroote School of Business, enabling more students to graduate with in-demand tech skills.

Launched last fall, the program allows students to acquire in-demand cloud, data and AI skills and Microsoft certifications alongside their institutions’ credentials, enhancing their employability as they enter the job market. In the first six months, over 20,000 students have participated.

New data from the Information and Communication Technology Council of Canada (ICTC) found that 50 percent of all information technology (IT) departments of companies surveyed in North America currently identified as either short-staffed or understaffed in ICT roles and the innovation economy is expected to create an additional 149 million new jobs by 2025. For Canada to take advantage of this opportunity, we must address the persistent challenge of the tech talent pipeline.

Canada Skills Program

The Canada Skills Program aims to address this challenge and will support a minimum of 2,000 additional students in diploma, degree and continuing education programs across Canada by enabling them to graduate with in-demand data analytics, AI and cloud certifications.

Khaled Hassanein
Associate Dean, Graduate Studies and Research
DeGroote School of Business

The Canada Skills Program enables greater access to digital skills and provides students with the tools they need to support the Canadian economy as it emerges from the challenges caused by COVID-19.

“Microsoft continues to invest in skilling initiatives because building a talent pipeline equipped with cloud, data and AI skills is key to strengthening Canada’s innovation economy,” said Kevin Peesker, President, Microsoft Canada. “The pandemic has made these needs more acute than ever and expanding the Canada Skills Program means even more students will start their careers with the fundamentals they need to land meaningful work and drive accelerated innovation for Canada.”

The eight post-secondary institutions added to the Canada Skills Program include:

• New Brunswick Community College (New Brunswick)
• Georgian College (Ontario)
• Collège La Cité (Ontario)
• McMaster University, DeGroote School of Business (Ontario)
• University of Toronto, School of Continuing Studies (Ontario)
• University of Waterloo (Ontario)
• LaSalle College Vancouver (British Columbia)
• Red River College (Manitoba)

About Microsoft Canada

Established in 1985, Microsoft Canada Inc. is the Canadian subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq “MSFT”) the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. Microsoft Canada provides nationwide sales, marketing, consulting and local support services in both French and English. For more information on Microsoft Canada, please visit www.microsoft.ca.

SOURCE Microsoft Canada Inc.