{"id":63267,"date":"2025-04-03T19:43:32","date_gmt":"2025-04-03T19:43:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/explore.local\/2025\/04\/03\/this-telecom-reskilled-500-people-into-tech-jobs-for-big-roi\/"},"modified":"2025-04-11T21:07:01","modified_gmt":"2025-04-11T21:07:01","slug":"this-telecom-reskilled-500-people-into-tech-jobs-for-big-roi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/degreed.com\/experience\/de\/blog\/this-telecom-reskilled-500-people-into-tech-jobs-for-big-roi\/","title":{"rendered":"This Telecom Reskilled 500 People into Tech Jobs for Big ROI"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In response to a pressing demand for high-tech skills, a Canadian telecom company faced a familiar dilemma: how to attract talent in a fiercely competitive market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

External hiring is expensive. It takes time, and turnover is high. Indeed, about half (53%) of hiring managers across Canada say finding people with the right skills<\/a> is their biggest challenge. That\u2019s why learning leaders at the telecommunications firm instead turned to the company\u2019s workforce. The goal? Reskill existing employees with the high-tech skills of tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An internal workforce development program created by the company successfully graduated more than 500 professionals with specialized qualifications in high-tech fields. What\u2019s more, the program led to happier and more successful employees and an estimated $18 million in cost savings and productivity gains.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Program: A Skills-First Approach to Learning<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Like many others, this telecommunications operator experienced a rapid digital transformation. This shifted the demand for workers from traditional retail and technician roles to more advanced positions in software development, AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have very dedicated, engaged, and talented employees,\u201d the company\u2019s director of learning strategy said, adding that the organization was committed to adapting this enthusiastic and hardworking workforce for the future. \u201cSo the question was: With a surplus of people on one side, how do we create a bridge to the skills we need?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choosing Degreed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

With an emphasis on quick and easy-to-access online learning, comprehensive curriculum development led by subject-matter experts from across the organization, and with a rigorous selection process focused on diversity, the strategy came alive. It\u2019s a multi-pronged model\u2014a customized online learning program followed by a two- to three-month temporary job placement for real-world practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With online learning as the foundation and skills as the key measurement of progress, the firm looked to Degreed to curate content and manage skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe needed a place that made it easy to build curriculums and tie the pieces together. Not just the clicks to the content, but also the storytelling around it, and Degreed is really good at that compared to other platforms,\u201d the learning strategy director said. \u201cDegreed also allows us to build community by putting cohorts in virtual Groups where they can support each other.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Managing Skills<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe only reason we were able to do all of this is because we were very laser-focused on skills and the proficiency levels needed for each skill in the reskilling process, \u201c the learning director said. \u201cAt the same time, we already had a little under 2,000 team members in technical fields who needed to stay upskilled. That was why we turned to Degreed\u2014for both the reskilling of new talent and the upskilling of our existing technical workforce.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Results: More Engaged Employees, and Lower Costs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The results have been impressive, including: <\/p>\n\n\n\n