Top 5 Canadian Companies Investing in Upskilling

Workers in Canada are grappling with the same pressing question as employees worldwide: how can they keep their skills relevant in an era shaped by AI, digitalization, and rapid economic change? Increasingly, the answer lies in employers themselves, as Canadian organizations step forward with ambitious upskilling initiatives.

From banks to technology firms and utilities, major employers are helping their teams adapt, grow, and prepare for future opportunities. These programs address immediate talent gaps, while building resilience for individuals and businesses alike.

Here, we look at five Canadian companies leading the way in 2025. But first, let’s explore the benefits upskilling offers to both organizations and employees.

Upskilling provides a shared advantage: it helps organizations remain competitive while giving employees confidence in their future. For businesses, investing in learning and development reduces skill shortages, boosts productivity, and strengthens retention. For workers, it expands career mobility, builds digital confidence, and secures employability in fast-changing industries.

In Canada, where automation and demographic shifts are reshaping labour markets, these benefits are crucial. Employers that invest in people see higher engagement and loyalty, while workers gain clear pathways into new, better-paying careers.

As Canada’s third-largest bank, Scotiabank serves more than 25 million customers worldwide. With 90,000 employees and revenues topping $35 billion annually, its scale allows it to drive meaningful change in the financial services industry and the broader economy.

Scotiabank has committed $500 million in a 10-year period through its ScotiaRISE program, aimed at strengthening economic resilience for disadvantaged groups. Since 2021, the bank has invested over $100 million in initiatives supporting education, employment, and newcomer integration.

The program includes partnerships with organizations like Pathways to Education and NPower Canada, enabling thousands of Canadians to access tutoring, IT training, and job search support. Besides upskilling, ScotiaRISE also backs newcomer-focused initiatives like Windmill Microlending, which helps skilled immigrants to pay for accreditation and resume their careers.

By investing in workforce readiness, Scotiabank reduces barriers to employment, fosters inclusion, and strengthens communities. For employees and job seekers alike, the impact is tangible: from mentorship opportunities to upskilling programs, the initiative has already supported over 75,000 individual instances related to learning and career development.

RBC is Canada’s largest bank and one of the biggest in North America, with 97,000 employees and annual revenues surpassing $50 billion. Its global presence in wealth management and capital markets amplifies the reach of its upskilling initiatives.

As one of Canada’s largest financial institutions, RBC has positioned itself as a leader in preparing youth for the jobs of tomorrow through its Future Launch initiative. This $500 million program focuses on four pillars: gaining work experience, building skills, growing networks, and supporting mental well-being.

Since its launch, Future Launch has helped millions of young Canadians with reskilling opportunities, ranging from digital literacy and coding to financial literacy and leadership training. RBC also partners with nonprofits, universities, and employers to provide mentorship and access to career pathways.

The program responds directly to labour market realities—young Canadians often face barriers to gaining practical work experience and accessing training aligned with in-demand skills. RBC bridges this gap by preparing future talent for its own workforce and supporting the broader Canadian economy.

Hydro-Québec is one of the world’s largest hydropower producers, generating over $7 billion in annual revenues and employing more than 20,000 workers. Hydro-Québec is a provincial crown corporation and plays a pivotal role in Quebec’s economy and Canada’s energy future.

As Canada accelerates its transition to clean energy, Hydro-Québec is ensuring its workforce is ready. In 2023, the utility announced a $250 million plan to train thousands of new workers to meet growing demands for electrification and renewable energy infrastructure.

The initiative focuses on strengthening the skilled trades pipeline, with training for electricians, line workers, and other specialized roles critical to maintaining and expanding the grid. Partnerships with vocational schools and unions are central to the program, ensuring both current employees and recruits are prepared for evolving challenges.

Hydro-Québec’s approach is a model of workforce foresight. By aligning training with its multi-billion-dollar infrastructure projects, the utility not only fills immediate needs but also creates long-term, sustainable employment in Quebec and beyond.

Headquartered in Ottawa, Shopify is Canada’s most prominent tech company, powering millions of e-commerce stores worldwide. With over 11,000 employees and annual revenues near $7 billion, it is a global tech leader and Canada’s flagship digital commerce company.

Shopify has long emphasized employee growth as a cornerstone of its culture. In 2025, it expanded internal learning opportunities, offering pay raises tied to professional development achievements and access to new training pathways.

Shopify encourages staff to pursue certifications, leadership development, and technical training, from coding and AI literacy to business strategy. Employees are also supported with stipends for external education and professional growth opportunities.

This approach not only helps Shopify to retain top talent in a competitive tech market, but also empowers workers to reinvent themselves as industries evolve. By incorporating career development into its compensation model, Shopify sends a clear signal: learning is valued, rewarded, and essential to success.

Bell Canada is the country’s largest telecom provider, with over 50,000 employees and annual revenues exceeding $24 billion. Its scale makes it a central player in shaping Canada’s digital economy and workforce development.

Being a leader in telecommunications, Bell Canada is responding to the country’s digital transformation by investing heavily in cloud and digital skills training. Partnering with providers like AWS, Bell has rolled out programs that have already boosted cloud-related sales by 67%.

These initiatives provide employees with access to cloud certifications, cybersecurity training, and leadership development in digital-first environments. Bell is also creating pathways for employees in traditional telecom roles to pivot into higher-growth areas such as AI, data science, and digital infrastructure.

For Bell, upskilling is both a competitive advantage and a retention strategy. By investing in the digital readiness of its workforce, the company ensures it remains at the forefront of Canada’s rapidly evolving tech and communications sector.

The efforts of Scotiabank, RBC, Hydro-Québec, Shopify, and Bell Canada show that Canada’s leading employers see workforce development as a strategic priority. From banking and energy to telecom and tech, these organizations are investing millions to close skill gaps, support inclusion, and prepare for the future of work.

HR leaders and business executives should bear in mind that, more than an HR initiative, upskilling is a business imperative. Organizations that follow the examples listed here will be better positioned to retain talent, build resilience, and thrive in a changing economic landscape.

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