BC HRMA is celebrating a milestone:  52 per cent of the general membership now hold their Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation or are CHRP Candidates. That translates to 2,479 members!

Congratulations to all 2009 CHRP graduates!
2009 was record-breaking for the number of CHRP candidates who passed their National Professional Practice Assessment and earned their designation in the May and October exam sittings.

In 2005, the BC HRMA Board of Directors set the strategic goal of increasing the ratio of CHRPs to total members from 33 per cent in 2005 to 50 per cent by 2010. According to Simon Evans, CHRP, CEO of BC HRMA, this achievement has been a long time coming.

“Our association has a long history in promoting professional standards as we want our members recognized for their strategic contributions to business,” said Evans. “A CHRP designation signifies a professional who is a front runner in the industry. We are pleased to see that members and the community at large are seeing the value of the national designation,” said Evans.

In recent years, the CHRP has grown in leaps and bounds. Established in the early 1990s, the earliest incarnation held individual HR associations responsible for determining the requirements. What became apparent was the need for national standards of assessment, along with the profile and professional portability this would provide.

Taking its cue from industry feedback and the precedents set by national HR associations in the UK, USA, Australia and South America, in March 2003, the Canadian Council of Human Resources Associations (CCHRA) brought forth the national CHRP designation. Governed by the CCHRA and administered provincially by BC HRMA, the CHRP is rapidly establishing itself in recent years as the demands upon the profession have grown.

“Human resources professionals are being asked to play a far more strategic role in every aspect of industry. The process of acquiring CHRP certification ensures they are fully equipped with the body of knowledge required for success,” said Evans. “The examination process involved is thorough, our candidates are committed and the percentage of CHRPs and CHRP candidates in our association continues to climb.”

There are now more than 21,000 CHRPs in Canada, and record numbers of HR professionals registered to write both the National Knowledge Exam® (NKE) and the National Professional Practice Assessment® (NPPA) in 2009. In addition, CCHRA, in collaboration with its member provincial HR associations, is taking a fresh look at HR’s Body of Knowledge to ensure CHRPs continue to have the skills and knowledge the business community expects.

To attain the CHRP designation in British Columbia, HR professionals must belong to BC HRMA, pass the CCHRA’s national exams (NKE and NPPA) and sign the profession’s National Code of Ethics. To maintain the designation, HR professionals must recertify every three years and adhere to the Code of Ethics.

For further information about the CHRP designation, please visit www.bchrma.org.