Knowing the story behind the fish helps a Halifax seafood company bring sustainable, low-impact fishing traditions back to the dinner plate — and knowing the story behind the female-led team at Afishionado Fishmongers helps to explain the impact that millennials are having on small business.
CEO Hana Nelson says that the young people she hires bring passion and knowledge to the company that she can’t find anywhere else.
“The graduates we’ve hired are really enthusiastic about this sector. They have the most up-to-date training, the ability to be really adaptable and access to the latest research,” says Hana. “Their energy, skill-sets and knowledge help propel us forward.”
Hiring those recent grads was made easier for Hana by the Graduate to Opportunity (GTO) program, a provincial salary incentive that helps small businesses, start-ups, social enterprises and non-profits to hire recent grads for permanent, full-time jobs. GTO offers 25 per cent of a grad’s first year (35 per cent if the grad is diverse) and 12.5 per cent of a grad’s second year salary to eligible employers in the province.
Hana hired Laurie Starr with her freshly-minted master’s degree from Dalhousie’s Marine Management program. Laurie began as a product specialist focused on delivery and led some marketing events, including the Catch-of-the-Week Program. Two years later, she’s been promoted to Manager of Operations.
“Laurie is so passionate and knowledgeable about seafood issues and the local researchers who are exploring these topics,” says Hana. “As a wholesale business, we want to align with the values of the restaurants we serve — and Laurie’s work is an important component of this equation.”
Laurie says she enjoys tackling the problem-solving aspect of her role.
“As a young person, I feel that recent grads like me choose not to waste time in a work setting. We thrive in hands-on environments related to what we’ve studied,” says Laurie. “Millennials contribute to very productive workplaces.”
Hana credits Laurie’s advancement in the company to her initiative and her willingness to do what needs to be done.
“She is so organized and detail-oriented, but also sees the bigger picture,” says Hana. “Having a grad like this in the sector brings us top notch systematic skills that I, as a business owner, don’t possess to the same degree that a recent grad does.”
Learn more about how the GTO program can benefit your company at novascotia.ca/GTO. Applications are always turned around within five business days.
< Back to Articles | Topics: Special Feature