Schulich and CGI Partner on New Certificate for Careers in Enterprise IT
A new collaboration between the Schulich School of Business and CGI is creating expanded pathways into enterprise technology careers for professionals, graduates and career changers.
Backed by a $1 million investment, the CGI Certificate in Enterprise Systems Development is an eight-month program is designed to help learners build practical, job-ready skills for today’s increasingly complex IT environments — even without prior coding experience.
As demand for digital talent continues to grow across Canada, the program aims to prepare participants for roles that go beyond traditional coding, focusing instead on how modern organizations design, integrate and manage large-scale technology systems.
“At CGI, we believe sustaining Canada’s competitiveness depends on continually developing the next generation of talent with advanced digital and AI expertise,” said Steve Starace, CGI’s Chief Human Resources Officer. This partnership with the Schulich School of Business reflects our commitment to helping build the skills and experience that organizations need to harness AI and emerging technologies to drive responsible and impactful business outcomes. By combining academic excellence with real-world industry insight, this program will help prepare professionals to contribute meaningfully to Canada’s digital economy from day one.”
Through a blend of academic instruction and industry insight, the program will introduce learners to key areas such as programming, AI-enabled systems, DevOps, cybersecurity and enterprise IT operations. A capstone project will give participants the opportunity to apply these skills to real-world challenges.
“Thanks to our partnership with CGI, Schulich is delivering applied, cutting-edge education that prepares professionals to succeed in enterprise IT environments,” said Detlev Zwick, Dean & Tanna H. Schulich Chair in Digital Marketing Strategy, Schulich School of Business. “This Certificate will help close critical skills gaps in the marketplace and open new career opportunities for our students. We’re proud to partner with a world-class company such as CGI in bringing this important initiative to market.”
The certificate will be offered through Schulich’s Institute of Digital Business, a new initiative focused on preparing talent for the realities of enterprise technology and the growing influence of artificial intelligence across industries.
“Modern enterprises are not simply writing code – they’re building and operating complex digital platforms that integrate cloud infrastructure, AI capabilities, cybersecurity, and large-scale data systems,” said Murat Kristal, Executive Director Schulich’s Institute of Digital Business. “This certificate was designed with CGI to help participants understand how these components come together inside world-class IT organizations. Initiatives like this are also critical for Canada’s long-term competitiveness, ensuring that our workforce can design, operate, and lead the digital infrastructures that will power the next generation of innovation and economic growth.”
The partnership reflects a broader shift toward closer collaboration between universities and industry, as organizations look for new ways to build talent pipelines and strengthen Canada’s digital economy.
Applications for the inaugural Fall 2026 cohort are now open.
