It all started when Joseph Fung of Uvaro met Jeremy Shaki of Lighthouse Labs - both CEOs and founders – at the Canadian Open in Hamilton, Ont.
“We first connected as a couple of founders pretending to be golfers,” said Fung.
Their next ‘meeting’ wasn’t in a boardroom but in the living room of a founder's parents' house, where they had an executive offsite.
“Getting grilled in a founder’s parents’ living room was one way to level up the pressure,” said Fung. “You need to have that level of authenticity and candour.”
Fung says that vibe has stayed with them and is the foundation of their new partnership. Uvaro, with offices in Kitchener, Ontario and Seattle, Washington announced this week that it’s acquired Lighthouse Labs. Uvaro, a tech sales training company and member of Communitech since 2017, says it’s combining its market expertise with Lighthouse Labs’ tech training to create a platform that helps Canadians adapt to the changing job market, where artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping job roles and upskilling needs.
“It feels like we’re keeping it in the family,” said Fung. “I love that a Canadian company with a purpose-driven approach is acquiring another Canadian company with a purpose-driven approach.”
Uvaro, which specializes in skill development and career services, says Lighthouse Labs’ hands-on training for mid-career professionals complements its workforce programs. While Lighthouse Labs covers technical skills in high demand, Uvaro’s Career Success framework focuses on refining soft skills like sales, leadership and personal branding.
Founded in 2013, Lighthouse Labs says it’s trained over 40 thousand students through its full-time and part-time programs in cybersecurity, data science, data analytics and web development. The company says it has an 80 per cent job placement rate.
“By aligning with national priorities like digital skills training, we’re helping Canadians seize opportunities and prepare for the digital economy,” said Shaki in a news release. “The future of work isn't waiting—and neither are we.”
Uvaro says the acquisition allows it to reach a broader range of Canadians, including underrepresented groups, mature workers and others who may feel left behind in today’s tech-driven job market.
“It’s natural for folks to feel that sense of uncertainty or intimidation because the world is going through a ton of change,” said Fung.
A study by the Future Skills Centre and the Conference Board of Canada estimates that over the next decade, nine out of 10 jobs in Canada will require digital skills, but only 54 per cent of workers currently have them.
“That is a big gap,” said Fung. “There’s a lot of work left to do as a country.”
Uvaro is also looking to capitalize on the growth of AI and other emerging technologies. By combining technical training with career coaching, the two companies want to prepare Canadians for jobs that may not even exist yet. The goal is to help Canadians keep pace with technology and lead the way in the workforce.
“The last few years we’ve seen so much exciting stuff with regards to workforce development,” said Fung. “I hope we can continue that momentum.”
