New Ventures BC and BioTalent have announced a partnership aiming to assist BC biotech companies in accessing funding to hire post-secondary students.
New Ventures BC is running the Innovate BC Innovator Skills Initiative (ISI), which through grants, encourages BC tech companies to hire post-secondary students for business and tech positions. Companies could receive up to $10,000 a year to hire a business or tech undergraduate or graduate student.
Companies will receive up to $10,000 a year to hire a business or tech undergraduate or graduate student.
“The ISI grant program provides funding to startups to hire for critical roles that help them expand, develop, and commercialize their businesses,” said Angie Schick, executive director of New Ventures BC. “Partnering with BioTalent Canada will help maximize the participation from BC biotech businesses, and we are pleased to ensure BC’s biotech community will be represented in this exciting student employment program.”
New Ventures BC stated that the program launched in June 2018, and now is accepting applications through to April 2020. It also noted that retroactive applications for May 2018 to December 2018 are being accepted, but did not provide any further information on retroactive applications.
In order to apply, companies must be a BC-based technology or startup company, or a non-profit tech organization. Students that are hired cannot be part of a co-op program, but must be currently enrolled at a post-secondary institution in the province.
Companies are also required to offer entrepreneurial and business training to the student, which includes three hours of work time to complete an online Market Validation Training course. Companies must also match grant funding in cash or a combination of cash, and up to 25 percent in kind.
BC has been working to close the tech skills gap in Canada through work experience and education. Last month, Palo Alto Networks partnered with BCs Ministry of Education and IBM Canada to launch a high school cybersecurity program to be delivered in schools across the province.
More information can be found at the New Ventures BC website.
Featured image via Pixabay.
