Schulich ExecEd and Metrolinx Named Finalist for “People Development Programme of the Year” at The Learning Awards

Schulich ExecEd, in partnership with Metrolinx, is proud to announce that our leadership development initiative has been shortlisted as a finalist for the “People Development Programme of the Year – Public Sector/Not-for-Profit” at The Learning Awards 2025 in London, UK.

Organized by the Learning and Performance Institute (LPI), The Learning Awards celebrate organizations demonstrating innovation, excellence, and measurable impact in learning and development (L&D). This award recognizes large-scale initiatives in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors that deliver significant business impact and performance improvement, highlighting programs that enhance individual capabilities and drive organizational growth.

This year, The Learning Awards received a record-breaking 700+ submissions, with an outstanding caliber of applicants that set a new benchmark for excellence. On February 13, 2025, the prestigious awards ceremony in London, United Kingdom, welcomed over 900 attendees to celebrate the best in learning and development. Across 22 categories, more than 150 world-class organizations were shortlisted, many competing in multiple categories.

Schulich ExecEd, in partnership with Metrolinx, is honoured to be one of only eight finalists in the highly competitive “People Development Programme of the Year – Public Sector/Not-for-Profit” category. Competing alongside renowned organizations, including the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP)—this year’s winner—underscores the exceptional quality of programs recognized in this category and the global impact of the finalists.

A Recognition of Partnership and Impact

This finalist recognition reflects the power of strategic partnership. Metrolinx, Ontario’s leading public transportation agency, partnered with Schulich ExecEd at the Schulich School of Business, a top Canadian business school, to deliver a customized leadership development program for over 2,000 managers, supervisors, and directors. By leveraging Schulich ExecEd’s experience in public sector leadership development, the program addressed the unique leadership challenges within Metrolinx.

Launched in 2022, the partnership introduced two flagship programs—Leadership Essentials and Advanced Leadership—that have made a profound impact for Metrolinx and their leaders. To date, over 30 cohorts of more than 1,350 leaders have completed the training, resulting in increased confidence, reduced resignation rates, and improved employee engagement. These programs helped define “what it means to be a Metrolinx leader,” aligning with the organization’s strategy and embedding seven key leadership capabilities into their operations.

Leadership Development with Lasting Impact

Leadership Essentials builds foundational skills like self-leadership and team management, while Advanced Leadership fosters strategic thinking and organizational influence for senior leaders. The curriculum included tailored pre- and post-assessments, sustained learning activities to bolster application, and cross-divisional cohorts to encourage collaboration, with continuous feedback ensuring relevance and impact.

“We are extremely honoured to be shortlisted as a finalist for this award. It’s a recognition of the partnership and transformative journey we embarked on with Metrolinx over a decade ago and continue to build upon today,” shares Rami Mayer, Executive Director at Schulich ExecEd. “The Learning Awards validate the innovative, strategic approach that Schulich ExecEd has brought to leadership development in the public sector. It underscores our commitment not just to building skills, but to fostering a culture of leadership that drives tangible business outcomes and meaningful change within organizations like Metrolinx.”

The success of this partnership is clear: the program boasts an average Net Promoter Score of 4.8, with 89% of participants applying new skills on the job. Leadership competencies are now embedded into Metrolinx’s processes, ensuring sustainable development and long-term impact.

This recognition by The Learning Awards underscores the profound impact of the Schulich ExecEd and Metrolinx partnership in fostering leadership excellence within the public sector. To view the full list of finalists, click here.

For more information about Schulich ExecEd’s custom programs for organizations, click here.

Metrolinx boasts a diverse group of leaders with varied backgrounds and expertise, many of whom have advanced from operational and technical roles. To support leaders at different stages of their journey, this development initiative offers tailored programs: Leadership Essentials focuses on self-leadership and team management, while Advanced Leadership equips senior leaders with strategic thinking and organizational influence.

Through its partnership with Schulich ExecEd, Metrolinx has provided its leaders with access to formal leadership education from one of Canada’s top-ranked business schools. This collaboration not only fosters a shared understanding of leadership capabilities across the organization but also empowers leaders with the skills and credentials to drive success in an evolving industry.