The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade is expected to launch its own training program for executive members this fall.
Vancouver executives and board members are about to have new opportunities to learn artificial intelligence (AI) tools, stay current and, ideally, thrive on improvement rapid pace of new technologies.
KPMG Canada and Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) are teaming up to offer free virtual training through an initiative they are dubbing the Operational Risk Skills Development Center. Separately, the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade (GVBOT) plans to launch in-person AI training this fall.
That’s according to Walter Pela, regional managing partner of KPMG Canada for Vancouver and senior vice-president of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.
Pela let news of the KPMG-Microsoft initiative slip yesterday, while on a panel at the end of his company’s AI 2.0 Summit – an event attended by Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim , and leaders such as Sanctuary AI co-founder Olivia Norton, D-Murray Thom, vice president of Wave Quantum Inc., and David Seymour, Microsoft vice president and general manager of Vancouver.
“You can sign up, and it’s free, so there’s no charge,” Pela explained. BIV after the sign. “It’s self-paced training, and there’s an in-person virtual component, in the sense that it’s not in-person but there’s a live component and the rest is self-paced. It’s basic training.”
He said some modules were specifically about
• AI;
• Microsoft Copilot AI tool; And
• cybersecurity as it relates to AI.
Students can then print a certificate stating that they have completed the program, who has a registration site.
KPMG Canada issued a press release this morning stating that the program was specifically aimed at senior executives and board directors, although Pela did not mention these restrictions in a brief conversation with BIV. Small business owners and other members of the public may be able to register.
KPMG Canada launched this center for the first time in November 2023 in Quebec, with French courses. This initiative announced at the Vancouver AI Summit is therefore the second stage of this program.
“Generative AI represents a significant opportunity, and with the expansion of the Operational Risk Management Skills Development Center curriculum to business leaders across Canada, we are helping Canadian organizations achieve just that. the potential of AI,” said John Weigelt, National Technology Officer for Microsoft Canada.
This fall’s GVBOT program to educate members about AI and rapidly evolving technologies has not yet been concrete about what exactly will be covered.
“This will be in-person, facilitated training for members only,” Pela said. “It will be a program and there will be a cost to members. It is tentatively scheduled to start in the fall.”
