BioTalent Canada report highlights positive effect of hiring newcomers

BioTalent Canada launched a report recently highlighting the positive effect Internationally Educated Professionals (IEPs) have had on the Canadian bioeconomy. “Sequencing the BioReady Path,” examines the challenges and opportunities facing IEPs seeking meaningful employment in Canada – and employers working to grow their companies and drive Canadian innovation.

Following the successful journey from newcomer to biotech talent, the report is a compilation of the data and success stories of both IEPs and biotech employers during their participation in the BioReady Paid Internship Program. Through support from Immigrant Serving Agencies, access to BioTalent Canada’s resources and connections to employers, IEPs are given the employment tools for career success.

“Despite the fact that the most common skills IEPs possess are those also most needed by Canada’s bio-economy, many talented newcomers continue to have their skills and experience overlooked by hiring managers,” said Rob Henderson, president and CEO of BioTalent Canada. “We hope this report helps employers realize the benefits hiring through diversity can have on their organization.”

Key highlights include:

• 80 per cent of participants remained employed following their placement
• 70.6 per cent of employers noted a gain in new perspectives
• 52.9 per cent of employers noted access to new markets

The full report is available on BioTalent Canada’s website here.

BioTalent Canada would like to thank the report’s premier [artner, Bioscience Association Manitoba.

“As the provincial representative for one of the fastest-growing industries in Manitoba, we were happy to support this report,” said Tracey Maconachie, president of Bioscience Association Manitoba. “Finding ways to promote initiatives that benefit the growth and innovation of bioscience employers is at the core of what we do.”

BioTalent Canada would also like to thank their signature partners, Immigrant Employment Council of British Columbia and BioLAB Business.

Both the BioSkills Recognition Program and the BioReady Paid Internship Program provide highly-skilled newcomers the tools and resources to better integrate into biotech companies – and help for those employers to realize the full potential of this often overqualified and underused talent pool.

“This report represents only a snapshot of the potential for IEPs to help strengthen the bio-economy,” added Henderson. “We look forward to continued work with our stakeholders to develop products and services to help employers recruit and retain highly-skilled talent.”