Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont.-based workforce training platform Uvaro has acquired coding school Lighthouse Labs for an undisclosed amount.
Uvaro said in a statement that the acquisition is a strategic move that aligns with wider job market trends, pointing to the Government of Canada’s launch of AI-focused programming and investments in a digitally skilled workforce.
Founded in 2013, Lighthouse Labs is a tech education company that claims it has trained over 40,000 learners since its inception through its full-time and part-time programs that teach skills in cybersecurity, data science, data analytics, and web development.
Uvaro, which provides similar skill development and career services but without the technical focus, said that Lighthouse Labs’ hands-on training for mid-career professionals complements its workforce development programs, and will help Canadians adapt to the pace of change and unlock career opportunities.
“I just felt like it was important that Lighthouse wasn’t doing this alone anymore.”
Jeremy Shaki
In an interview with BetaKit, Uvaro CEO Joseph Fung said that all the best practices of upskilling are “getting thrown out the window” due to AI, as job descriptions get redesigned and rewritten to account for the new tools on the market.
Because of this, he added that acquiring Lighthouse Labs is like two puzzle pieces coming together.
“Uvaro has really focused on go-to-market roles, sales, marketing, project management, and using AI in front of office roles, while Lighthouse historically has focused on development, data analytics, software, [programming language] SQL, [as well as] building and using AI technologies,” Fung said. “Bringing them together lets us complete the full set of upskilling work.”
Fung added that all of Lighthouse Labs’ approximately 40 employees will be joining the combined company. Lighthouse will operate as a Uvaro subsidiary under the leadership of CEO Jeremy Shaki, who will also become Uvaro’s chief revenue officer.
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Shaki told BetaKit in an interview that he and Lighthouse Labs had spent 11 years working in a space where the job market was “incredible” from a technology perspective. However, the “wild” past five years with COVID-19, remote work, and the advent of AI, changed the job market, and it was time for Lighthouse Labs to adjust or pivot.
“It was just really clear to us that we were at a place where everything was evolving so quickly in the job market. We needed to make sure career changers and upskillers were just provided with more options,” Shaki said. “With everything accelerating with AI, I just felt like it was important that Lighthouse wasn’t doing this alone anymore.”
Shaki said the next few years are going to be pivotal as the joint company sets itself up to understand, navigate, and provide the skills that are going to be needed in the ever-changing job market.
“My job truly is making sure that we are set up to talk about these skills in a way that’s understood by stakeholders,” Shaki said. “Where we understand where the market is going, where we understand what’s actually going to be great for outcomes, for students, employers, and government, and to make sure that we have the best value proposition to do so.”
Feature image courtesy Lighthouse Labs.