The Canadian federal government is investing Can$8 million (US$7.3 million) over two years to tackle the country's shortage of research and development managers. Mitacs, a nonprofit organization in Vancouver, will run a fellowship programme to support 125 to 150 postdocs in industrial research, providing training in skills such as management and leadership. Researchers who have received a PhD from a Canadian university within the past five years can join the scheme. The employment rate is high for those who have finished the pilot programme, says Arvind Gupta, Mitacs chief executive and scientific director. “Researchers come out of the programme with the skills to manage a company's research portfolio,” he says.