Canadian Healthcare Leaders Contribute to Talent Influx

OTTAWA, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BioTalent Canada today announced the successful results of the expansion of the Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) to include the Canadian healthcare industry. The program’s expansion was in response to the needs of the healthcare industry, and an increased demand for talent caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Canada’s youth was one of the hardest hit employment demographics during the pandemic. Many organizations had no choice but to scale down despite the need to ramp up. The expansion of SWPP into healthcare helped more than 1,500 students find gainful employment in healthcare roles with organizations across Canada.

The Student Work Placement Program is a federal government funded work-integrated learning program that began in 2017. The program provides wage subsidies, up to $7,500, to employers to help cover the cost of a Canadian post-secondary students’ co-op salary.

“We were given the opportunity to place 1,500 students within healthcare by the end of March 2021, and we will surpass that total in the next few weeks,” says Rob Henderson, President and CEO of BioTalent Canada. “I’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of those organizations that promoted healthcare SWPP to their stakeholders. Their efforts allowed us to support an industry in need. They helped inform many healthcare employers of the program and made this program expansion a success.”

BioTalent Canada would like to thank all the organizations who promoted the program and made it so impactful. Special mention to:

• Alberta Innovates
• BioCanRx
• Botree Inc.
• Bruyère Continuing Care
• Canadian Blood Services
• Canadian Cardiovascular Society
• Canadian Dental Hygienists Association
• Canadian Mental Health Association National
• Canadian Nursing Students Association
• Canadian Public Health Association
• Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science
• Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences
• Canadian Association of Pharmacy Students and Interns National
• Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATAAlliance)
• Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario
• City of Guelph
• Clinical Trials Ontario
• Future Ready NB
• Haltech Regional Innovation Centre
• Health City
• Innovacorp
• Innovation Factory
• McMaster Innovation Park
• McMaster University
• Ottawa Employment Hub - Algonquin College
• Sage Psychology
• Sandbox Centre
• Studio Dentaire VMR
• Synapse Life Science Consortium
• Tech Manitoba
• Université de Montréal - Faculté de médecine
• University of Waterloo
• Women in Communications & Technology
• Women in STEM TO

Similar to the biotech and life sciences industries, the healthcare industry faces talent deficits. Healthcare SWPP plays an important role in that it works to close that gap and provide the industry with an influx of young, eager talent ready to learn and make a difference. 

Healthcare SWPP participants have made impacts for their employers nationwide. They aid with specific projects, products, and processes. Their presence increases the capacity of teams. And many help organizations meet timeline objectives, care for Canadians and improve efficiencies.

“It’s incredible what Canada’s youth can accomplish when given an opportunity. The value of a full pipeline of young and talented workers with an interest in a career in healthcare is incalculable,” says Henderson. “The industry is growing quickly and thanks to the efforts of many of our stakeholders, awareness of a program that helps meet the talent demands of that growth was generated. We thank them and so does the industry.”

For information on how to apply for SWPP or any of BioTalent Canada’s programs, visit biotalent.ca/programs.

Funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Student Work Placement Program.

About BioTalent Canada
BioTalent Canada™ is the HR partner of and catalyst for growth in Canada’s bio-economy. Our engagement with employers, associations, post-secondary institutions, immigrant serving agencies and service providers has built a dynamic network that is strengthening skills, connecting job-ready talent to industry and creating opportunities. Recently awarded a Great Place to Work® Certification, BioTalent Canada practices the same industry standards they recommend to their stakeholders.

Recently, BioTalent Canada was named one of Best Workplaces in Ontario for 2020 and Best Workplaces in Healthcare. These distinctions were awarded to BioTalent Canada following a thorough and independent analysis conducted by Great Place to Work®. Direct feedback from employees was provided to Great Place to Work® through a staff survey.

For more information, please visit biotalent.ca.

About the Student Work Placement Program
The Student Work Placement Program is an initiative to increase the job-readiness of students registered in STEM, healthcare, business programs and all other programs at Canadian post-secondary institutions. The program offers student wage subsidies up to a maximum of $7,500.

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