How specialized skills development programming is helping BMO technologists advance their careers 

When you work at BMO, you’re empowered to achieve your career aspirations. Our world class employee development programming includes personalized, digitally enabled learning, real world work experiences, and mentorship opportunities that foster career growth.  

One of our priorities is helping BMO technologists advance their skills through learning from Pluralsight, a leader in technical skills development. Over the past 12 months, participating BMO colleagues have grown their skills by an average of 45 per cent. 

Frank Li, Database Administration Specialist, Technology Resiliency, Experience and Operations (TREO) is targeting skills related to Amazon Web Services (AWS) – the platform for BMO’s migration to the cloud.

“I have been focused on the full AWS spectrum, from AWS service and solution options to database specialty. The cloud transition is an important shift for BMO, and we need to build the right skills to support it.”  

– Frank Li
Database Administration Specialist, Technology Resiliency, Experience and Operations (TREO)

In recent months, Frank’s studies with Pluralsight have enabled him to earn several in-demand certifications, including AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, AWS Certified Database – Speciality and AWS Certified Data Analytics. He credits his manager, Ping Yuan, with inspiring him to make learning a priority. “She clears any barriers to us achieving our goals and makes sure we align our learning with the needs of the bank,” says Frank.  

Angela Sim, BMO’s Chief Technology Resiliency, Experience and Operations Officer says that learning and development at BMO is centred around employee growth.

“We all have an opportunity to own our own development. Everyone needs to set a clear path forward for their careers – whether that means staying current in their current role, growing their career, or even starting a new career at BMO.”

– Angela Sim
Chief Technology Resiliency, Experience and Operations Officer, BMO

An enthusiastic lifelong learner herself, Angela has mandated her team make learning and skill development opportunities part of goal-setting conversations with her managers. 

For his part, Frank is excited and grateful for the learning opportunities he’s experiencing at BMO. “The content and the topics, the way they teach and train us, and the practical exam preparation are all very organized and the quality is excellent,” he says. “I feel like I’m well prepared to excel in my current role, and to progress in my career with BMO.”