Scotiabank encourages and supports employee learning and development, and uses a blend of classroom, e-learning, coaching, job shadowing and mini-training sessions in the branch, and continually looks for ways to leverage technology for learning.

During 2007, we further enhanced and expanded My Learning Centre (MLC), our web-based learning management system that gives employees access to training information and courses from anywhere at anytime. We increased system access to many head office and International Banking departments and Grupo Scotiabank in Mexico is currently being converted to MLC.

Award winning training programs

Scotiabank has again been recognized as a leading training company – and the top Canadian bank – in Training magazine's 2007 Training Top 125, which recognizes exceptional learning and development programs incorporated by companies around the world. This is the fourth consecutive year Scotiabank has appeared on the list, consistently improving its placement each year, and the first time the Bank has been identified as a leader among other Canadian financial institutions.

We were honoured with a Canadian Society of Training and Development Award for Training Excellence in 2007 for Scotiabank’s Fundamentals of Coaching Excellence Learning Program within International Banking. Designed to help improve leadership skills among managers and supervisors in 2006, this program is one of many rolled out to our international locations during 2007.

Developing leadership capabilities

To maintain the competitive strength of their leadership ranks, major employers such as Scotiabank must be prepared to face the challenges of Canada’s declining working age population while also managing diverse staffing issues across their international operations. To help Scotiabank meet these challenges and build the bank of the future, we have made leadership one of our main strategic objectives. Our leadership development programs target capabilities that are needed for today’s and tomorrow’s global leaders.

Scotiabank prioritizes targeted on-the-job development to ensure leaders are prepared for current and emerging roles within the organization.

The Human Investment Committee, composed of senior executive management, oversees this key priority as part of a global recruiting strategy to harness the capabilities of our diverse, employee talent pool.