Wemimo Odjede
Second Year Journalism and Communications student and
Intern with Holland College Marketing and Communications department 

Holland College's Bioscience Technology program is the only one of its kind in Atlantic Canada, and has numerous career pathways. Over 90 per cent of its graduates are employed in different bioscience sectors within a year of graduation, a clear indication of how well-prepared graduates are by the time they enter the workforce. 

Students develop laboratory and scientific research skills by learning natural product extraction, fermentation, and bacterial and animal cell culture skills and techniques. 

Before graduating, the students participate in six weeks of on-the-job training (OJT), which is developed in consultation with the college's industry partners to help students apply their skills in a real work environment. 

"Some of our students are offered jobs immediately after their OJT. They finish OJT on Friday and start working on Monday," said Dr. Jenn Slemmer, a learning manager in the Bioscience Technology program.

"Holland College's Bioscience Technology program provides graduates with several career pathways," she said. 

"The program trains its students to work in non-hospital laboratories. You can work as a biological laboratory technologist, plant breeding technician, food bacteriological technician, microbiology quality control technologist, and several others."

Arely Acosta, a first-year student, said the program has been interesting and rewarding, as she is learning in a well-equipped lab. 

"So far, I like the Recombinant DNA molecules used in manipulating genetics. We are just starting to work on plant biotechnology, and I've never seen that before. But it seems like a fascinating field for me," she said.

Bioscience graduates who are interested in continuing their education can complete a  Bachelor of Technology degree with just 13 additional courses at the Memorial University Marine Institute in Newfoundland, or they can enrol in the joint Bachelor of Science degree at UPEI. Find out more about the Holland College/UPEI Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology joint degree here.  

For more information on the Bioscience Technology program, contact Dr. Jenn Slemmer at jeslemmer@hollandcollege.com or visit the program page.

In this picture: First-year student Arely Acosta.