CAE to invest C$1 billion in professional pilot, aircrew and healthcare training

CAE says it will invest C$1 billion over the next five years in innovation to stay at the forefront of the training industry. One of the main objectives of the investment is to fund its participation in Canada's Project Digital Intelligence, a digital transformation project to develop the next generation training solutions for aviation, defence & security and healthcare. In partnership with the Government of Canada and the Government of Québec, the project will let CAE continue to play a key role in making air travel safer, making defence forces mission ready, and helping medical personnel save lives. CAE says the program will also help reduce aviation’s environmental footprint and address the worldwide demand for aircrews. The Government of Canada and the Government of Québec will provide a combined investment of close to C$200 million over the next five years (C$150 million for Canada and C$47.5 million for Québec).

Executives and employees of CAE were joined by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier of Québec Philippe Couillard for the announcement which signals one of the most significant investments in innovation in the aviation training industry globally.

“CAE has been at the forefront of the training industry, including digital technology, for years. This strategic investment will take our company to the next level,” said Marc Parent, President and Chief Executive Officer of CAE. “By seizing new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, or augmented reality, as well as many others, and applying them to the science of learning, we will revolutionize the training experience of pilots, aircrews and healthcare professionals, as well as improve safety. We are committed to investing C$1 billion over the next five years to help position CAE, Québec and Canada as leaders in digital technology.”

Project Digital Intelligence will transform CAE’s products and services to leverage digital technologies, ranging from big data to artificial intelligence, cloud-computing, cybersecurity and augmented/virtual reality. CAE will develop its next-generation training technologies for aviation, defence & security, and healthcare, while making use of its training network and data ecosystem. The project includes three major activity areas including: advanced digital technology development, digital transformation of the training and user experience, and CAE innovation and collaboration facilities.

CAE will carry out Project Digital Intelligence in Canada, using its R&D laboratories and its test and integration facilities. The company will develop an innovation campus in its Montréal site by renovating its workspaces, laboratories and processes to allow for greater innovation and collaboration. CAE will also collaborate and codevelop technology solutions with small and medium companies from across Canada, qualify more than 150 new innovative suppliers across the country, and work with more than 50 post-secondary institutions and research centres. The project is expected to create and maintain thousands of highly skilled jobs at CAE in Canada and in CAE’s Canadian-based supply chain.

“Today’s announcement is about creating high-skilled jobs in Canada today, while making sure Canada’s next generation of pilots, engineers, doctors, and nurses have access to some of the most advanced simulation tools and training programs in the world. With this funding, CAE will continue to raise the bar for training standards, from the cockpit to the operating room, and help drive the success of Canada’s aerospace industry.”