IBM and TD Bank Group also
support non-profit ACCES Employment on SkillsBuild to deliver
custom courses, projects, and personalized coaching to over 35,000
Canadians looking to re-skill
TORONTO, July 27, 2020 /CNW/ - Today, IBM, (NYSE:
IBM) and non-profit organization ACCES Employment launch a
collaboration using the SkillsBuild platform, making custom
courses, projects, and personalized coaching available to over
35,000 Canadians looking to re-skill and get new jobs. TD Bank
Group, via its global corporate citizenship, the TD Ready
Commitment, is lending additional support to this collaboration to
fund programs that help women and newcomer IT professionals find
career success in Canada.
The IBM SkillsBuild platform will also be used by Youth
Employment Services (YES) a Canadian youth employment leader that
serves and empowers thousands of disadvantaged and vulnerable youth
to develop skills in digital literacy and cloud computing.
IBM is also extending the SkillsBuild platform—named SkillsBuild
Reignite--for job seekers looking to take courses for free online
and without first establishing a relationship with a not-for-profit
organization, helping to find new jobs in high growth sectors like
web development, artificial intelligence (AI) and
cybersecurity.
According to a Statistics Canada report earlier this month,
Canada added nearly one million
jobs in June, but there are still close to two million fewer jobs
today than there were pre-COVID. The platform, available in English
and French, will provide over 7,000 courses designed to help
Canadians develop vital professional skills, gain practical
real-life experience and build their career.
- About SkillsBuild:
-
- IBM is partnering with ACCES Employment, a leading employment
services organization in the Greater
Toronto Area (GTA) that assists job seekers from diverse
backgrounds who are facing barriers to employment to integrate into
the Canadian job market.
- Supported by IBM and TD Bank Group, ACCES Employment will use
the SkillsBuild platform to deliver an integrated set of courses,
projects and personalized coaching to Canadians looking for
work.
- IBM is also partnering with YES, the Canadian youth employment
leader who offers innovative programs to empower disadvantaged and
vulnerable youth.
- SkillsBuild is traditionally offered in cooperation with local
non-profit organizations in over 15 countries with 30,000
users.
- More information found here.
- About SkillsBuild Reignite:
-
- SkillsBuild Reignite is an open and accessible version of
SkillsBuild that is designed for all individuals, business owners
and entrepreneurs who are not affiliated with a non-profit
organization as they focus on economic recovery.
- This platform gives users an opportunity to take online courses
to gain digital and professional skills, learn more about business
and digital strategy, and hear from experts on how to succeed in a
digital job interview.
- Entrepreneurs can seek advice that will help establish or
restart their small business, learn about tapping into economic
development assistance, or improve their digital marketing
skills.
- More information found here.
"Some of the greatest challenges facing businesses today need
skills that don't require a traditional degree. There is a critical
need to make sure Canadians are gaining these meaningful skills
that align to industry needs," said Claude
Guay, IBM Canada President and General Manager. "That's why,
regardless of background, education or life experience, SkillsBuild
will equip learners with the professional skills and mentorship
they need to navigate the new digital economy."
"In the current COVID-19 pandemic, quality training and learning
options that are immediately available will greatly contribute to
the success of jobseekers and Canadians looking for work in
different industries," shares Allison
Pond, President/CEO, ACCES
Employment. "We are excited to partner with IBM and TD Bank
Group on this initiative. Together, we will be able to provide a
range of learning opportunities to enhance the skills and
employability of ACCES jobseekers."
"It's critical training programs adapt to the 'future of work'
to ensure long term employment and prosperity for youth, especially
our most vulnerable," says Timothy
Lang, President & CEO at YES- Youth Employment Services.
"The YES-IBM partnership will have an immediate impact and prepare
tens of thousands of youth YES serves annually for long lasting
careers and help change lives…forever."
In addition to the partnership with ACCES Employment and YES –
Youth Employment Services, IBM is working with organizations across
Canada to reignite the economy,
including through the newly redesigned IBM Service Corps program
which provides teams of 12-15 IBM employees with a leave of
absence to help non-profits and civic leaders address complex and
high priority issues in education and economic development. Since
2008, the IBM Service Corps program has sent more than 4,000
employees to support more than 1,400 projects in over 40
countries.
For more information about SkillsBuild for non-profits:
http://skillsbuild.org
For more information about SkillsBuild
ReIgnite: https://www.skillsbuild.org/reignite
For more information about IBM Service Corps:
https://www.ibm.org/initiatives/ibm-service-corps
SOURCE IBM