Palette Skills — Upskill Canada Cybersecurity (ACE Program)

About this award

Heavily subsidized 16-week cybersecurity intensive (ACE Program) for adults pivoting into IT — rolling cohorts, free or near-free for eligible participants.

The ACE Program (Advanced Cyber Education) is Palette Skills' cybersecurity specialization track for working professionals who already have at least 18 months of cyber experience and want to level up into intermediate roles. Palette Skills is a Canadian non-profit founded in 2017 by University of Toronto computer-science professor Arvind Gupta and entrepreneur AJ Tibando through the Brookfield Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Their mission: identify mid-career workers whose jobs are exposed to automation and move them rapidly into the innovation economy through intensive upskilling. ACE runs under Upskill Canada, the national talent platform Palette launched in 2022 with funding from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada's Upskilling for Industry Initiative. That federal funding is why the program is heavily subsidized — many participants pay nothing, and certification-exam preparation is included in the curriculum. Palette also runs shorter Upskill Canada cybersecurity cohorts for newer entrants alongside the ACE intermediate track, so the right cohort for you depends on your existing experience. The program is one-shot, not renewable, and it is designed to slot you into a specific cybersecurity role within months of finishing. To qualify you must be legally authorized to work in Canada and currently residing here, currently employed or actively seeking employment in cybersecurity, and meet a CLB Level 8 / IELTS 6.5 English language standard. Apply through paletteskills.org. Cohort start dates rotate; ask Palette to confirm the next intake window and the specific certifications targeted in that cohort.

Can you get it?

• ✓ Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident or Open Work Permit — citizenship requirement
• ✓ Certificate, Professional — study level
• ✓ Resident of ON, BC, AB, MB, QC, NS — provincial eligibility
• ✓ Studying cybersecurity, information-technology — field of study

How to apply

1. 1

   Review eligibility and gather your documents~1 hour

   Read the official award page end-to-end. Confirm you meet every requirement before you start.

2. 2

   Submit before the posted deadline~1 hour

   Check the official source for the current deadline — save a copy and submit at least 24 hours early.

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