This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Employers are increasingly investing in training to prepare their employees for artificial intelligence (AI). Training budgets are growing, and "upskilling" has become a common response to rapid technological change.
AI adoption has moved quickly. In March, 36% of Canadian workers said they had used generative AI tools as part of their main job or business in the past year, according to Statistics Canada. About half said they were familiar with how the tools are used, while 93% were aware of generative AI.
Workers are also signaling that they need help keeping up. A recent survey found that 83% of Canadian workers want or need to upskill to use generative AI effectively. Employers seem to be responding.
A recent survey by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business found 78% of Canadian businesses planned to maintain or increase training spending in 2026. But for one large and growing segment of the workforce—workers over 55—that approach might not work. My doctoral thesis on older workers suggests that for experienced employees who are already burned out, more digital training is not always the answer.
When training is poorly timed, overly complex or insufficiently supported, it can become an additional job demand. It erodes workers' sense that they can keep doing the job and can push them closer to leaving it altogether. Canada's workforce is getting older.
New Statistics Canada data show the share of workers aged 55 and older within the average organization nearly doubled between 2001 and 2022, from 9.3% to 18.8%. As large numbers of experienced workers approach retirement and labor shortages persist across many sectors, retaining older employees with valuable skills and experience has become increasingly important. Since 2000, the total number of mature workers in Canada—those aged 55 and older—has grown by 184%, far outpacing growth in any other age group.
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