Ontario’s Value-Added Personnel Program – OCE

Ontario Centres for Excellence – Talent Initiatives

To foster training, Ontario graduate students in science, technology or engineering or post-doctoral fellows may enrol in the VAP certificate program. The purpose is to develop essential entrepreneurship and business skills to extend their technical expertise. VAP courses are delivered by business school faculty across Ontario as one and two day workshops. OCE offers three core courses in strategic and business planning, business development and networking and communications.  The optional courses include training on new ventures, market strategy and intellectual property for technology transfer.

The course dates for the Training Program offer business entrepreneurship knowledge and skills. The VAP program are available in Central region includes GTA/Waterloo and eastern/northern region. No program registration fees required.

MITACS Government Funding Canada

The additional skill and knowledge will improve marketability and hiring satisfaction for Ontario Graduates, Masters and Post-doctorate fellows. The VAP program is designed to complement other professional skills development programs such as the MITACS STEP. OCE will acknowledge these towards the VAP completion certificate.

Scholarships for Graduates – HQP Program

Another program promoting development in graduate training is called the HQP program which is a collaborative agreement with OMAFRA and the University of Guelph. This new program provide stipends for up to 40 students at any one time enrolled in a range of existing departmental programs in Masters Thesis, DVSc and PhD programs. With the main purpose to extend the “market readiness” of graduate students, this program offers financial support in the form of scholarships for graduate students enrolled in programs already accredited by the Ontario Council of Graduate Studies. The scholarships range from $17,000-21,000/yr to Masters, DVSc and PhD students.

The OMAFRA?University of Guelph HQP Scholarship Program is partnering with MITACS ACCELERATE for potential funding of the work experience programs. Our previous government grant blog provide full details about how this MITACS Internship Program works. With this approach, the total contribution for this work semester is made up of $7,500 from each of the Business sponsor and MITACS ACCELERATE.

Grants for Small Business In Ontario

The programs for Youth Internships are varied. Specialty programs exist for Environmental Graduates Internship Programs and other field of sciences as well. For more detailed selection, please contact us for Government Grants for Small Business and other Ontario business grants.