Based on the Government of Canada's learning, training and development policy, the School has a strategy to support Public Service learning by ensuring that: public servants are able to perform in their current position and develop the skills necessary to meet the challenges of the next in a dynamic, bilingual environment; and Public sector organizations demonstrate strong and innovative leadership to achieve results for Canadians.

To successfully implement this strategy, the School focuses on three priorities: ensuring Public Service management priorities are directly supported by learning opportunities; providing leadership development; and accelerating knowledge transfer on best practices in public sector management for the Public Service.

The School supports deputy ministers and their departments and agencies in addressing their training and development needs. The School works collaboratively with all its partners, both directly and through interdepartmental learning networks, to understand and meet those needs.

As a centralized training organization the School brings expertise in curriculum development and course design for adult learners; and provides opportunities to establish and sustain networks for public servants across the Government of Canada.

Dedicated to providing high-impact adult learning, the School offers a variety of program vehicles. These programs include: the Orientation to the Public Service for new recruits; required training and testing for managers with delegated signing authorities; training aimed specifically at the needs of functional communities who share a profession (e.g. finance, human resources, information management and internal audit); professional development training; programs focusing on leadership development; official language training tools; and career development training. The School also tracks learning outcomes from these programs across the Public Service, measuring learning taken and the results achieved, to support the assessment of learning acquisition and behavioral change.

The School offers a variety of delivery methods to accommodate different learning needs. In addition to classroom courses, the School offers lectures, town hall meetings, armchair discussions, seminars and conferences, as well as blended online learning options. These events also provide public servants with valuable networking opportunities.

Through environmental scanning and analysis, the School identifies leading practices in public administration management, and incorporates them into its curriculum. During this process, the School creates and develops relationships with other international public administration learning providers as well as other public and private sector organizations, connecting Canada to the world and creating valuable learning and networking opportunities for public servants.