December 2009 – March 2013
Industry need: BioTalent Canada’s “Generating opportunity” report identified that small companies in small towns find it hardest to attract and retain skilled, experienced workers. Enticing people to relocate to a rural area can be challenging—especially if the available jobs are highly specialized, because this effectively limits alternative employment options in case of job loss. Adequately competitive wages and upward mobility are not always easy to offer. One solution to this is to transition workers already living in rural areas from their traditional industries into the bioenergy, biofuels and industrial biotechnology subsectors. The recent economic upheaval has left many in the manufacturing sector unemployed: with skills enhancement, these individuals could be excellent candidates for work in the bio-economy. The challenge for small firms then becomes one of accessing the right tools or programs to assist with transitioning those workers into their subsectors.
Objective:
1. Develop and pilot a model to transition displaced workers from traditional manufacturing to biomanufacturing.
2. Develop and pilot tools for on the job assessments and training on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) to ensure a smooth transition process as well as building a foundation for skills development and assessments for small and medium biomanufacturing enterprises.
Supporting project leveraged: Bioenergy / biofuels / industrial situational analyses
Results:
Funded by the Government of Canada’s Sector Council Program.