1. How to Become an HR Professional in Canada
‘Human resources’ has come a long way. The management field has seen lots of changes in
the last decade. Looking back, it seems difficult to exactly track how changes had taken
place. But one thing is certain that organizations now have become employee-centered.
They are looking to recruit, develop and retain best talent, at any cost. And those who help
them achieve these goals are human resources professionals.
Times are changing and so are the expectations of young workforce. They expect work to
be real fun, in order to remain engaged for a long term. This means the companies will
need to change the way they work and deal with their employees. It’s time to become more
human centric and bring changes in organizational policies and procedures that help them
keep with this emerging shift. Clearly, this has led to a significant increase in demand for
professionals who are well-versed in the strategic management of human resources.
If you’ve been thinking of a career in human resources, this is probably the best time. This
area of management makes the right choice for those who love to communicate with
people and have an inclination towards human planning, occupational health and safety and
human rights.
Getting into Human Resources
Earn a Diploma
The first step towards getting into a human resources related career is to gain the
specialized knowledge in the field. There are a number of colleges in Canada that
offer diploma programs in human resources. Centennial College offers a three-
year diploma program in human resources, covering core business administration
subjects as well as specialized courses. You will develop expertise in recruitment,
selection, orientation, employee training and development, human planning,
labour relations, compensation and benefits, employment law and human
resources management systems.
In order to apply for this particular program, you will need to send your completed
application form to the college. You also need to send a copy of secondary school diploma
certificate and scores of English Grade 12 C or University or equivalent and Mathematics
Grade 11 M or 12 C or University or equivalent.
Pursue Internships
Centennial College’s three-year post-secondary business administration – human resources
program combines classroom learning with a co-op program. This means you not only
study theoretical aspects of human resources but also get hands-on experience by working
three-terms as a paid employee. The human resources college in Toronto takes a
unique approach to help students put their theoretical understanding into practice in all
major areas of human resources. This also provides you with important industry contacts
that can be used as references in future.
However, for being eligible to avail this facility, you will need to fulfill some co-op
requirements. These include completion of employment pre-placement, completion of eight

2. out of eleven courses in semesters one and two, a minimum C grade in COMM 170/171,
and a GPA of 2.5 or greater.
Develop Additional Skills
While working as a human resources professional, you will be expected to be well-versed in
human resources management systems. This is why the human resources
college includes microcomputer training in the curriculum. You’ll be trained to work on
popular business software, such as Excel, Access and SAP.
Aside from this, HR professionals must possess excellent communication, interpersonal and
decision-making skills. A strong emphasis is laid on helping students develop these career-
ready skills during the program.
The graduates of diploma program in Business Administration – Human Resources can
choose to pursue their careers or apply their credit rewards towards further study.
For More Information Visit http://www1.centennialcollege.ca/