Today we are proud to celebrate the first birthday of HRPA Edge, a paid internship program that connects Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) candidates with participating host employers who need additional resources to address their pressing HR needs on a short-term basis.
It was one year ago today that we – in partnership with the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) – launched this innovative program that has already benefited a number of employers and interns. As an employer, Career Edge Organization has also benefited from the program, hiring an HRPA Edge intern for the role of Recruitment Coordinator.
Leo Luk joined Career Edge in November of last year, and has already demonstrated the skills and knowledge he has acquired by completing the CHRP accreditation requirements. We sat down with Leo to ask him about how his internship contributes to a successful career in HR.
I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in 1999, and I worked in customer service for a few years but then realized that there were no opportunities for further development. In 2007, I quit my job and went into the Human Resources program at Humber College. At that time I had a chance to rethink my career path, so I joined HRPA and I found the HRPA Edge program, so I registered to keep looking for an internship opportunity, and finally I got the position here at Career Edge!
I think in Canada, from my experience, it’s hard to change your career because you don’t have experience in the area that you want to work in. Employers don’t look for someone without any experience; they always look for someone who has at least one year of experience in their field.
This position will definitely give me experience in human resources, especially in recruitment. At the same time, this position gives me more exposure in human resources because I have a chance to attend meetings and different events, and I can network with other people which will benefit my future path.
I hope the knowledge and the skills I gain from this internship can lead me to other opportunities in the future.
Career Edge Organization is among many of the employers that have already benefited from HRPA Edge talent like Leo.
With the support of leading employers like these that recognize and value the energy, fresh perspectives and newly acquired skills of recent HR grads, we – in partnership with HRPA – look forward to another year of launching the next generation of HR professionals through paid internships.