Canadian Marketers in Transition and Marketers from Under-Represented Groups to Receive High-Demand Skills Training Through Innovative New Platform

TORONTO, March 6th, 2024 – The Canadian Marketing Association has announced the launch of the Digital Marketing Skills Canada (DMSC) program. The DMSC initiative is powered by Upskill Canada and is part of partnership agreements that are taking an industry-oriented approach to supporting Canadian workers. These agreements will help thousands of workers find new careers through skills training and job placement in some of the fastest-growing industries in Canada.

The Canadian Marketing Association (CMA), Canada’s largest marketing association and leading voice for the marketing profession, is proud to bring together the DMSC consortium – a group of leading organizations in the digital marketing training ecosystem, committed to upskilling Canadians for high-demand careers in the rapidly evolving marketplace and also building Canada’s next generation of marketing talent.

Supported by funding from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s (ISED) Upskilling for Industry Initiative, more than 15,000 Canadian workers will benefit from an innovative approach to skills training. Central to the Upskill Canada initiative is the role of community training providers, who work closely with local and national employers to identify precise suites of skills being sought by industry. Equipping workers with these skills will create new career pathways for Canadians and better position Canadian companies to compete both domestically and internationally.

Quick Facts

DMSC is a skills network of the following three best-in-class Canadian training organizations:

1. The CMA, a leader in designing and delivering accelerated upskilling programs, will deliver its Chartered Marketer program, Canada’s only professional marketing designation. The training is available for marketers with five or more years of progressive experience.
2. Jelly Academy, a Canadian and Indigenous led organization in training digital marketing talent, will upskill junior marketers and people new to the profession. Their renowned Digital Marketing Bootcamp will result in learners obtaining certificates from Google, Meta,Hootsuite and more.
3. Growclass is an award-winning course and community specializing in the fastest growing job title in Canada, Growth Marketing. They will upskill mid-level marketers to expand their technical marketing skills to find high-growth career opportunities.

All programs are available nationally and will run for seven weeks. The DMSC program will upskill 1200 individuals by March 2025.

Quotes

“We’re so proud to expand Upskill Canada with our second group of workers and training service providers. This is another big step – but it’s only the beginning. We’re looking forward to working with our supporters in government and industry to upskill many more Canadians, so they can transition into high-demand roles in the modern workforce – and help fast-growing companies achieve their full potential.” – Rhonda Barnet, CEO of Palette Skills, which was chosen by ISED to run the Upskill Canada initiative

“The marketing profession plays a key role in building businesses and contributing to Canada’s GDP. Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s innovative program accelerates this by enabling the Digital Marketing Skills Canada consortium to ensure marketers have the skills they need to thrive in the months and years ahead. The Canadian Marketing Association and our partners Jelly Academy and Growclass are primarily focused on supporting marketers in transition and people from under-represented groups with leading training programs that will help futureproof marketers as well as Canada’s economy and competitiveness.” – Alison Simpson, President & CEO, Canadian Marketing Association

"Increasing representation in digital marketing is ingrained in the core of our business at Jelly Academy. To date, over 75% of our grads are from underrepresented groups. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with incredible partners in the CMA and Growclass to help marginalized individuals launch a promising career in digital marketing." - Darian Kovacs, Founder, Jelly Academy

"At, Growclass we exist to help underrepresented people build supportive professional networks and land lucrative roles in marketing, so we are beyond excited to be a part of this incredible project with Jelly Academy and the CMA. This work will help hundreds of Canadians land the careers they deserve." - Sarah Stockdale, Founder, Growclass

To learn more, visit https://paletteskills.org/upskillcanadaprograms.

About the Canadian Marketing Association

The CMA is the voice of marketing in Canada and our purpose is to champion marketing’s powerful impact. We are the catalyst to help Canada’s marketers thrive today, while building the marketing mindset and environment of tomorrow.

We provide opportunities for our members nationally to develop professionally, contribute to marketing thought leadership, build strong networks, and strengthen the regulatory climate for business success. Our Chartered Marketer (CM) designation is Canada’s only marketing certification and signifies that recipients are highly qualified and skilled in best practices, as reflected in the Canadian Marketing Code of Ethics and Standards. We represent virtually all of Canada's major business sectors, and all marketing disciplines, channels and technologies. Our Consumer Centre helps Canadians better understand their rights and obligations. To learn more, visit thecma.ca.

About Upskill Canada

Upskill Canada is a national talent platform that helps fast-growing companies access the talent they need to compete and succeed globally while creating new career pathways for workers to rapidly transition into high-demand roles. Upskill Canada will target all regions of the country and support Canadian-based employers, with a particular focus on small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It will focus on strengthening key growth sectors, including digital technology, cybersecurity, agricultural technology, advanced manufacturing, clean technology and biomanufacturing.

Media Contact
Nathaniel Glassman, Kaiser & Partners
Nathaniel.Glassman@kaiserpartners.com
(416) 998-2258