September 12 2002 - A Toronto pharmaceutical company is targeting
their competitors' employees on their way to work in an attempt to fill 400 job openings.
The Apotex Group campaign uses billboards across the Greater Toronto Area which are
strategically placed near their competitors'facilities.
The billboard campaign strategy is simple, says Ron
Davidson, V.P., Human Resources. "We will use every means at
our disposal, including billboards to communicate our job openings directly in
locations where we know potential candidates can see them."
"We believe that this is a very unique way to
find employees. We have a multi-million dollar expansion, and without the
people, we can't grow our business", continued Mr. Davidson.
The majority of the jobs are for technical professionals required
to work in manufacturing and R&D areas at some of Apotex Group's 14 facilities
across Toronto. The Apotex Group is the largest Canadian owned pharmaceutical company. It
employs nearly 5000 people has an R&D budget of $1 billion over the next ten
years.
Having taken on 1,000 employees over the last 12
months and 2,000 over 3 years, Apotex is finding it more and more difficult
to find qualified candidates.
Toronto residents can see the billboards at:
- Markham Road & Sheppard Avenue
- Erin Mills Parkway & Battleford Road
- Steeles Avenue East & Midland Avenue
- Lawrence Avenue East & Pharmacy Avenue
- Bayly Road and Brock Road
- Steeles Avenue West and Highway 27 (October)