THE EMPLOYMENT JOURNEY: Summer students gain valuable experience at expanding bioscience company

Read the original article here. BioVectra Inc. is a bioscience business with three locations in Charlottetown and one in Windsor, Nova Scotia. The company, which has more than 300 employees, focuses on contract manufacturing and product development of active pharmaceutical ingredients, pharmaceutical intermediates, and bio-reagents. The company is currently building another expansion to its site at 11 Aviation Way in Charlottetown. This past summer, BioVectra hired 11 students for summer jobs in a variety of positions, including engineering, product research and marketing, drug development, quality control, Human Resources, administration, and finance.

Two students share their stories

Luke MacAulay of Stratford is an Engineering student who has worked at BioVectra for the past three summers. His education path has centred around math, chemistry, and business. He took two years of Engineering at UPEI and then chose to study Chemical Engineering at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton. He is continuing his interest in business by also taking a diploma program in Technology Management & Entrepreneurship. “I was very lucky to be hired here at BioVectra,” says Luke. “It’s great to have a summer job that is very relevant to my field and also close to home. Once I graduate, I need five years of relevant work experience to become a professional engineer. Up to a year of that time can be earned while completing my degree, so this experience at BioVectra is very valuable. “I’m not certain of my future plans, but I’m thinking of doing my Masters in Chemical Engineering or in Business. I hope to run my own business in the future. “I would like to live and work on the Island. More and more jobs are being created here, so ideally, I will be able to find something on PEI after finishing my education.” Lindsay MacGregor is from Charlottetown. After six years of study, she graduated this year from UPEI with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Bachelor of Arts in English. “There are a lot of things I can do now, based on the skills I learned at UPEI,” says Lindsay. During her time at UPEI, Lindsay worked as a teaching assistant in the first-year biology and anatomy labs. “I was also a writing tutor. My science background was helpful because I could help both science students and arts students with different styles of writing.” This is her third summer job at BioVectra. For the first two summers, she worked in the Research and Development Biotech lab. This past summer, she chose a new opportunity in Human Resources. “It is fun to see what else I can do with a science degree beyond lab work. “In the human resources position, I learned more about the hiring process. I helped with recruitment, writing and posting job ads, vetting applications, and setting up interviews. I find my science background helps me better understand the positions we are hiring for.” In September, Lindsay started a new student position in Marketing at BioVectra’s Windsor Nova Scotia facility. “I really like the Windsor facility. Everyone works together to do what needs to be done to help it succeed. It has a really cool energy to it. “I’m excited about this opportunity. BioVectra is a great company to work for. The company is growing quickly, and they are hiring for new positions every month. “There are also opportunities for growth within the company. “You can start in one area, and if you are interested in learning something else, BioVectra is very receptive to moving you to another position where you would be a good fit.” For more information, visit www.biovectra.com. For a list of PEI bioscience job postings, visit www.peibioalliance.com.]]>