Canadian Construction Firm Strengthens Cyber Resilience Through Comprehensive Awareness and Communications Training Program

The Challenge

Skyline Builders Ltd., a national construction and infrastructure development firm, began experiencing heightened cybersecurity risk due to low employee awareness and inconsistent communication between project offices and IT departments. Despite the company’s significant investments in governance frameworks and technical safeguards, human error remained the leading cause of incidents — from mishandled subcontractor data to accidental credential sharing on project collaboration platforms.

An internal audit revealed that more than one-third of employees were unaware of data protection obligations under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), while project managers lacked standardized guidance on how to communicate during cybersecurity or privacy incidents. As client and insurer scrutiny intensified, leadership recognized that cultural transformation was essential. Without a structured awareness and communication strategy, Skyline’s technical investments risked being undermined by untrained or disengaged staff.

Our Solution

Our Awareness and Communications Training team was engaged to design and deliver a Construction Cyber Awareness and Communications Enablement Program tailored to the company’s dispersed workforce and project-based operating model. The initiative began with a behavioural and communications audit to assess existing awareness levels, training effectiveness, and internal message flow between departments and field sites.

Based on these findings, a multi-phase awareness strategy was launched encompassing leadership engagement, hands-on training, and proactive internal communications.

Key components included: the development of a tiered Construction Cyber Awareness Curriculum addressing phishing prevention, secure document handling, privacy compliance, and incident reporting for all roles; implementation of an internal “CyberSmart Construction” campaign combining interactive workshops, visual signage at job sites, and gamified learning modules for remote teams; creation of a standardized executive and project manager communication playbook ensuring consistent, transparent information flow during incidents or audits; deployment of a centralized awareness dashboard to track completion rates, phishing simulation performance, and behavioural improvement metrics; and quarterly refresher sessions and role-based learning updates to maintain awareness momentum and align with new compliance requirements.

All materials were aligned with PIPEDA, ISO/IEC 27001, and NIST Cybersecurity Framework (Awareness and Training) standards, ensuring that staff at every level understood their responsibilities in safeguarding client, employee, and project information.

The Value

Within six months of implementation, Skyline Builders achieved measurable gains in cybersecurity culture, communication clarity, and compliance assurance: an 80% employee participation rate in mandatory awareness training within the first quarter; a 65% reduction in phishing success rates through continuous testing and gamified reinforcement; enhanced coordination between IT, legal, and project management teams, reducing average incident communication delays by 45%; full compliance validation under PIPEDA and ISO/IEC 27001 during client and insurance audits; and improved client and regulator confidence due to verifiable awareness and training documentation.

By embedding awareness and communications into everyday construction operations, Skyline transformed cybersecurity from a compliance requirement into a core organizational value — strengthening both workforce resilience and client trust.

Implementation Roadmap

1. Assessment (Weeks 1–3): Conduct baseline awareness survey, review communication workflows, and identify behavioural risk areas.

2. Program Design (Weeks 4–6): Develop tailored awareness curriculum, executive playbook, and site communication toolkit.

3. Deployment (Weeks 7–12): Launch campaign, deliver live and digital learning modules, and establish awareness tracking dashboard.

4. Reinforcement (Weeks 13–16): Conduct phishing simulations, department-level workshops, and feedback sessions.

5. Continuous Improvement (Ongoing): Update training content quarterly, maintain communication reporting, and integrate awareness KPIs into compliance audits.

Info Sheet

Necessary Action Type and Steps to Be Taken:

  • Conduct construction-specific cyber awareness and communication baseline assessment.
  • Develop and deploy a tiered training program aligned with PIPEDA and ISO/IEC 27001 standards.
  • Implement project-level communication playbooks for consistent response and reporting.
  • Execute recurring phishing simulations and awareness campaigns.
  • Track progress through centralized dashboards and report metrics to leadership.
  • Incorporate training participation and communication readiness into annual evaluations.

Industry Sector: Construction — Infrastructure and Project Delivery

Applicable Legislation:
– PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act)
– ISO/IEC 27001 (Information Security Management)
– NIST Cybersecurity Framework (Awareness and Training)
– Canadian Cyber Security Standards for Construction

Third Parties:
– Awareness and e-learning content provider
– Managed training and communications platform vendor
– Insurance and compliance auditors validating training records
– Legal advisors for incident communications
– Infrastructure clients requiring staff awareness attestation