BioTalent Canada announced that “Career Starter,” one of BioTalent Canada’s newest wage subsidy programs—has generated high levels of interest industry-wide and has exceeded all expectations.
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“Icy Waters’ success story is one of many that reinforce the importance of programs like Career Starter”
“We’re encouraged by the overwhelming and rapid response to the Career Starter wage subsidy program,” says Rob Henderson, President and CEO of BioTalent Canada. “As a diverse country our bio-economy should follow suit. Career Starter was designed to provide barriered youth with an opportunity to enter the bio-economy workforce and to give employers access to an underrepresented source of talent.”
One such employer is Icy Waters Ltd., one of the world’s premier Arctic Char farms. Located in the Yukon, Icy Waters is a prime example of the wide reach BioTalent Canada’s programs have. The company is located in a remote area of Canada, which presents its own unique talent acquisition challenges.
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“Programs like Career Starter are important to Icy Waters because it provides an easy, comprehensive platform with which to hire youth,” says Rosemary Motz, HR Consultant at Icy Waters Ltd. “Acquiring talent in remote areas is challenging, especially for us because it requires specialized skills in aquaculture. Through Career Starter, we were able to fill four aquaculture technician positions.”
The new hires have made a great impact on the company. Through Career Starter’s coaching component, each new hire came up with a goal that would benefit both employee and employer. With ongoing support, the new hires are achieving their goals and developing leadership skills while contributing to different research projects.
“Icy Waters’ success story is one of many that reinforce the importance of programs like Career Starter,” explains Henderson. “The future of biotech is reliant on the next generation of talent. To grow it, it remains paramount that we continue to find ways to break down the barriers to entry for Canada’s youth.”
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