Back to school for HR

Continuing education opens doors, with professional designations and cross-cultural training popular

This fall, HR professionals and business managers alike are heading back to school to stay current and increase their marketability.

Mary Dube is one of them. As an administrator at a busy Toronto-based architecture firm, she has found more HR responsibilities are falling on her shoulders. To ensure she can properly support her team’s evolving needs, she has returned to school to enhance her knowledge and HR skills.

“Although I have a lot of management experience, I don’t have specific HR training,” says Dube, who enrolled last fall in the G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson University in Toronto to earn her Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation.

“I wanted to make sure that I had the ability to provide our team with the information they need,” she says.

The convenience of achieving the certification part-time on their own schedule is particularly appealing to professionals wanting to continue working full-time.

Many employers are now requesting new HR recruits have the CHRP to ensure they have the skills and training needed for a complex workplace. Hiring managers are also finding if they place an ad requesting potential HR candidates have the CHRP, they themselves should really have it, too.

Education enriches HR function

In addition to going back to school for HR-related training, many HR professionals are also pursuing more general business management or financial training, says Lorraine Irvine, vice-president of safety, wellness and total compensation with Ontario Power Generation and an instructor of HR at the Chang School.

Training in finance, accounting and business helps HR managers speak the language of business so they can better serve the needs of an organization. HR professionals who aspire to running an HR department also find having financial and accounting experience a beneficial asset for managing department budgets.

“Enhancing general business experience is another great way HR professionals can broaden their skills, allowing them to add value to the organization,” says Irvine. “In fact, I personally went back to school to pursue an MBA so that I could ensure that what I am doing from an HR perspective is in line with larger business principles.”

Education to meet the needs of increasingly diverse work environments

HR managers are also continuing their education to meet shifting workplace demands and demographics.

For example, courses focusing on equity and diversity in the workplace can help HR professionals deal with an increasingly multicultural workforce. In the war for top talent, expertise in recruiting and retaining internationally trained professionals can translate into a competitive edge for an organization. Courses that build cross-cultural training can also help HR professionals support team members who may be posted abroad.

As part of her pursuit of her CHRP, Dube recently enrolled in the equity and diversity course at the Chang School to better manage an increasingly multicultural office environment.

“In our own office, many people here are new Canadians,” says Dube. “And it’s been helpful for me to better understand how people from different backgrounds learn and interpret communication in different ways. It was a real eye-opener for me — and (provided) really important knowledge to both learn and apply.”

Other HR professionals are distinguishing themselves by attending workshops and seminars that focus on specific skill sets, such as training and development, alternative dispute resolution or compensation, many of which are offered through organizations such as WorldatWork and the Human Resources Professionals Association. This kind of specialization, in addition to language studies, can also boost the value an HR professional brings to her employer.

For Dube, who plans to pursue a degree in human resources management after earning her CHRP, there are just as many personal benefits to continuing her education as there are benefits to her current employer.

“I’m only 40 years old and should finish my certification in five to six years,” she says. “That means I’ll still have a good 15 to 20 years of career ahead — and having that certification will open many other doors for me.”

Genevieve Farrell teaches organizational behaviour and human resources at the G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson University in Toronto. She can be reached at [email protected]. For more information, visit www.ryerson.ca/ce.



Tuition Fees

How much does it cost?

Looking to take a course or two? The fees vary based on the course, the institution and whether you’re taking just one class or pursuing a degree. Here’s a random sampling of what it costs to take one HR-related continuing education course.

Employee and labour relations $207.45
Camosun College, Victoria

Employee recruiting and selection $275
Bow Valley College, Calgary

Compensation $349
Red River College, Winnipeg

HR management $478
The Chang School at Ryerson University, Toronto

HR management $360
Nova Scotia Community College, Halifax



HR Guide 2009

Choosing a course

Want to up your education, take a few courses on the side or enrol full time? The editors of Canadian HR Reporter have done the schoolyard legwork for you. In the Dec. 1, 2008, issue, copies of the annual vendor directory — HR Guide 2009 — will be delivered to subscribers. Readers will find a section on HR Professional Development, featuring a comprehensive list of colleges and universities across the country that offer HR-related programs.

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