CANADA
The new Canadian Digital Academy aims to boost the “digital acumen” of all levels of Canadian Public Servants.
President of the Treasury Board, Scott Brison (pictured) launched the new institution, saying it was intended to make Government better, faster, and more relevant.
The Academy will be housed at the Canada School of the Public Service and will be run — and funded — in partnership with the Chief Information Office and the Canadian Digital Service, with its team of technology experts.
Mr Brison is also the Minister for Digital Government, and all four organisations are under his portfolio.
Mr Brison said attracting and training PS employees with the right skills was central to his plan.
“Service to Canadians is at the heart of any good Government, and today that means digital,” Mr Brison said.
“We can actually do something … better than anywhere else, and that is build top-flight talent, and enable our Public Service to develop their skills so they become the very best at delivering Government services to Canadians anywhere in the world.”
He said the Academy’s curriculum was being designed to improve the digital acumen of all levels of PS employees who were working to modernise operations, and to deliver the kind of digital services that Canadians expected.
“Separate streams will cater to executives and leaders, technology workers, and other bureaucrats interested in technology,” Mr Brison said.
“The focus of the Academy is to advance the understanding of digital technology and the impact it will have on the work of Public Servants and the business of Government.”
Courses, which will initially run for one or two days, are still being refined and tested, with the first cohort of students beginning in a pilot project in January.
The Academy’s curriculum will cover data design, development and automation, disruptive technologies, artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Ottawa, 20 October 2018
