Generation: You Employed is a global nonprofit committed to helping adults to achieve economic mobility through employment. Established in 2015, Generation operates in 17 countries, partnering with governments, employers, and others to provide adult learners with the skills needed for meaningful careers. With over 122,000 graduates and 18,000 employer partners across 46 professions, Generation equips learners for success in otherwise inaccessible jobs. In addition to training and placement, Generation conducts original research and shares data insights on global workforce transitions to inform decision-making and enhance the employment ecosystem.
The Challenge
As Generation moved to embrace online learning, they faced the challenge of scaling their curriculum globally while navigating diverse technical environments, from high-speed urban areas to low-tech rural regions. To address this, they looked for a learning management system (LMS) that would seamlessly deliver their programs under various conditions and scale alongside their program’s growth.
Additionally, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the demand for online learning solutions. Generation needed a platform that could rapidly transition to fully remote delivery without sacrificing learner engagement or the quality of their curriculum while achieving their primary goal – ensuring that every learner, whether in a high-tech city or a remote village, had equal access to highquality education.
Key Insights
Diverse learner profiles across 17 countries with varying bandwidth access required a flexible and accessible LMS.
Transitioning from in-person to online-first programming needed a platform that could scale rapidly.
Customization and localization of content were critical to meet specific employer and regional demands.
Empowering local experts in each region ensured tailored support and guidance, enhancing the effectiveness and relevance of training programs for diverse learner groups.
The Solution
While searching for an LMS, Generation conducted extensive research and consulted with country teams to identify core needs and preferences. After evaluating several options, they selected Canvas and tested it with pilot programs. As the pandemic accelerated the shift to online learning, Canvas replaced temporary solutions as their primary learning management system. Key factors in choosing Canvas were its support for accessibility, mobile compatibility, and capacity to accommodate diverse global learner needs.
Having a consistent, accessible LMS that works across all our countries and languages is essential...Canvas has grown alongside us, and we receive excellent supportfrom our Customer Success Manager (CSM).
Mat Constantine,
Director of Online Learning, Generation: You Employed
Global Learning, Local Flexibility
Generation leverages Canvas as a core platform to support a wide range of educational and training initiatives, both for internal staff development and learner-focused programs. By hosting internal training programs on Canvas, Generation fosters upskilling and continuous professional development, enabling global and local teams to familiarize themselves with the platform and better understand the learner experience.
For learner-focused programs across Generation's 17 countries, Canvas is the primary LMS, delivering tailored curricula that address specific local workforce needs. These programs span various roles, from digital marketing to digital customer success, with durations ranging from several weeks to months. Canvas enables seamless access to synchronous and asynchronous learning resources, offering flexibility for diverse learner profiles and time zones while maintaining a consistent global curriculum standard. Generation empowers local teams to access localized data and courses through country-based sub-accounts, ensuring effective learner engagement and streamlined management under one unified system.
Generation conducts an annual Canvas survey to gather insights on user experience, content management, and progress tracking. Translated into multiple languages, the survey informs best practices and drove an internal audit to optimize Canvas use.
Enabling Experts To Enhance Learning
With 17 different countries, each with unique languages, learner profiles, programs, and cultures, building local capabilities has proven to be of the utmost importance. Generation has upskilled and trained local Canvas Country Contacts in each country to become experts, ensuring they stay updated on the latest features and best practices in Canvas. Serving as liaisons between instructors, learners, and the broader support team, they provide localized, expert guidance tailored to their regions’ unique needs. By empowering these contacts with ongoing education and resources, Generation ensures that every user can access knowledgeable support, fostering a more effective and connected learning environment worldwide.
The Results
Adopting Canvas LMS has enabled Generation to seamlessly transition to online learning during the pandemic and set the stage for future expansion. With Canvas providing a reliable infrastructure adaptable to diverse needs and environments, Generation can efficiently deliver accessible, top-tier career training on a global scale.