CHARLOTTETOWN, Prince Edward Island--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rob Henderson, President and CEO of BioTalent Canada presented Mathieu-Marc Poulin, a young scientist working at Delivra in Charlottetown, PEI the 2016 ‘Catalyst’ Award for New Biotechnology Graduates along with a $1,000 cash prize today at the University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown, during the Annual Natural Health Product Research Society of Canada Conference.
Poulin was announced last month as the winner of the first Catalyst Award, for the young employee who contributed most significantly to their Canadian biotechnology employer in the past year. “Learning that I was the winner of the 2016 Biotalent Canada Catalyst Award filled me with joy. It meant that I had done well, and that I could look back on my accomplishments with pride,” said Poulin. “It feels nice to find that the effort I put in is being recognized. It grants me a moral boost that drives me to learn even more and work even harder.”
Poulin’s employer, Delivra, is a biotechnology company developer of transdermal technologies that introduce pharmaceutical and natural molecules into the body through the skin, rather than via pills. Delivra hired Poulin through BioTalent Canada’s federally-funded wage subsidy program that helps biotechnology companies across Canada offset the cost of hiring a recent graduate.
“The program allowed us to mold a new graduate into a great fit within the research team and we've been impressed at how far Mathieu-Marc has come in such a short period of time,” said Dr. David C. Baranowski, Director of Research at Delivra.
Delivra was the only company in Prince Edward Island to apply to the wage subsidy program.
During the award ceremony, Rob Henderson, President and CEO of BioTalent Canada, explained how remarkable this win was. “It’s extraordinary that the only wage-subsidy recipient from Prince Edward Island went on to win this national biotech award,” he said. “Wage subsidies help companies access young talent and we hope more biotech employers in the region will take advantage of those programs available to them.”
BioTalent Canada has a long track record of successful implementation of wage-subsidy programs, helping new talent find employment in the biotechnology industry and assisting companies in offsetting the costs of hiring. Since 2005, BioTalent Canada has helped over 400 new biotechnology graduates find a job in the bio-economy.
Additional funding for wage subsidies is now available. BioTalent Canada aims to surpass the amount of job placements of previous years. The organization encourages biotech companies to visit its website for more information on how to obtain wage subsidy: biotalent.ca/wage-subsidies
About BioTalent Canada
BioTalent Canada is the HR partner of
Canada’s bio-economy. As an HR expert and national non-profit
organization, BioTalent Canada focuses on building partnerships and
skills for Canada’s bio-economy to ensure the industry has access to
job-ready people. Through projects, research and product development
BioTalent Canada connects employers with job seekers, delivers human
resource information and skills development tools so the industry can
focus on strengthening Canada’s biotech business. For more information,
please visit biotalent.ca.
