York University has launched a bridging program for internationally educated human resources (HR) professionals to help skilled immigrants fill the gaps between their credentials and what is required to land a position in their profession in Canada.
The program launch addresses an anticipated need given a recent Human Resources & Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) report that predicts there will be a shortage of human resources professionals over the next 10 
years (Canadian Occupational Projection System 2011 Projections: Imbalances Between Labour Demand and Supply 2011-2020).
Parbudyal Singh
“There is an anticipated future gap for trained HR professionals as baby boomers retire and an obvious solution is to create the ability for talented professionals who are immigrating into the country to address that shortage,” says Parbudyal Singh, professor of Human Resources Management at York. “York’s bridging program will help immigrant HR specialists get the Canadian experience and designations required to gain meaningful employment in that field.”
Ana Carolina Andrade, an HR professional who moved to Canada from Brazil, reflects the challenges immigrants can face. Despite considerable HR experience, including working for a major North American automotive manufacturer in Brazil, she has been unable to find an equivalent job since arriving in Canada and decided to enroll in York’s bridging program.
“Despite my employment experience and expertise, it’s been a challenge finding a position similar to the one I held in Brazil,” says Andrade. “York’s program is already showing me some of the nuances of doing business in Canada while also enabling me to work towards my Certified Human Resources Professional designation.”
A track record of success
“We’ve helped many business and IT internationally educated professionals find meaningful employment in the past two years, and are well positioned to contribute to the future economy by playing a vital role in bridging an anticipated gap in this field,” says Art Noordeh, faculty lead, York University Bridging Program for Internationally Educated Professionals in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies.
The HR bridging program at York taps into the University’s School of HR Management, an acknowledged leader in human resources management education. York’s bridging programs for internationally educated business, IT and HR professionals are highly customized for each participant, individually tailoring a program based on each newcomer’s specific credentials, experience and chosen profession.