Building AI capability at Canfor through Microsoft Copilot training.

The challenge

Canfor Corporation, one of the world's largest producers of sustainable lumber and wood products, had deployed Microsoft 365 Copilot to their workforce. However, like many organizations making significant AI investments, they faced a familiar challenge: technology adoption doesn't happen automatically.

While employees had access to Copilot, most were only slightly to moderately familiar with its capabilities. Pre-training surveys revealed that although some employees were using AI tools, the majority lacked confidence in how to apply them effectively to their specific work contexts. The IT team recognized that without structured training, the organization wouldn't realize the full value of their Copilot investment.

Canfor needed a training program that would go beyond basic feature demonstrations. One that would build practical skills, shift mindsets about human-AI collaboration, and create internal champions to support broader organizational adoption.

Our approach

Sense & Motion delivered a three-session Microsoft Copilot training program between September and November 2025, reaching approximately 50 employees across Finance, IT, HR, Operations, and Sustainability. The program was built around three core principles:

Hands-on, practical application

Rather than lecturing about AI capabilities, every session was built around real exercises using participants' actual work contexts. Attendees left each session having done something useful, not just having learned about it.

Progressive skill-building

The program moved from foundational prompting techniques to intermediate applications, culminating in building custom Copilot Agents, the feature that generated the most excitement from participants.

Cross-departmental learning

By bringing together participants from different functions, we created opportunities for people to see how colleagues in other areas approach AI. The cross-functional bet sparked new ideas and built internal community.

Sessions were delivered in a hybrid format (both in-person and remote) to accommodate Canfor's distributed workforce while maintaining engagement and interactivity.

What we delivered

• Three structured training sessions over three months, in-person and remote
• Hands-on prompting exercises with real workplace scenarios
• Copilot Agent development workshop and guidance
• Pre- and post-training assessments to measure skill development
• Training materials and resources for continued learning
• Final summary report with recommendations for sustaining momentum

Results

Beyond the program scores (4.2/5 skill improvement, 4.3/5 program value), the training catalyzed tangible changes in how participants approach their work. Employees identified concrete opportunities to apply Copilot in their roles:

• Custom Copilot Agents for HR policy assistance, project documentation, and goal-setting support
• Task automation for vendor scheduling, pay-period calendar imports, and invoice analysis
• Communication efficiency through AI-assisted meeting recaps, email drafting, and onboarding guides
• Technical acceleration, one participant immediately began using Copilot to build VBA macros, reporting significant time savings

What resonated most

Agent training was the clear standout. Six of ten survey respondents specifically called out learning to build Copilot Agents as the most valuable element of the program. The ability to create custom AI assistants tailored to their specific work needs captured participants' imagination and opened new possibilities for how they think about AI.

Cross-departmental interaction created unexpected value. Participants consistently mentioned that hearing how colleagues in other functions approach AI sparked new ideas for their own work. One IT participant noted this was "the most valuable aspect" of the training.

"I was taking this program at the same time as a more academic program. I found this training to be more hands-on and applicable to the real world application at Canfor."

Sustainability & Partnerships participant · Canfor

Key takeaways

• AI adoption requires more than deployment. Having access to AI tools isn't enough. Structured training that builds practical skills and shifts mindsets is essential to realizing value from AI investments.
• Hands-on beats theoretical. Participants consistently valued practical exercises over presentations. Training that lets people do real work during the session creates lasting skill development.
• Cross-functional cohorts amplify learning. Bringing together participants from different departments creates valuable peer learning opportunities and builds internal AI community.

Looking forward

The training program has created a foundation for continued AI adoption at Canfor. Participants are now equipped to serve as internal champions, and several have already expressed interest in advanced training on Agent development and department-specific use cases.

With strong demand for continued learning and a cohort ready to mentor their colleagues, Canfor is well-positioned to scale AI literacy across the broader organization.