PQA has recently been awarded the Task-Based Informatics Professional Services (TBIPS) Standing Offer and Supply Arrangement by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC).

TBIPS Contract Awards:

Standing Offer (SO) EN478-102881/191/EI
Supply Arrangement (SA) – EN578-055605/420/EI

PQA is approved to provide services across Canada under the following categories:
Classification: 4
Category
Business Analyst
Business Consultant
Courseware Developer
Help Desk Specialist
Instructor, IT

Classification: 5
Category
Project Administrator
Project Coordinator
Project Manager
Quality Assurance Specialist/Analyst

For additional information, please contact the Director, Sales at PQA, Mr. Bev Stymiest (Bev.Stymiest@PQA.ca) or at 506-460-8787.

PQA is pleased to announce that it has been nominated as a finalist for a KIRA award in the Export Services category by the New Brunswick Knowledge Industry Task Force. The KIRA Awards recognizes knowledge industry companies in New Brunswick for the leadership and success they have brought to the industry in the previous year. This year will mark the 12th annual KIRA awards which are held in Fredericton, NB.

PQA has once again been ranked in the top 35 fastest growing companies in Atlantic Canada by Progress Magazine. On April 13, 2010, Progress Magazine honoured Atlantic Canada's fastest growing companies at a VIP reception in Moncton, N.B. PQA was ranked 16th overall, up from 25th in 2009. PQA congratulates all other winners and thanks Progress Magazine for this recognition and for the work it does in promoting and assisting Atlantic Canadian companies grow and prosper.

PQA’s outstanding work in the community has been honoured this week with the presentation of the 2010 Large Business Award by the Multicultural Association of Fredericton.

The Multicultural Association plays a vital role in helping new residents adjust to life in Canada. It also works to promote workplace diversity and inclusion. For the second year in a row, MCAF hosted an Employer Appreciation night to celebrate employers who have helped new Canadian residents overcome obstacles, settle successfully in the Fredericton area, and find employment. PQA’s Large Business Award was received in recognition of our continued efforts to increase diversity in the workplace.  

PQA’s Delivery Manager, Jonathan Duncan, has been working as a mentor with the Association for the past year. His valuable volunteer work benefits PQA, as well as his clients, because it brings him into contact with a wide range of talented people. 

For more information, visit: http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/search/article/964129 

Professional Quality Assurance Ltd. (PQA) recently completed the second annual Angel Tree Challenge at the Regent Mall in Fredericton. This year, the company challenged another local IT company, ACCREON, to join them in the fun. For the challenge, each company chose five employees to shop for local children in need.  Each employee was given $200.00 and assigned a gender and age group.  A representative from the Food Bank was on hand to accept the gifts from PQA and ACCREON.

For more information, visit: http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/liveit/article/891394 

Fredericton - Christmas is the time for giving, and two of Fredericton’s largest IT companies have taken that concept to a whole new level.  Professional Quality Assurance Ltd. (PQA) has partnered with ACCREON to share in the spirit of giving. On Friday, December 4 at 4:00PM, employees from these two companies will make a mad dash through the Regent Mall buying gifts for local families.

“We had such a great time doing this last year that everyone wanted to make it an annual event.” said PQA President and CEO, Keith McIntosh. “The Fredericton Food Bank gives us a few target groups to buy for; perhaps a 3 year old girl or an 8 year old boy and we will send our employees out in search of items. We make a bit of a game about it. Employees who get the most creative gift or get gifts from the most stores will get prizes. Last year, I think it was unanimous among the employees that the real prize was doing something fun that gave back to kids who will really appreciate it at Christmas time.”

PQA began this tradition of giving back in style last year and this year, in a new twist, they have partnered with another local company, ACCREON, to follow suit in helping the food bank. Both companies will face off in an effort to spend the most and get the best gifts for local families.

“Throughout the year, ACCREON has a tradition of supporting organizations in need. At Christmas time, it seems our team really gets energized to give as much as we can back to the community, says Blair Kuhn, ACCREON’S Vice President of Operations. “We are thrilled to partner with PQA on this initiative.”

“This year I am so happy that ACCREON has agreed to participate with us as well” said McIntosh.  “They are a truly impressive company and I am proud that they have chosen to be associated with PQA in this idea. Maybe next year I will be able to entice a few others to join in the fun.”

Both companies will have displays in the mall during the afternoon and the shopping race through the mall will start at 4:00PM. If you want to be a part of the generosity, join PQA and ACCREON in cheering on their colleagues near the Angel Tree by the food court.

Both PQA and ACCREON maintain a strong commitment to the community and participate in several fundraising initiatives throughout the year for local causes. During the holiday season, in addition to the shopping spree, PQA employees have also sold baked goods, participated in a weekly 50/50 draw, held raffles and sold tickets on themed baskets in order to raise money for local families.  Meanwhile, ACCREON has contributed and volunteered to over 50 charitable causes in New Brunswick during the past year.

Professional Quality Assurance Ltd. is committed to delivering the best quality assurance practices to organizations worldwide.PQA offers the perfect solution for companies seeking the perfect balance between managing development costs while improving quality in an effort to release products into the market in a timely, efficient manner.

ACCREON is Atlantic Canada’s premiere full-service business and technology management services company.  Bringing measurable results and a flexible approach to problems, ACCREON leverages innovation to assist organizations in improving efficiency and optimizing operational and managerial performance.

As one of the largest independent software quality assurance companies in Canada, Professional Quality Assurance Ltd. (PQA) is committed to delivering the best quality assurance practices to organizations worldwide. And this quality starts within – with people like Nathaniel Couture, the company’s Chief Technology Officer. Last night, Couture was named one of New Brunswick’s Rising Stars at an awards ceremony at the Delta Beausejour in Moncton.

“It was an honor to have even been nominated for this award” said Couture after receiving the distinction. “I think it is great to see the IT industry in New Brunswick thriving and I am very proud to be a part of it.”

Rising Stars is an annual provincial event intended to recognize knowledge industry workers, in companies or organizations throughout New Brunswick, who have distinguished themselves from their peers by the quality of their work and their positive impact in their community and the industry. Twelve Rising Stars were chosen last night from a list of finalists.

Couture joined PQA in 2005 after spending several years as a freelance software developer, assisting a variety of clients in the development of custom software solutions and the implementation of innovative security features for web applications. He continuously proves himself as an effective leader and manager and is the youngest member of PQA’s senior management team. He works tirelessly to promote quality assurance and testing in the IT industry, and is always looking for new technologies and techniques to ensure that PQA continues to be a leader in this industry.

In his spare time, Couture founded an adventure racing organization, Natural Selection Adventure Racing, which hosts a series of adventure races in New Brunswick every year.

“Nat has been a huge asset to PQA since arriving in 2005” says PQA President and CEO, Keith McIntosh. “He is an incredibly talented leader and manager and his strong communication skills make him very capable of taking a client’s needs and providing them with cost effective solutions. Nat is always available to assist colleagues, at any level, whenever needed. With an open-door policy, Nat is accessible to co-workers if they need assistance with a work problem or just wish to chat.”

Professional Quality Assurance Ltd. is committed to delivering the best quality assurance practices to organizations worldwide.PQA offers the perfect solution for companies seeking the perfect balance between managing development costs while improving quality in an effort to release products into the market in a timely, efficient manner.

For more information, please visit: http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/search/article/810942

PQA’s Chief Technology Officer, Nathaniel Couture, was recently named a Rising Star finalist. Rising Stars is an annual provincial event intended to recognize knowledge industry workers, in companies or organizations throughout New Brunswick, who have distinguished themselves from their peers by the quality of their work and their positive impact in their community and the industry. Ten of the 25 finalists will be selected to receive the Rising Star honour at an awards dinner on October 1 at the Delta Beausejour.

For more information, visit: http://www.risingstars.ca/English/index/

Professional Quality Assurance Ltd. (PQA) is proud to be home to some of the most up-and-coming leaders the province has ever seen. One of these leaders is Nathaniel Couture, PQA’s Chief Technology Officer.  21inc is an organization whose purpose is to develop and inspire New Brunswick’s new and emerging young leaders. The 21inc initiative gathers young people from all sectors and through a year-long program provides them with tools, networking and bolsters their confidence to become effective leaders in the 21st century. Each year the program accepts applications from young professionals around the province and from the more than 100 submitted annually, chooses 21 to be part of the program for the next 10 months.

For more information, visit http://static.canadaeast.com/tabs/final%20copy%2021inc__20090916103244.pdf

After spending a month participating in seminars, workshops and field trips at various universities across the country, five local students returned home to complete a work term at Professional Quality Assurance Ltd. (PQA). The students were part of the summer enrichment program for high school students known as Shad Valley. During the program, students lived in residence halls at one of 10 participating university campuses across Canada. The program, run by university faculty and staff, focuses on science, technology and entrepreneurship. Every year, the program is given a project theme. Students collaborate to simulate a start-up venture, based around a product or service that addresses the theme. They then compete against the other teams at their university and the winners go on to compete in the RBC Cup. Shad Valley students then return home to complete a four-week internship where they can apply the lessons they learned through the program. PQA was lucky to have five students call its offices home for the month of August. The students completed their internship on August 21st with a presentation to staff and a celebratory barbeque.