Investing in training and upskilling for the tech jobs of the future is critical to the success of a business, big or small.
TD Bank Group has been a leader in developing their own tech talent, making them an employer of choice for diverse talent thanks to an inclusive culture that ensures everyone can thrive.
Techtalent.ca sat down with TD’s Tim Clark to learn more about what the Bank is doing to sustain future-focused development of their tech talent.
As Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Commercial and Corporate Platforms at TD, Tim has a unique purview on tech talent because of the breadth of roles that are needed to operate a financial institution.
Tim joined TD in 2012 with 20 years of experience leading technology teams for various international financial institutions spanning retail, wealth, securities, and corporate technologies.
Can you talk about how your experience has informed how you look at tech talent and jobs of the future?
TC: Reflecting on my career in financial services spanning over 25 years and numerous countries (UK, Asia, Australia, United States, Canada), I have witnessed tremendous change amidst the constant evolution of tech talent and job needs. Today’s rapid progression in technology and customer preferences is changing the work we do, and disrupting traditional roles designed to do the work.
A great example of this shift is the creation of Product Owner roles, creating value for the organization through the Agile delivery of customer-focused product design whilst leveraging their technology expertise. To drive greater agility and effectiveness in placing talent, we must be thoughtful in building a workforce with versatile skills that can be fluidly deployed across different roles and work. At TD, our tech talent strategy focuses on key skills that will help power the future of banking for both customers and colleagues at the Bank.
What makes an organization like TD, which some may view as traditional and not futuristic, an ideal destination for top tech talent?
TC: At TD, we’re committed to providing our colleagues with growth and development opportunities whilst ensuring our teams feel involved and empowered. The size and scale of TD means we have the resources to invest in new ideas and innovative solutions and operate like a tech firm – while our distinct business lines offer a wide-range of career opportunities for tech talent to solve meaningful problems that impact the everyday financial needs of our customers.
Our technology strategy represents an enterprise approach that’s focused on outcomes and empowering our colleagues with a strong sense of ownership as they drive innovation across the organization. As part of development, we provide colleagues with complementary skill-building aimed to help accelerate their careers and the value they bring to TD.
Why is investing in training and upskilling for the tech jobs of the future is critical to your operation’s success?
TC: Investing in training and upskilling for tech jobs of the future is critical for TD to enable us to continue to deliver legendary experiences for our customers and colleagues alike. Today’s technology talent is always looking forward at the next skill, and never standing still, and that has an impact on the way they think about their careers.
To support the continued acceleration of our business in an environment in which everything is moving so fast, we need to be agile by thinking about skills within the workforce, instead of thinking about roles. To drive greater agility and effectiveness in placing talent, we are thoughtful in building a workforce with versatile skills that can be fluidly deployed across different roles and work.
TD recently announced two new initiatives that received funding from TD through the TD Ready Commitment to support underrepresented and underserved communities by helping to enhance their employability in a changing job market. The two organizations, which support women and members of the Indigenous community, offer skills-building programs and training for members to build and enhance their technology acumen.
Why is it important for the Bank to support these types of initiatives in your opinion?
TC: Through the TD Ready Commitment, our corporate citizenship platform, we can support initiatives aimed at helping underrepresented and underserved communities. Supporting in this way helps us work towards ensuring no one gets left behind, which is not only the right thing to do but also makes business sense because engaging all backgrounds, skillsets, and mindsets helps build our capacity for innovation and drives results.
For instance, we’ve seen positive outcomes through our longstanding sponsorship of Black Professionals in Tech Network (BPTN) and Obsidi Academy, a three-month training bootcamp for Black professionals to launch careers as software developers. Meeting the needs of our customers means ensuring that we have a wide range of perspectives that allow us to approach innovation in ways that are meaningful for all our customers.
You’ve been in the industry for 25+ years now, holding various roles and seeing a lot of changes in how companies hire, upskill, etc. As you reflect on where you’ve been and where things are going, what’s your advice for other CIOs on how they can endeavour to build the right teams to set them up for success in the future?
TC: In a time when technology is moving faster than many expected, future success involves making sure we have the right data, technology, and tools to help us serve our customers. Equally important is to hire and retain the right talent who are continually learning and growing to keep pace with technological change and evolving customer needs. Our people are our strength. As we evolve our technology capabilities, we also create new opportunities for our colleagues for growth and development. As a leader, it is crucial to build a culture of learning, adaptable problem-solving and curiosity, and to empower your talent. Building teams that are diverse and inclusive is essential to future success, ensuring representation from the communities in which we live and serve.