Drake International Marks 75th Anniversary with Investment in Canada's Future Workforce

On the inaugural Drake Force for Good Day, Drake acquires The Whiteboard Collective and deepens its investment in the University of Manitoba, declaring that profit and purpose are the same ambition

TORONTO, June 1, 2026 /CNW/ - Drake International, a global talent management and workforce advisory partner operating across more than 14 countries and a partner network across 128 more, today announced the launch of Drake Force for Good Day, an annual commitment to building talent pipelines in communities where opportunity gaps are widest. The inaugural Force for Good Day is anchored by two structural investments in Canada: the acquisition of The Whiteboard Collective, a Toronto-based social enterprise specializing in workforce readiness for high-achieving young people in challenging economic circumstances, and a deepened long-term partnership with the University of Manitoba including a commitment of $1,000,000 empowering students with the gift of education and supporting their journey from education to employment.

The announcements mark Drake's 75th anniversary. Drake was founded in Winnipeg in 1951 by Bill Pollock, whose own story began with a University of Manitoba scholarship and one act of belief from a Winnipeg businessman who co-signed a bank loan. Seventy-five years later, Drake is not reflecting on that history. It is building on it.

"The future of work will not be won by organizations that simply automate faster, but by those that develop people better. Force for Good Day is our declaration of that conviction, backed by real investment."

Karen Meredith, CEO, Drake International

Artificial intelligence is narrowing the entry-level pathways that have historically given young people their first foothold in the workforce. In Canada, youth unemployment has reached a decade high in several markets, and entry-level postings have declined sharply. Drake's response is structural, not rhetorical.

The Whiteboard Collective brings a trusted Canadian community partner inside the Drake family with its mission intact. The evidence behind the acquisition is concrete: only 34 percent of high-needs youth feel confident in their employability at the start of structured programs. Within six weeks of one-to-one supported intervention, that figure rises to 68 percent. The barrier is not capability. It is access. Youth supported by The Whiteboard Collective will enter employer pipelines across Drake's global client network, giving organizations access to motivated, assessed, and workforce-ready candidates that traditional hiring processes consistently overlook.

"This is not philanthropy alongside our business. It is our business model. The talent we support today through The Whiteboard Collective is the workforce our clients need."

Karen Meredith, CEO, Drake International

Drake's commitment to the University of Manitoba is both strategic and personal. A University of Manitoba scholarship gave Bill Pollock access to an education he otherwise would never have had. Without it, Drake International would not exist. The investment directly links education to employment through the Drake Center at the Asper School of Business and through student pathways co-developed with The Whiteboard Collective. Drake intends this as a replicable model for other communities it serves.

Drake Force for Good Day is made possible by Profit for Purpose, the operating model that permanently links Drake's commercial success to its social mission. Force for Good Day is not a one-day campaign. It is the annual anchor of a sustained commitment, designed to endure because the challenge it responds to, youth unemployment and widening opportunity gaps, is not going away. In 2025, Drake International donated more than $3 million in flood recovery bags to Good360 Australia, later distributed through several charities including Inala Community House to support families impacted by severe flooding in Queensland. This is one example of the company's ongoing commitment to strengthening communities where it operates.

"Bill Pollock built Drake on the conviction that doing good and doing well are the same ambition. Drake Force for Good Day is the moment we make that conviction permanent and public. This is how a 75-year-old company declares its intent for the next 75 years."

Karen Meredith, CEO, Drake International

About Drake International

Drake International is a global talent management and workforce advisory partner with operations in more than 14 countries and a partner network spanning 128 more. Founded in Winnipeg in 1951 by Bill Pollock, Drake supports organizations across the full talent lifecycle through Workforce Solutions (flexible staffing, permanent recruitment, on-site services), Certification, Assessment and Training, Health and Wellbeing, HR Advisory, and Drake Ventures. www.drakeinternational.com

About Drake Force for Good Day

Drake Force for Good Day is Drake International's annual Global Day of Purpose and Action, observed every June 1st. Established in Drake's 75th anniversary year, it is the annual anchor for community impact and a permanent commitment to building talent pipelines in communities where opportunity gaps are widest.

About The Whiteboard Collective

The Whiteboard Collective is a Toronto-based Canadian social enterprise specializing in equitable hiring and workforce readiness for high-achieving young people in challenging economic circumstances. Operating as part of the Drake International family, The Whiteboard Collective prepares young people who face systemic barriers to employment for meaningful, sustainable careers.

About the University of Manitoba

The University of Manitoba is a leading Canadian research university whose mission is to create positive change in communities and around the world. Home to the Asper School of Business and the Drake Center, the University of Manitoba is partnering with Drake International to link education directly to employment pathways. www.umanitoba.ca 

SOURCE Drake International

Media Contact: Louanne Buckley, [email protected]