A global leader in e-learning is receiving $25,000 from the Provincial Government�s Business and Market Development Program. St. John�s-based Bluedrop Performance Learning will use the funding to test market new informal learning technologies and acquire expertise from international experts.

"Bluedrop Performance Learning is a pioneer e-learning company started by enterprising young graduates of Memorial University that has been in operation for 15 years. Its first client was the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and its client list includes Dell Computers, Pfizer, McGraw-Hill, Microsoft, Cisco and Sony," said the Honourable Trevor Taylor, Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development. "This company derives all its earning from exports and I am pleased that our government is able to contribute to its success."

"The on-line learning industry is attempting to leverage the power of informal learning, which exists outside formal learning, and which can account for as much as 80 per cent of all learning acquired on the job," said Bluedrop�s Director of Corporate Development Richard Haywood. "We have been researching informal learning for the past 18 months and this new funding will enable us to conduct further research and test market new informal learning products."

While Bluedrop has offices in Halifax, Fredericton, Virginia, Ottawa and Toronto, which are closer to its markets, the company is committed to staying in Newfoundland and Labrador. "More than 60 per cent of our employees are located here and we believe they provide our company with one of its core advantages in service quality," said Mr. Haywood.

In 2005, Bluedrop received a silver award of excellence for the best e-learning projects worldwide in (e-learning expert) Brandon Hall�s global competition. The company is currently completing the largest pure e-learning content project in the history of the Canadian Federal Government and is also the recognized leader in e-learning to help defend the country against CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) attacks.

The Business and Market Development Program is designed to provide new entrepreneurs and expanding small businesses with funding to help them acquire the necessary expertise to pursue new business ideas and new markets for their products or services. In Budget 2007, the Provincial Government continued its commitment to the $1 million program which is intended to support new growth opportunities in the economy, such as value-added manufacturing activities and export-oriented opportunities.

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Photo #1: Emad Rizkalla, president of Bluedrop Performance Learning (right) and Kimberley Puddester, multimedia developer (centre), discuss Bluedrop's products and services with the Honourable Trevor Taylor, Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development.

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2007 07 27                                                      10:15 a.m.