Digital skills needed for North America’s economic future

At the Exceptional Women Alliance (EWA), we enable high-level women to mentor each other to achieve personal and professional happiness through sisterhood. As the nonprofit organization’s founder, chair, and CEO, I am honored to interview and share insights from thought leaders who are part of our peer-to-peer mentoring.

This month I introduce to you Shannon Leininger, president of Cisco Canada. She will share insights on today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape and why continual upskilling is essential for North America to maintain its competitiveness, bolster its productivity, and safeguard our economic future.

Q: Shannon, how did you get into the tech and digital world?

Leininger: I often say that the technology world found me rather than the other way around. I joined the industry as a part-time job while I was in college, and I’ve spent my entire career in tech because I’ve been able to use it to help my customers and partners make a difference in the world.

Q: How digitally prepared are Canada and the U.S. overall?

Leininger: Digital readiness can be evaluated through productivity, technology adoption, or how well we’re seizing the opportunities that digital capabilities bring.

Cisco’s Digital Readiness Index found that Canada and the U.S. are global leaders when it comes to their digital preparedness. However, significant gaps in digital equity and inclusion remain, and you need both to move the needle. Without equitable access to technologies, many individuals and groups lose out on the ability to up- and re-skill to close the gap. We need concerted collaboration between the public and private sectors, along with a strong investment in digital skills to successfully close these gaps and build a highly trained workforce.

The good news: Organizations are taking steps to do so. Cisco’s AI Readiness Index found that over 85% of business leaders are focused on upskilling their current teams and hiring new talent to fully harness the potential of AI technologies.

Q: In your opinion, what role does the private sector play in addressing the digital skills gap?

Leininger: We are at a pivotal moment. North America has fully embraced a digital-first approach, influencing everything from jobs, to transportation, healthcare, and even how we socialize. As our digital economy changes, the demand for technically skilled employees will continue to evolve with it.

That said, our workforce isn’t just shifting; it’s being completely re-created. The World Economic Forum predicts that while 83 million jobs globally will be lost due to automation, 69 million new ones will emerge by 2027.

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, if we want a workforce that’s equipped to handle the needs of tomorrow, we must prioritize building the skills of tomorrow. The private sector, along with government and partners, must prioritize developing human capital and digital skills to navigate this transformation and ensure we don’t get left behind.

Q: How do new technologies, like AI, complicate or help this issue?

Leininger: Navigating AI’s impact on jobs can be a double-edged sword. AI promises to revolutionize job roles and productivity, while also raising questions about the future of work, required skills, and our workforce’s readiness to adapt.

To address these challenges, we need to focus on guiding people through this transition, particularly for workers whose jobs may evolve due to automation—and in the information and communication technology (ICT) industry, that’s 92% of jobs. With the right skills, workers can thrive in an AI-driven job market, achieving greater job security and economic stability. AI can democratize learning and make reskilling and upskilling more efficient, personalized, and accessible.

Cisco is leading a new AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium to explore AI’s impact on ICT job roles and identify skills needed to thrive in an AI-driven future. The association will leverage its members and advisors to recommend and amplify reskilling and upskilling training programs to skill workers at scale to engage in the AI era.

Q: How do digital skills benefit society beyond business?

Leininger: As digital acceleration reshapes our world, connecting individuals to the jobs of the future becomes crucial. By doing so, we not only positively impact lives, but also foster a more inclusive future for all.

And that begins with training and skill development for everyone. A great example is Cisco’s Networking Academy, which has trained over 20.5 million learners worldwide over the past 25 years in digital skills, including cybersecurity, networking, and IT.

These programs translate into real-world experiences. Take the story of a combat arms soldier who was injured before his first Afghanistan deployment and medically discharged in 2014. By leveraging his military IT skills and enrolling in Coding for Veterans—a Networking Academy program designed to provide Canadian veterans with essential IT and cybersecurity skills—he successfully transitioned into a role as an IT specialist in the public sector.

This journey highlights how programs that offer future-focused training can equip individuals with the skills needed for family-sustaining jobs and empower them in their own communities.

Q: Which digital skills should businesses focus on to stay resilient and best prepare for a digital future?

Leininger: There’s no single skill or program that can solve the entire skills gap on its own. Businesses should look at their unique needs and identify where they have gaps. Whether it’s cybersecurity, network automation, or AI, what matters most is that the skills you invest in not only set your business up for success, but also future-proof your workforce for the challenges ahead.

Larraine Segil is founder, chair, and CEO of The Exceptional Women Alliance.