BMO by the numbers
1817
Founded in 1817
Toronto, Canada
Headquartered in Toronto, Canada
13 million
global customers
The challenge
Serving customers faster than the speed of tech
Technology is evolving faster than ever, and BMO takes a digital-first approach to simplify its business, deliver best-in-class customer experiences, and adopt new ways of working. “The challenge is not just about keeping up with technology,” said Carl Gomes, CIO for Finance and Enterprise Risk, “but proactively leveraging it to transform how we work and serve our customers.”
Beyond balancing innovation with security, BMO faced another challenge: Equipping employees with the right skills to deliver on BMO’s strategic priorities. With teams spread across the globe, delivering a consistent upskilling strategy in cloud technologies, risk management, and data security is essential for navigating complex regulations and mitigating emerging threats. For BMO, investing in its employees isn’t just a checkbox—it’s a critical driver of success.
Digital-first means innovating our customer-first approach. To achieve that, we need the right people with the right skills and in the right roles.
Carl Gomes
CIO, Finance & Enterprise Risk, BMO
The solution
Creating a streamlined upskilling strategy
BMO partnered with Pluralsight to create an upskilling strategy that empowers employees to learn—and apply—skills faster through various learning opportunities.
Chao Li, Solution Architect, shared how learning paths boosted his team’s efficiency: “Pluralsight enabled us to quickly get up to speed with AWS, streamlining our processes and cutting down costs. We’re making smarter decisions faster, thanks to these structured learning paths.”
BMO’s quality engineering division saw an equally significant impact. Hands-on labs let employees experiment with real-world scenarios without lengthy setup, while a mix of self-paced content and interactive experiences accelerated cloud and Agile adoption.
Pluralsight Skill IQ assessments further drove cultural transformation through initiatives like skill blitzes and gamification. About its impacts, Carl said, “Skill IQ has given us a clear picture of our strengths and areas to improve. We’ve used this data to create friendly competition and celebrate progress.”
The results speak for themselves—BMO saw a 202% increase in expert-level tech skills with Skill IQ.
Key benefits of Pluralsight for BMO
Expert-level growth
By leveraging Pluralsight’s Skill IQ assessments, BMO measured a 202% increase in their employees’ mastery of business-critical tech skills.
Continuous learning
BMO integrated skill blitzes and gamification into initiatives to create a culture of engagement and upskilling, driving measurable business results.
Increased efficiency
Employees logged over 11,700 learning hours, directly contributing to faster decision-making and cost-saving technology consolidations.
Staffing cost savings
BMO significantly reduced recruitment costs by upskilling internal talent through Pluralsight.
Hands-on labs save us days of setup, allowing us to practice real-world scenarios immediately and with confidence.
Nisha Boban
Senior Quality Engineer, BMO
Next steps
Staying ahead with continuous upskilling
Technology continues to change, but BMO’s commitment to their people and to fostering continuous learning remains. BMO’s key to success is their investment in prioritizing and supporting skill development among their employees. When BMO’s people grow, so does the business.
To keep employees engaged and ensure learning is effective and enjoyable, BMO continues to run skill blitzes and gamification-driven initiatives.
As learning and development programs expand, leaders encourage employees to leverage these resources, master critical technologies, and drive the bank’s digital transformation.
“Taking part in these programs is a huge opportunity to grow, both personally and professionally,” said Nisha Boban, BMO Senior Quality Engineer. “The tools are there—it’s up to you to use them and make the most of what’s available.
By continuing to invest in their people, BMO ensures they’ll be able to meet customer needs, no matter what the future holds.
“If you aren’t investing in your skills, you’re missing out on a chance to future-proof your career and make a real impact today,” said Carl Gomes, CIO for Finance and Enterprise Risk. “With Pluralsight, our employees have everything they need to stay ahead.”
Efficiency and consolidation are key. Pluralsight helps us compare and choose the best technologies to streamline processes and save costs.
Chao Li
Solution Architect, BMO
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