Representatives Susan Ryan and Tim Read from CPHR BC & Yukon flew to Prince George this week, to commemorate the accreditation of CNC’s Human Resources Management Post Diploma Program. The program, which has been running at CNC for the past five years, prepares students for a career in Human Resource Management. Now that the program has been accredited, graduates may be exempt from the requirement to sit the National Knowledge Exam, one of the steps toward receiving their Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) designation.

The celebration took place on Tuesday November 28, 2017 at Kodiaks Restaurant at CNC. In addition to CPHR BC & Yukon and college staff, several local employers were in attendance.

“Last year we introduced the practicum or capstone project requirement,” says faculty coordinator Zelda Craig, “We are excited about this announcement and invited our past practicum supervisors to celebrate with us. Our practicum placements are short, but they are highly valued by our students and we think it’s a win-win, as employers also get some assistance to tackle an HR-related project that may have been on their “things to do” list for a while.”

Practicum Supervisors in attendance were:

• Marnie Hamagami – Theatre Northwest
• Matt Hutcheon – Innovation Central Society/Hubspace
• Sean Farrell – Prince George & District Community Arts Council
• Sherri Flavel – Community Futures Development Corporation

Other companies who have supported Practicum Students include:

• Northern Health
• Canfor
• AiMHi
• Kask Taproom
• 6ix Sigma Productions
• The Exploration Place
• Geotech Drilling
• Spruce Credit Union

“The program has really grown over the past five years,” added Sarah Foot, program coordinator. “Accreditation of the program acknowledges the commitment our faculty have to making this what we believe is one of the most comprehensive programs in the province.”

Organizers note that this event marks a milestone in the program; faculty and staff will continue to work with CPHR BC & Yukon and local employers to ensure that the skills students acquire continue to meet the needs of local employers while ensuring coverage of all the core competencies in the CPHR framework.

The college also took the opportunity to introduced their first ever competition team for the HRC West case competition, which will be taking place in Calgary next March. CPHR BC & Yukon collaborates with CPHR Alberta to host this case competition every year, alternating host provinces, and student groups from across western Canada come together to compete. Students are given a case and three hours to develop a presentation identifying their analysis, options, and recommended solution to the “client”. Students Laura Deveikyte, Erin MacFarlane, and Nelson Onwuliri are already practicing weekly with their coaching team.

“We are excited to have formed a collaborative partnership with CNC which ultimately supports the growth of the HR profession,” said Susan Ryan, CPHR, Board Chair for CPHR BC & Yukon.