Nelson Education, a venerable institution in Canadian learning for over a century, is undergoing a profound metamorphosis from a traditional textbook publisher into a dynamic education technology company, a strategic pivot underpinned by a meticulously crafted internal hiring strategy now operating entirely on the Workable platform, achieving an impressive average time to hire of just 29 days. This internal shift in talent acquisition (TA) represents a critical component of Nelson’s broader digital evolution, enabling the company to rapidly secure the specialized skills necessary to innovate and compete in the burgeoning EdTech sector. The move away from fully outsourced agency recruiting to a streamlined, in-house function has not only enhanced efficiency but also imbued the hiring process with a deeper understanding of Nelson’s unique culture and strategic objectives, directly contributing to its ambitious business transformation.
A Legacy Reimagined: Nelson Education’s Century-Long Journey
Founded nearly 115 years ago, Nelson Education has been a cornerstone of Canadian K-12 classrooms, its textbooks and educational materials shaping generations of students and educators across the country. Its name is synonymous with learning in Canada, deeply embedded in the national educational fabric. However, the digital revolution and evolving pedagogical approaches have necessitated a fundamental reevaluation of its core business model. Over the past decade, Nelson embarked on a deliberate and ambitious shift towards education technology, recognizing the imperative to adapt to a rapidly changing educational landscape. This strategic reorientation aims to leverage digital platforms to deliver more interactive, accessible, and personalized learning experiences.
The company’s flagship digital product, Edwin, epitomizes this transformation. Designed as a comprehensive digital backpack for teachers and students, Edwin offers a rich repository of curriculum-aligned resources, meticulously organized by grade, province, and subject. Students utilize it as an engaging learning tool, while educators seamlessly integrate it into their daily instruction, facilitating a more dynamic and responsive classroom environment. While Nelson continues to offer print textbooks, its workforce planning and recruiting strategy now decisively reflect its identity as a full-service education technology organization, prioritizing digital expertise and innovative thinking.
The Strategic Imperative: Navigating the EdTech Boom
The global education technology market has witnessed explosive growth, fueled by advancements in digital learning tools, increased internet penetration, and the accelerated adoption of online education, particularly in recent years. Projections indicate the market will continue to expand significantly, reaching hundreds of billions of dollars globally by the end of the decade. For a traditional publisher like Nelson, this presented both an existential threat and an immense opportunity. Remaining relevant meant embracing digital innovation, which, in turn, demanded a workforce equipped with skills in software development, user experience design, data analytics, digital marketing, and cloud infrastructure – capabilities far removed from the historical focus on content creation and print production.
This strategic pivot required not just technological investment but a fundamental overhaul of how Nelson identified, attracted, and retained talent. Samara York Cazes, Senior Manager of People and Engagement, has been instrumental in leading this critical recruiting effort. Operating as part of a lean yet highly capable HR team, York Cazes oversees a broad portfolio encompassing talent acquisition, performance management, learning and development, and general HR operations for the entire organization. Her leadership has been pivotal in aligning the company’s hiring practices with its forward-looking EdTech vision.
Transforming Talent Acquisition: From Outsourced to In-House Control
Before the implementation of Workable, Nelson Education’s recruiting function was almost entirely externalized, relying heavily on outsourced agencies. This model, while providing some hires, presented significant challenges. There was no internal Applicant Tracking System (ATS), leading to a fragmented and inconsistent hiring pipeline. Candidate evaluation lacked standardization, and the absence of a centralized system meant a lack of visibility into the recruitment process. The financial burden of agency fees was substantial, and crucially, the reliance on external partners distanced hiring decisions from the internal stakeholders who possessed the deepest understanding of Nelson’s unique cultural nuances, strategic direction, and evolving talent needs.
As York Cazes eloquently states, "Having a person who is in house, who really knows the culture of the company, who really understands the dynamics and structure in depth, is very valuable." This sentiment underscored the decision to bring recruiting in-house. The transition to an internal talent acquisition function coincided with Nelson’s VP implementing Workable, drawing on direct, positive experiences with the platform from a previous role. When York Cazes joined the team and assumed leadership of the TA portfolio, Workable was poised for full-scale implementation, ready to become the backbone of Nelson’s new, agile hiring strategy.
Workable’s Role in Driving Efficiency and Enhancing Candidate Experience
York Cazes’ prior experience included using BambooHR, an all-in-one HR and ATS system. While functional, it lacked the specialized depth of a dedicated ATS. Workable, in contrast, offered a distinct and transformative experience. She quickly recognized the power of its robust features: "My world was expanded when I realized the setup of the pipeline and how you could set up different pipelines for different roles, all the automations. I found all of that to be really easy to use and to figure out and learn." Her proficiency with the platform reached a professional level within a mere week or two, a testament to Workable’s intuitive design.
For a small HR team tasked with managing recruitment across an entire organization undergoing a monumental business transformation, Workable’s blend of deep customization and genuine ease of use proved to be the ideal solution. Its ability to adapt to diverse hiring needs, from highly technical software engineering roles to customer-facing positions, while maintaining user-friendliness, made it an invaluable asset. York Cazes highly recommends it, noting, "It’s so customizable and user friendly. I would recommend it to anyone in a small to mid-size organization."
One of the most immediate and impactful changes was the unparalleled visibility Workable provided into the entire recruitment lifecycle. The jobs view offers a comprehensive overview of every active search, clearly displaying pipeline stages and the number of candidates at each step. This transparency ensures that "no candidate gets forgotten about or left behind," a stark contrast to the previous fragmented process.
As a self-described technology enthusiast, York Cazes has leveraged Workable’s automation capabilities to construct a sophisticated and highly efficient architecture. Automated actions are triggered with every new application. As candidates progress through the pipeline, personalized emails are dispatched, ensuring consistent communication. Post-interview, thank-you notes with clear next steps are automatically sent. Even rejection notifications are templated in three versions, tailored to reflect the candidate’s progression, ensuring a respectful and considerate experience that acknowledges their investment of time and effort. Her philosophy is clear: "If we assume they will thank us, we make sure to thank them."
This commitment to candidate experience has not gone unnoticed. Applicants frequently commend the ease of the application process and the consistent communication they receive. Workable’s customizable careers page further enhances this by allowing Nelson to control the application requirements. Notably, the cover letter requirement was entirely removed, a deliberate decision by York Cazes to signal to candidates the kind of streamlined and efficient experience they can expect. This attention to detail contributes significantly to Nelson’s employer brand, particularly crucial when competing for top tech talent.
The management of offer letters entirely within Workable has also eliminated friction at the critical final stage of the hiring process. "Having that entire functionality in Workable has made it way more organized and less scattered and just more seamless for us and for the candidate receiving the offer," York Cazes observes. This integration ensures that the final step feels like a natural continuation of a well-managed process, rather than an abrupt shift to a disparate system.
Hiring at Nelson spans a wide array of functions, from specialized software engineers and QA analysts to professionals in marketing, finance, and customer support. Each role demands a distinct evaluation framework. Workable facilitates this by allowing York Cazes to build thorough application questions and customized scorecards for every position. Hiring managers are seamlessly integrated into candidate profiles, enabling them to leave comments and complete evaluations efficiently. Most managers actively engage with the platform, with some even utilizing it to schedule their own interviews. The high adoption rate among hiring managers is a quiet endorsement: "The fact that they’ve never complained about it is probably the leading indicator."
Cultivating an Inclusive Talent Pipeline: Expanding Access
As a company deeply rooted in education and access, Nelson Education extends its mission to its hiring practices by actively promoting diversity and inclusion. Through Workable’s extensive distribution network, Nelson posts job openings to Indigenous job boards and platforms specifically focused on candidates with disabilities. This proactive approach ensures that reaching underrepresented candidate pools is not an afterthought but an integral part of every search. This aligns with broader societal trends emphasizing equitable opportunities and reflects Nelson’s commitment to building a workforce that mirrors the diverse Canadian population it serves. By broadening its talent pool, Nelson not only fulfills its social responsibility but also gains access to a wider range of perspectives and skills, fostering innovation and enhancing organizational resilience.
Key Metrics and Profound Business Impact
The transformation of Nelson Education’s talent acquisition function has yielded tangible and impressive results. A small, dedicated HR team now efficiently manages approximately 135 hires per year, consistently maintaining an average time to hire of 29 days. This figure is not only below the internal target of 30 days but also compares favorably to industry benchmarks, where average time to hire can range from 30 to 50 days for complex roles. This efficiency is particularly noteworthy given the company’s ongoing, monumental business transformation, which requires continuous adaptation and a steady influx of new skills.
The insourcing of the recruiting function has had a profound business impact. Control over the hiring process is now firmly within Nelson, led by individuals who possess an intimate understanding of the company’s culture, strategic direction, and evolving talent needs. This has resulted in better cultural fit for new hires and a more strategic alignment of talent with business goals.
Workable’s automation features have recovered countless hours that were previously consumed by manual candidate communication and administrative tasks. This efficiency allows the small HR team to focus on more strategic initiatives, such as talent development and employee engagement. The seamless offer letter process has eliminated friction at the final stage, contributing to a positive candidate experience and potentially higher offer acceptance rates.
Critically, every candidate, regardless of whether they receive an offer, now navigates a recruitment process that mirrors the same care, professionalism, and clear communication that Nelson applies to its educational products. This consistent, positive candidate experience reinforces Nelson’s employer brand, making it an attractive destination for top talent in the competitive EdTech market. York Cazes meticulously tracks key performance indicators such as time to hire, time to fill, and candidate source data using Workable’s accessible and insightful reporting tools. This data-driven approach supports robust planning and accountability across the TA function, allowing for continuous optimization and strategic adjustments.
Looking Ahead: Sustaining Growth in a Dynamic Landscape
Nelson Education’s successful pivot in talent acquisition serves as a compelling case study for established companies navigating disruptive industry shifts. By embracing technology and strategically insourcing critical functions, Nelson has not only modernized its operations but also positioned itself for sustained growth in the dynamic education technology sector. The company’s ability to attract, engage, and onboard specialized talent efficiently and inclusively is a significant competitive advantage. As the EdTech market continues to evolve, Nelson’s robust internal TA framework, powered by Workable, will remain a vital engine for its ongoing innovation and expansion, ensuring its continued legacy as a leader in Canadian education, now firmly planted in the digital age.
