The mix of topics is a major part of the appeal. So is the opportunity to have genuine conversations with senior leaders, and doers, across so many industries for two days.

Day one of the mesh conference was all about navigating innovation, privacy policies, and diversity in a tech-driven world, and day two was all about artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on media, marketing, business and society.

AI is everywhere, but this day hit different. 

“I sat beside a marketer this morning who said he came to mesh because he was interested in the topics, but that he also knew lots about the subject matter so he wasn’t sure how much he’d take away,” said mesh attendee, Sarah Coleman who travelled from Calgary to see mesh in Toronto. 

“But after a full day of talks, he said to me that he was totally surprised by the cross-industry perspectives shared, and he walked away from the first day with thoughts he had never considered. For me, that’s the biggest value of mesh and it’s why I travelled across the country for my second mesh conference this year.”

Day two opened up with a frank discussion about the training of artificial intelligence (AI) and data sources with Elena Yunusov, AI strategy and marketing leader with the Human Feedback Foundation. 

Yunusov recently started the foundation to crowdsource the human feedback layer that’s missing from private AI models. Private models will continue and make decisions we won’t agree with, she said, but open source initiatives offer the chance for more innovation and better-informed applications.

“We should have more say about how AI is shaped and developed,” said Yunusov. 

There are a handful of models influencing us in ways we may not understand. But the Human Feedback Foundation is a small, but mighty open-source project trying to make AI less toxic and more empathetic. 

Use human feedback to bring the human voice back into data

After opening remarks, Yunusov continued the AI discussion with Darnel Moore, founder and CEO of Distinct.ly, who sees technology as a tool to connect with people. “We need a way for people to see each other and for businesses to see those people,” said Moore. 

Businesses just want to see the data point — not its context. But cognitive bias tells us that time, place, and situation influences people’s decisions, so the data means nothing without context. 

Moore said somewhere along the line people became a bug, rather than a feature, for businesses and that needs to change. 

“It’s important to get yourself out of the loop of data and buzzwords,” he Moore. 

It’s hard when you’re driving hard and fast not to attach yourself to buzzwords. But it’s not about pitching, selling, or moving your product — it’s about connecting with people.

Both Yunusov and Moore expressed puzzlement around the anxiety many people have around AI handling routine tasks. 

“Machinery is levelling human beings up from the mundane,” said Moore. People can now be more creative and learn in ways that weren’t possible before, he added.

“We have agency in this and the tools we never had before to get us to the next stages of that journey,” added Yunusov. 

We’re living through a bit of a reckoning in tech, she notes. Things are going to change, but how they change should be up to us. 

“Change is part of the human experience and we’re just doing it with different tools now,” said Yunusov. 

AI is a very divisive concept

Rika Nakazawa, global vice-president with NTT’s New Ventures and Innovation team, joined mesh fresh from COP28’s World Climate Summit in Dubai where there were two camps — one that believed AI is going to be the end of our ability to attain sustainability goals, and the other that thought it would bring the dawn of a new horizon. 

Amy Peck, founder and CEO of EndeavorXR, agreed. On one end of the spectrum, it’s the great saviour. We’ll be able to leverage it and achieve all our goals, she said. On the other end is the doom and gloom. 

Peck said business leaders need to start understanding data better, urging for bias-free data to be the foundation for AI training algorithms. We’re equal in our humanity, said Peck, so we must learn to embrace our differences rather than vilify them.

“AI is an overnight success, 80 years in the making,” said Nakazawa. “There’s nothing artificial about artificial intelligence.” 

It’s all made — binary code is mimicking our brain. 

“We have to retrain ourselves to work with AI and not just hand over our tasks to AI,” Peck said.

We needed to manage and prevent food waste

For this event, the mesh conference partnered with Second Harvest to ensure unused food served at lunch would not go to waste. Using Second Harvest technology, unused packaged lunches were donated to a local charity.

“It’s the eHarmony of food,” joked Lori Nikkel, CEO of Second Harvest during a fireside discussion. 

Nikkel was joined by Winston Rosser, VP of Food Rescue Operations at Second Harvest, who demoed the technology built to help conquer food insecurity and food redistribution.

Rosser explained that the app connects a variety of donors, from small retailers to major grocery stores, with local, non-profit charities who need food. Before the platform was built, huge trucks were sent to pick up 20 lbs of food from a grocer and take it across the city — an option that was not sustainable. Now, donors can easily connect with one of more than 61,000 charities via the platform.

Rosser also shared some startling stats:

• 58% of all the food produced in Canada is lost or wasted, mostly ending up in landfill.
• 3.9 million Canadians are food insecure.
• Only 4% of food businesses were donating food.

Since the launch of the app, Second Harvest has flipped everything on its head. In 2016 the organization rescued nine million pounds of food, but after the app was deployed, that number skyrocketed — in 2022, nearly 75 million pounds of food was rescued in 2022. Last year Second Harvest kept food worth $234 million out of landfill. 

When asked why there’s so much food waste to begin with, Nikkel offered a sober response: “We don’t value food,” she said, adding that we’ve commoditized food to the point where we don’t value it like we used to. An example: many people will buy food in a two-for-one deal even if they don’t need it, and oftentimes it’s simply thrown out.

Adoption requires sponsorship within the organization

Afternoon discussions on day two of the mesh conference also looked at laggard industries, and professionals who can be resistant to change.

Colleen Pound, founder and CEO of Proxure, and Mary Jane Dykeman, managing partner at INQ Law, talked about the difficult task of integrating AI in law and healthcare — two industries that can be averse to technological innovation.

“Their aversion creates a lot of white space to work in,” said Pound, adding that progress looks like evolution rather than revolution. 

Dykeman agreed, adding that change in situations like this often takes a foothold when a series of low-risk initiatives are the starting point. Ultimately, they can lead to larger transformations.

In addition, privacy and data security are major issues for both industries that need to be managed first, Pound said. Data management is the starting point.

“Better data and better processes drive better business outcomes,” Pound said.

AI is what you make it

The day’s closing panel included a conversation on AI in media, featuring mesh co-founder and media pundit, Mathew Ingram.

Ingram joked that he would be terrified if he was starting his journalism career today. As the chief digital writer for the Columbia Journalism Review, Ingram noted that distributing information is easier today, but distributing disinformation is also easier.

“The quality of the disinformation doesn’t matter,” Ingram said, saying people believe disinformation because they want to believe it. 

“A nine-year-old could think of a more plausible conspiracy theory than some of the ones I’ve seen people believe,” he said. 

Chris Hogg, president and founder of the content marketing firm Digital Journal Group (DJG), said he sees B2B content marketing rolling back to what high-quality journalism used to offer. Hogg said success can now require businesses to produce less content, and instead focus on quality and distribution to stand out and drive results.

The fireside discussion also looked at the risks AI poses to the media industry. 

AI may not always be able to make things better, but it has great applications as a technology to support journalists. 

“It’s a tool that you can use and do things that help you and are valuable,” said Ingram, noting that transcription, story idea generation, and automating mundane tasks are big benefits offered by AI.

While there are considerable risks with OpenAI’s accuracy, deep fakes, and fake AI content, Ingram said the technology is still important.

“I’m a big believer in the power of individuals to change things,” he said. “There are things we thought would be inconsequential, but have changed the world, for better or worse.”

–

Join us next year in Calgary for the mesh conference, June 11-12, 2024. The two-day event then returns to Toronto the week of October 21, 2024.

Jesse Gold, eager for career growth, decided to take matters into his own hands, and, rather than wait for an employer to offer new training, he pursued upskilling independently. 

“I believe that continually striving to develop skills and improve yourself is not only fulfilling, but a key way to differentiate yourself in a crowded job market,” he said, explaining that he self-funded a number of business and technical certifications.

Today, he is Director, Strategy and Transformation for UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. Previously, he held multiple roles in Rogers Business over the previous decade. “I believe that my certifications, collectively, showed that I was willing to think critically, but also put in the work,” he said.

In his career experience, he’s felt as though employers should contribute to employee satisfaction, growth and development, with “some sort of program that covers some or all of a training opportunity,” or a conference every year or two.

“While it would be great to have any and all training or certification covered, this is not realistic,” he said. 

Yet, an unfortunate aspect of employer upskilling is that “generally, employers who provide such programs provide specific training on-premises, offering only certain courses or training that are deemed to support the company’s current goals,” rather than planning ahead for burgeoning technology. 

Call it professional development, call it upskilling, the concept is virtually the same. This can mean courses, lunch and learns, conferences, mentoring, peer coaching, or self-learning. Today, many companies and organizations are proactively giving these kinds of learning opportunities to their staff as a matter of course.

Essential skills in in an ever-changing tech landscape

But what’s behind the trend? In the constantly evolving landscape of technology, the rise of automation, the digital world’s blink-of-an-eye changes, upskilling today has become less an option and more of a must-have for companies in order to keep up. In fact, more than 40% of skills will change over the next few years, says one study. No one – not employees or employers – wants to discover they’ve been a laggard, asleep at the switch, while other industries make them obsolete. 

One report estimates that the most in-demand skill areas include big data, analytics, AI (in risk assessment or fraud detection), and machine learning. Still another report says cybersecurity, cloud and customer-user experience skills are “essential.” 

New training has become increasingly non-negotiable for employees – to the extent that some are willing to walk away from a job if upskilling isn’t offered. About a fifth of employees in one study have reported leaving an organization because of a lack of development opportunities. In a Gallup study, nearly half said they would be willing to leave their current job for a new one that included skills training. 

Upskilling is “one of the core values of all my companies because of several reasons. Our services are our people. So the more educated, the more qualified I make them, the better it is for my business,” noted Dr. Hasan Akram, serial entrepreneur and CEO of automotive software company Matrickz GmbH. “I’m training everyone in AI. It’s always on the top of our priority.” 

While there is no formal program, he recognizes that several times a year there is a new innovation with AI. To maintain this knowledge in-house, he created The AI Squad – where employees are updated with new AI tools and technologies. 

“And we are teaching them,” said Akram. “This is a constant process.”

What upskilling means for employers

On the employer end, the advantages are clear: an average of two-thirds see a return on investment within twelve months. Nine out of 10 CEOs who brought in upskilling opportunities reported subsequent increased productivity and better retention.  

In addition to boosting employee engagement, there’s also a cost benefit to an organization: it obviates the need to hire new staff, and the expenses associated with it, such as advertising the position, time to vet the candidates, and onboarding. 

“Too often, employers look outside for new recruits to fill new roles. Employers might realize that they are sitting on incredible talent within its organization that can be better deployed,” said Jake Levant, co-founder of online learning portal Salesclass.co.

His company creates upskilling programs where new immigrants can develop their existing skills to forge new careers in the high tech industry. “We don’t just theorize, we have lots of role play and practice. These are critiqued by co-learners and by professionals that coach those types of roles in industry,” he said. 

The company has trained hundreds of people and seen a 70% placement rate in careers that have “incredible growth trajectories,” said Levant. On average, he added, graduates more than double their salary coming out of the program. 

“The challenge to unleashing that talent is knowing people’s desires, matching with opportunities, and ensuring there are the right programs to help them upskill to fulfill those new roles.”

Gold, for his part, adds to this word of caution: Upskilling for upskilling’s sake is not a good idea. A critical point before even embarking a new learning journey is to know how or if the new skill will translate to the work environment, so as to ensure the entire exercise isn’t a waste of time. 

“Regardless of what type of upskilling you’re looking to undertake, it is important to do the research, to understand what skills the market is looking for, and what skills or certifications people hold that have the job title you’re seeking,” said Gold. 

“Being laser-focused in this way can help you hone in on what type of training, mentoring, coaching or support you need to successfully upskill.” 

Offering new challenges

Still, one business leader feels differently.

Lauren Imparato, CMO of the all-female led impact investing group Delphos Capital, leads a staff of 120, and believes that there is a form of upskilling that doesn’t involve a formal course or training. Rather, it’s about immersing an employee in a new challenge.

“I always really keep my eye out for initiative – somebody that takes initiative and someone who thinks outside the box. If you take those two things together, they usually point to a prime candidate for upskilling, either in the type of role they do or role out of left field,” said the former Morgan Stanley Fixed Income Vice-President and founder of I.AM.YOU, a wellness company. 

“I like to give the person a project. I often think these things like mentorship and courses can take so much time, and have so many steps to get through, that in that time the candidate can lose interest, or even move on to another job. So I start by giving the pinpointed person a project, and if that goes well, even if it is medium well, and they continue with that initiative, then we discuss next level training or a move of position. I’m a big believer in giving someone as much rope as they think they can take,” Imparato said. 

“I think that having them understand that you are giving them something outside their box, but you think they can handle it, engenders the best results. Not ‘If you don’t get it you’ve failed and you are out’.” 

How to build an upskilling program at your organization

Assess skill gaps and improvements

This evaluation can be carried out through surveys, performance appraisals, and engaging in dialogues with employees.

Establishing upskilling objectives

These objectives should align with the organization’s strategic ambitions and target the recognized skill deficiencies. Well-defined objectives will serve as a compass for the upskilling program and gauge its efficacy.

Customizing training to individual requirements

Recognize that not all employees have identical training needs. Therefore, customize upskilling programs to cater to the specific requirements of each individual, taking into consideration their current skill levels and career aspirations. Personalized training plans are more potent in nurturing employees.

Ensuring access to learning resources

This may encompass in-house training, online courses, workshops, and mentorship. Employees can select the methods that best align with their preferred learning styles.

Articulating the advantages

Outline how it can lead to career advancement, heightened job stability, and personal growth. In doing so, it is likelier to incentivize the learning.

Cultivating a supportive atmosphere

Foster an environment that endorses upskilling; for example, where employees feel at ease asking questions, learning from their errors, and seeking assistance when required. A culture that prizes learning and development naturally motivates employees to upskill.

Offering flexibility

Employees often have diverse commitments and responsibilities outside work. Provide flexibility in the upskilling process by presenting part-time courses, remote learning alternatives, or accommodating different timetables.

Even if a worker defies the odds and stays with the same company for their entire career, there is no such thing as a lifelong job anymore. 

Technology changes too fast — and so do positions and expectations. Entire sectors come and go at a pace that would have been inconceivable mere decades ago, as markets whip employers and employees about with abandon.

It’s why companies, workers, and even governments are starting to think more and more about the critical role of upskilling and reskilling.

While it would be easy to dismiss these terms as simply the latest buzzwords in a world of digital transformation and workplace upheaval, the stakes can be higher and more significant than either a better bottom line or a higher paycheque. That’s particularly true as technology continues to change and AI rises to challenge almost every aspect of work.

The right upskilling can help older workers remain critical to the companies they already know and understand, help younger workers chase their career dreams, improve retention and fill worker shortage. But upskilling, and reskilling in particular, can also be a powerful tool for diversity and inclusion or to smooth over economic shifts.

It all boils down to managing risks and finding payoffs, both big and small.

“One of the things that we understand in all of our work is that when it comes to hiring for companies, particularly for SMEs — which a lot of our tech companies are — it’s as much about managing risk and the perception of risk as it is about acquiring talent and skills,” says AJ Tibando, the chief strategy officer at Palette Skills, a Canadian not-for-profit focused on upskilling.

Understanding perception of risk and how that plays out in workplaces can be a powerful tool, ushering in untapped potential and retaining workers already well versed in a particular company.

Why do workers and employers want to upgrade?

Tibando says there’s not one kind of worker who seeks additional training or help transitioning to a new career. 

“No one is going to be…untouched by this next wave of technological change, whether it’s in your job or in your life,” she says. “It’s kind of coming for all of us in different ways.”

Her organization focuses on people with “potential or untapped potential,” who might have the right sort of underlying skills, but who might lack proper training or experience. They then try to overcome that risk aversion in employers who might usually balk at the candidate. 

Abu Batasi, who oversees corporate training in his role as director of sales for Lighthouse Labs, says there is no one reason why individuals and businesses seek out his company for bootcamps — ranging from cybersecurity to data analytics. 

The company not only provides training, but also connections to employers for job seekers at the end of their course — a key “value proposition,” says Batasi.

Workers gain new skills and, hopefully, a new job. 

A recent report from upskiller PluralSight suggests there’s no shortage of demand for those kinds of services. 

In the State of Upskilling 2023, 52% of respondents who work in tech say it’s important to learn new skills in times of economic uncertainty, but that same study also indicated 42% of respondents said they were too busy to upskill. 

That poses a challenge for companies that don’t focus on continuous upskilling for employees, and can lead to big costs when retention plummets. 

“I think it’s about six times more expensive to hire externally, when you consider the premium that you have to pay, and the recruitment fees and all that stuff, versus if you were strategic about just skilling the right people in your company that are already showing a lot of promise,” says Batasi. 

The PluralSight report suggests that benefit is well understood by companies, with 97% of HR and learning and development respondents saying they prioritize internal talent over outside hiring for open positions. 

That sort of value crosses generational lines, with workers both young and older seeking new skills. Batasi says it’s often younger workers looking for upskilling while older workers tend to seek reskilling, but, he added, that dichotomy is only a broad generalization.

Bringing in new faces and experiences

While consistency can be a powerful advantage for a company, it can also act as a barrier. 

In order to attract new workers and expand the pool of talent across Canada, there have to be targeted interventions tailored to the right circumstances according to Rob Davidson, the director of data science at the Information and Communications Technology Council, a not-for-profit focused on Canada’s place in a digital economy.

“I’ll use cybersecurity as an example,” he says. “They all want to have cybersecurity people with experience, which does not provide any entry points for new talents. So everybody is just recycling the same people, and the gaps are never filled, which is not a good thing if you consider cybersecurity a strategic and national imperative for Canada.”

Read more: Why is there such a massive cybersecurity talent gap in Canada?

The benefits of new faces, however, goes beyond new recruits into an exclusive industry. It also allows for a breadth of experiences and backgrounds. But overcoming those barriers, conscious or otherwise, can be a challenge.

Tibando says risk perception gets down to the granular level when companies are on the hunt for new hires. Palette Skill’s data shows there are challenges across almost all demographic categories. 

“Despite the fact that everybody goes through the same process, once they hit the job market and human behaviour and risk analysis starts to kick in, older workers take longer to get placed, Black workers — particularly Black women — take longer to get placed.”

Women in general don’t face the same challenges, she says, but Black women endure more interviews and wait the longest between interviews and job offers — even though they are offered initial interviews faster than any other demographic.

Read more: Women are great cybersecurity hires. So why are they so underrepresented in a short-staffed field?

Tibando says companies are always lamenting a worker shortage, but need to overcome overt and unconscious biases in order to help alleviate the problem.

Getting it right

Those kinds of barriers don’t exist in isolation, and tectonic shifts in workplaces and whole sectors can have a profound effect. 

Sure, many are simply interested in acquiring a new skill and moving up in their careers, but for others it can involve surmounting social barriers or facing a new reality where people feel like their industry and their world is moving on. 

Reskilling those workers carries political and social challenges, particularly when areas are dominated by one industry that can become ingrained in their identity, and where changes can have far reaching economic shocks. 

But it can’t be solved by expecting everyone to be a tech worker. 

Take blue collar workers. As Davidson explains, “in Virginia, for coal miners, they tried to take them from being displaced coal miners to becoming programmers, there wasn’t a fit.”

He says programs need to take into account the industries at question, the workers involved, and considerations of place. His organization helped build a program that reskills oil and gas workers in Calgary as that industry contracts, amid uncertainty and efficiencies. 

“There’s some real big workforce development challenges that are out there,” he says. 

“And you’ve got to be very careful about trying anybody that says that they can solve it immediately. There’s probably misleading people. Let’s put it that way.”