March 2023

$20,000 wage subsidy to make the bio-economy more diverse and inclusive

Many newcomers to Canada—IEPS and recent immigrants—struggle to find work in Canada’s bio-economy. There are many reasons for this, one of which is antiquated human resources plans employed by employers that rely on arm’s-length recruitment.
The Skilled Newcomer Internship for the Bio-economy program helps newcomers get a foot in the door. The program covers 75% of a participant’s salary up to a maximum of $20,000 for bio-economy employers to hire, accommodate and train IEPs for a three-to-nine-month work placement. It presents an opportunity for employers to access talented individuals they might not have otherwise considered for roles.

Global Institute for Food Security at USask attracts top talent for engineering biology technology platform

SASKATOON – In an increasingly competitive market for biomanufacturing talent, the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) has attracted top science and business professionals to lead its expanding engineering biology technology platform.

GIFS is pleased to announce two new members who will lead the innovative engineering biology platform: Dr. Megha Bajaj (PhD) will lead the platform’s business unit, and Dr. Ben Scott (PhD) will build the science team and develop the platform’s technology capabilities.

Bajaj joins GIFS as the engineering biology business lead. She recently worked at Innovate Calgary, the technology transfer office and business incubator of the University of Calgary. She holds a PhD in cell and molecular biology from the University of Alberta and brings extensive experience building intellectual property strategies and the commercialization of new technologies.

EMILI introduces new digital agriculture WIL resource

EMILI is celebrating Work Integrated Learning Month with the launch of a new web page to help students and employers access the resources they need to take part in work-integrated learning  (WIL) within the digital agriculture sector.

“Before the internship, I hadn’t known how much AI has been applied in the agriculture industry. It made me realize that there is room for people like me, with no previous background in agriculture but a passion for data and AI,” said recent EMILI intern Gisela Sanchez.

Complementing traditional class-based learning with hands-on experience, WIL provides opportunities for talented individuals to apply their skills in new ways and gain exposure to diverse careers. The most sought-after skill sets in digital agriculture include:

Technical Agriculture Skills such as soil science, plant breeding, genetics, and agronomy
Technology Skills such as data analysis and management
Business Skills such as financial literacy and export market identification
Human Skills such as communication, teamwork, problem solving, collaboration, and work ethic.

Student Work Placement Program

BioTalent Canada’s project under the Student Work Placement Program offers up to $7,000 in wage subsidies to bio-economy and healthcare employers to hire students registered in STEM, healthcare, business, and all other programs at Canadian post-secondary institutions. The program began in 2017.

Applications for funding in 2023-24 are now open.

For more information, please visit biotalent.ca./Co-opFunds.

Call for nominations: 2023 Catalyst Award for top new hire

BioTalent Canada is now accepting nominations for its industry-leading Catalyst Award for Top New Hire.

The coveted award recognizes the achievements of young employees who are wage subsidy recipients in Canada’s burgeoning bio-economy. The award also spotlights employers that give these young minds an opportunity to grow and thrive.

Since the award was launch in 2015, the Catalyst Award for Top New Hire has shone a light on the positive impact students, new graduates, barriered youth, and Internationally Educated Professionals have when employers give them the opportunity to put their education and skills into practice.

At-a-Glance

Canada’s Biotech Sector Gets Boost with New Compensation Guide

BioTalent Canada released its 2022-23 National Compensation Guide for the bio-economy.

The eighth edition of the guide provides employers nationwide with updated compensation data for more than 50 individual roles within the biotechnology sector—with many roles now based on the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for Canada’s bio-economy. Using this information, organizations can design recruitment and retention strategies that give them a competitive edge in the war for talent.

BioTalent Canada’s recent labour market research shows that more than 65,000 new biotech workers will be needed in Canada by the end of this decade. Areas where labour shortages are expected by 2029 include distribution and logistics, manufacturing and production, and management, finance and administrative jobs.

Listen now