Oneka Technologies receives funding of over $390,000 for employee training and well-being

Sherbrooke, June 14, 2023 – Oneka Technologies was pleased to welcome Geneviève Hébert, MP for Saint-François, this morning, for the announcement of a $390,525 investment by the Quebec government in the training and well-being of the company’s employees. Oneka is committed to providing nearly $750,000 in training for its employees over a 3-year period, with 50% of eligible costs covered by a $371,100 grant from the Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale.

Since February 2023, the Oneka team has already completed over 650 hours of training. This subsidy covers the cost of training, both internal and external, enabling teams to develop professionally with the support of technical experts in their field. Employees are offered training in engineering, management, human resources and communications, as well as language courses. The training topics targeted by Oneka include improving the efficiency of offshore operations, coaching employees and managers through the company’s growth period, project management, technical excellence in engineering, intellectual property, business languages, improving workshop work methods and information technology.

The Ministère de l’Éducation‘s financial support of $19,525 comes from the Programme d’aide financière aux entreprises en matière d’activités physiques, which aims to increase the number of initiatives developed by small and medium-sized businesses to encourage regular physical activity among all their staff. This financial support will provide an opportunity for employees to engage in more physical activity on a regular basis.

“I’m very proud to announce that over $390,000 have been granted to support the development of this innovative company from our region. This significant investment will allow this small and growing business to diversify the skills of all members of its staff. It will also contribute to a better workplace experience, notably by encouraging access to physical activities and sports. I hope that Oneka Technologies will have the greatest success and I wish them the best!” – Geneviève Hébert, MP for Saint-François and Deputy Government Whip.

“Healthy lifestyle habits are a determining factor in good health. Once again, Oneka is demonstrating its leadership by devoting itself to the health of its employees. I salute their commitment. We’re proud to be able to count on such an innovative company in Sherbrooke that cares about its human resources.” – Raïs Kibonge, Deputy Mayor of the City of Sherbrooke

“At Oneka, the well-being of our employees is one of our top priorities. It is essential for us to be able to support them in their career path so that they become highly qualified professionals in their field of expertise. We also want to be a catalyst for the adoption of healthy lifestyle habits, including physical activity. Our team is growing rapidly, and these initiatives position us as a company that offers its employees a stimulating and lively work environment.” – Ariane Poirier, Human Resources Business Partner.

This government assistance contributes to the ongoing training and commitment of our employees. As soon as they are hired, new colleagues who are curious, committed and interested in making a difference in the world around them are sought out. This grant is welcomed with excitement by the Oneka team, who are eager to further their knowledge in order to have an even greater impact on the planet by offering sustainable, reliable and high-performance desalination solutions.

This grant will also help support the induction and integration of new team members, and equip managers to manage their team humanely and effectively. This financial support also helps to reinforce Oneka’s commitment to being fully involved in its employees’ career development, by enabling them to develop to their full potential for the next three years, and thus share their new knowledge with their colleagues. Investing in the continuous improvement of practices is already part of Oneka’s DNA, so it was only natural to extend this to employee training. These training courses will be carefully selected, with the aim of having an amplified impact on coastal communities and industries facing water shortages around the world.

An initiative to get the Oneka team moving!

The Programme d’aide financière aux entreprises en matière d’activités physiques is designed to raise awareness of the importance of regular physical exercise, and enables the implementation of various initiatives promoting physical activity, thereby improving the overall health of employees and strengthening bonds between colleagues.

Oneka is putting in place a series of actions to stimulate individual and group practice of sport, to the tune of $40,000, 50% of which will be financed by the program. These initiatives include the purchase of over 2,000 tickets for local sports centers, a contribution towards the purchase of a bicycle to encourage active mobility, and an annual contribution towards the purchase of a subscription for the practice of a physical activity of the employees’ choice, enabling everyone to move according to their own interests.

Attracting and retaining talent: a priority for Oneka

These initiatives are now added to Oneka’s Recognition and Career Development Program, aimed directly at attracting the best talent, but also at retaining its valued employees, the pillars of Oneka’s success. This program includes several activities to stimulate the career development of its teams. This is illustrated by :

A recognition program (celebrating birthdays and service anniversaries, activities to highlight major milestones achieved by the company, mentioning colleagues’ good deeds at weekly meetings, etc.);
Mentoring to help employees integrate, learn and develop their careers;
Informal one-to-one meetings to ensure employees’ personal and professional well-being;
Weekly and quarterly one-to-one meetings to establish an action plan to help them set and achieve their goals.

Oneka Technologies would like to sincerely thank the two ministries for this financial assistance, which will help promote the overall well-being of one of its most precious resources: its employees.

− 30 −

About Oneka Technologies

Oneka Technologies’ mission is to make the oceans a sustainable and affordable source of freshwater. To achieve this, solutions capable of turning seawater into drinking water using only the renewable energy created through ocean waves are offered to coastal communities and industries facing water shortages. To date, Oneka employs some forty professionals working in various fields (engineering, production, research and development, operations, desalination, sales, marketing and communications, human resources, administrative support).