As of today, Red River College is one of four post-secondary institutions in Manitoba to offer a human resources training program recognized with a CPHR (Chartered Professional in Human Resources) designation from the Human Resource Management Association of Manitoba (HRMAM).

Graduates of these programs— in RRC’s case, the Human Resource Management Certificate offered through the School of Continuing Education — will be one step closer to receiving their professional designation upon graduation and will be able to waive writing the National Knowledge Exam (NKE).

The NKE is a required step for many pursing their CPHR designation, which is the national industry standard of excellence for those working in the field of HR. The CPHR designation requires an individual to achieve and maintain demonstrated competency and experience relevant to the HR profession

“Red River College works in partnership with industry to provide relevant and timely programming that prepares our students to transition from college to career to meet the evolving demands in the workplace,” said Jo-Anne Shay, Dean, School of Continuing Education, Red River College. “Accrediting our HR Management program opens doors to many career opportunities for our students, and provides industry with the necessary talent to make a real impact in their organizations.”

Earlier this year HRMAM and CPHR Canada announced new enhancements to the CPHR designation, which included an option that allows graduates of accredited programs to waive writing the NKE as one of the requirements as well as introducing non-degree paths to attaining the CPHR.

“Incorporating post-secondary training into the CPHR designation is an important step in advancing the designation and providing greater value for the business community,” said Ron Gauthier, CEO of HRMAM.

Accredited programs must cover at least 80% of the CPHR Competency Framework. Applicants must be a member in good standing with HRMAM. Application for an NKE Waiver must be made within one year of graduating from an Accredited HR Program. At this time, previous graduates of an Accredited Program may be eligible to apply for an NKE waiver depending on program eligibility. Eligibility information specific to each institution can be found on our website.

RRC’s HR Management graduates need to complete four of the following five electives in order to qualify for the waiver to write the NKE:

• Employment and Labour Law (HUMR-1022)
• HR Metrics and Analytics (HUMR-1028)
• Occupational Safety and Health (SAFE-1000)
• Organizational Development (HUMR-1003)
• Strategic HR Planning (HUMR-1058)

The Post-Secondary Institute Accreditation Program is a significant step forward for the Human Resources profession. The program will recognize the knowledge gained throughout the duration of the post-secondary education program and provide a significant advantage to graduates looking to pursue the CPHR designation.

Learn more about RRC’s Human Resource Management Certificate.

Read the full HRMAM Announcement.