Faculty of Business News

 and are on the path to the Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA) designation:

• Margarita Barvonok
• Joseph Grimaldi
• James Grossi
• Matthew Nash
• Heba Zafir
• Megan Clarke

Saiyaf conducted a resume workshop for over 120 postgraduate students who are searching for work-integrated learning opportunities. The workshop involved a presentation on resumes with a focus on common errors to avoid. Students were engaged, asked questions and had the opportunity to meet with Saiyaf for resume reviews.

The visit helped the students learn more about starting their own business as well as the support that is offered to those who are looking at starting a business. They also learned about brainstorming ideas, how to determine if an idea is feasible and how to create a business plan. 

The majority of students accepted into this program have completed CFA Level 1, including Yingni, who passed her CFA Level 1 exam when she graduated in June 2017. Congratulations and all the best!

In addition to their studies at YAMK University, they are also completing work placements in the sport management field. The students are enjoying classes, the sights, and culture of Finland as well as the opportunity to learn about the sport industry in Europe.

The client was All Seasons Lifestyle Concierge, a Burlington-based business providing assistance and services to seniors who wish to remain living in their own homes. Humber Online Solutions employs Humber students and matches them with local small and medium Ontario businesses to develop their online presence.

Read more about Humber Online Solutions' work with All Seasons Lifestyle Concierge over the summer here. 

This year, the course had the support of CPA Ontario. Tizy Gunaratne, the CPA representative that helped the Accounting Faculty judge the capstone presentations and also provided financial recognition to the student's projects qualifying for the first two places.

First place went to Rafael Borges, Jake Nowak, Holly Smith, Max Vero for their project titled, "Establishment Debt Development Program.” Each student was award with a cheque of 175 dollars. The judges thought that the students' topic was " innovative, well thought out and displayed a good foundation of accounting knowledge," and that the students all demonstrated passion, strong teamwork, communication and creative thinking.

The second-place prize went to Mae Mendoza, Sheila Viteri, Xiayan Wu for their project, “Impact of Ethics on Investing – Lessons Learned!” Students received 100 dollars and received feedback from the judges: "this presentation showcased a fair amount of research, accounting knowledge and growth over the two rounds of presentations. It was evident to all of us that you were open to feedback and showed development over time. Moreover, your team showed passion, strong teamwork and good communication skills. These are all fundamental soft skills that we want to see in our future CPAs."

Congrats to all students in the 4th-Year Capstone Accounting Course!

The donation establishes four scholarships aimed at attracting top talent and recognizing academic excellence in the IMPG program. In addition, the donation provides critical needs-based bursaries for those students who need extra financial assistance. Wawanesa has demonstrated tremendous leadership as a company committed to education and to advancing the insurance industry.

Wawanesa Insurance is one of the largest insurance companies in Canada, with assets of over $9.5 billion, and employing a workforce of over 3,500 people. The company is also one of the oldest companies in Canada, as it was founded in 1896 in Wawanesa, Manitoba.

On behalf of the Longo Faculty of Business at Humber College, I would like to thank Wawanesa Insurance for their commitment to our students.

The Toronto Chapter held a symposium at The Old Mill. Colin Bartley, Event Management Program Coordinator, participated in a panel discussion and some students also attended the event. The panel discussion was comprised of Ontario's top post-secondary event planning programs. The conversation covered how educators are keeping industry practices up to date for their students, and how industry professionals can help shape programming so that new grads are as ready as possible to join the field upon graduation.

The students are Zoë Allen (President), Rabita Naqvi( Vice President), Salma Sahebzada (Secretary), Shriya Tandon and Katelin McKnight (Class Representatives). Ten alumni who recently graduated from the program and have secured a career in HR participated in the event. The event provided graduating students an opportunity to network with Humber alumni and engage with them one-on-one for career guidance.

HHRS and the Program Coordinator Parveen Gill wants to thank alumni for attending this event and sharing their HR journey with current HRM students. It was indeed a proud moment to hear success stories and their commitment to giving back to the Humber students’ community.

Our teams were part of our Case Competition course, which provides a new business case each week for students to prepare under time pressure, and present in front of their peers and professors. The course is a great way for students to improve their communication skills and hone their business acumen. The teams we sent to the final competition were a shining example of the excellent students coming out of our Accounting Diploma program.

Due to an administrative glitch, our two teams competed against each other in the preliminary round, which meant that only one team could qualify for the finals competition. During the finals, our team performed well, finishing in third place, province-wide!

We are very proud of all of our Case Competition students, and the faculty that volunteered to coach teams outside of class time! We look forward to many more successful competitions in the future!

About 40 students heard from a few young professionals working in the finance industry. Justin Krieger was part of the panel. Justin was written up in the news for going for coffee with 110 people in the Toronto finance industry over a 6-month period before landing his dream job as a product and investment management analyst. Students asked a lot of questions and got fantastic advice on how to network, interview, and land a job.

Through an interdisciplinary approach between the Business School and School of Health Sciences, Dr. Suzy Casimiro and her students were invited to visit, investigate and advance the physical and psychological health and safety (PH&S) at Humber Valley Terrace Long Term Care Home, Etobicoke.

Under the supervision of the Executive Director at Humber Valley Terrace, Marjorie Mossman, students identified the physical hazards and explored possible psychosocial hazards of workers within this healthcare setting. By also adopting sections of the new and – the first of its kind in the world, Canadian Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace (CSA-Z1003-13), students explored the many ways that jobs can affect health and safety, from potential exposures to physical hazards, to work-related mental health concerns within healthcare settings.

As a result, students were able to make recommendations on how to improve the policies, procedures and offer health & wellness program options. Overall, recommendations focused on improving the physical and organizational environment to lessen risks of injury and illness; from integrated protection from work-related safety and health hazards to the promotion of injury and illness prevention and the introduction of wellness programs- all to advance both workers’ well-being and the organization.

Over 80 students from over 15 colleges and universities around Ontario participated in the event, including students from The Business School. 

The Humber team, formed through an application process led by the Office of Sustainability, consisted of four students representing different programs and faculties in Humber: Gayathri Menon, Fashion Management and Promotions GC, Arman Amin and Samantha Canon, Bachelors in Industrial Design, Ayushi Delvadia ,Bachelors of International Business.

The day-long event saw team work at its best as team Humber worked very hard on its idea and presentation. Collaborating with students from different fields helped participants gain an insight into what the issues faced by other industries are and forced students to think outside the box.

Despite the fact that the Humber team did not win first place, the team's idea inspired the Office of Sustainability to install an art piece made out of paper cups to spread awareness on the importance of carrying personal reusable mugs. The outcome was highly rewarding as students learned how an idea can transform and make a difference in the world today.

The fair took place in Seventh Semester and witnessed over 175 students in attendance. At times, the fair was so busy there was a lineup going out the door! Many students that attended had a chance to meet with and network some of the industries ‘best in-class’ employers which lead to interviews for potential full-time employment, and/or summer internships.

A huge thank you to Trevor Buttrum and team at the Insurance Institute, and Insurance Management Program (IMPG) Professors Annette Palalas and Kelly Hopkins for all of their hard working organizing and executing event. – “of their hard work organizing and executing the event.” The Humber IMPG Program would also like to thank the 17 insurance companies that attended which included: Wawanesa Insurance, The Co-operators, isure, Trisura, Marsh McLennan, Desjardins, Allstate, Northbridge, Claims Pro, Jones DesLauriers Insurance Management, Crawford, TD Insurance, RSA, Brokers Trust, Surex Direct, BFL Canada, and Travelers for attending. The event was a huge success and laid the foundation for the many Insurance Career events to follow.

The event was a tremendous success as students and professors from the Professional Golf Management Program mentored IMPG students on the rules and techniques to play the great game of golf. Many may not know, but the two main sports that are most often played in the insurance industry are curling, and golf.

Through the game of golf many industry relationships are established, and larger business deals are negotiated. Those new to the insurance industry including IMPG graduates often find themselves entering the industry, and playing in charity and company golf tournaments.

The second part of the evening saw IMPG Professor Kelly Hopkins discuss how to network and foster relationships, and discuss business in social settings like the golf course. The Insurance Management Program would like to thank Professional Golf Management Professor extraordinaire Bob Beauchemin, and student mentors Jordan Tandan, and Aaron Veenstra for running the event.

Huge thank you also goes to IMPG Professor Kelly Hopkins, and Andrew Vento, PC of the Professional Golf Management Program for organizing this great event.

At the event, students received a tour of the ‘best in class’ facility and Wawanessa’s Innovation Digital Outpost. In addition, students were given a presentation on Wawanessa’s 2.0 digital transformation journey. The day ended with a panel of digital and innovation thought leaders and executives from companies that included WSIB, Communitech, Wawanesa and Manulife who shared their insights of the digital frontier of the insurance industry.

The insurance industry is on the cusp of a major digital transformation which many refer to in the industry as ‘insure tech’. Advanced technology will allow insurance companies to underwrite risk faster and better, and service clients faster and more effectively during the claims process.

Thank you to Wawanesa Digital Outpost and Communitech for an excellent day, and for hosting our IMPG group. Lastly, a huge thank you to Vlad Koltchine, Underwriting Manager at Wawanessa for all his hard work, time and dedication for organizing and executing this very amazing event!

In this challenge, students put their technical financial planning skills to the test by completing a case study prepared by the CIFP and presenting it in front of a panel of judges. Eight teams from Centennial, George Brown, Conestoga, Seneca, and Humber participated this year for the Eastern Regional in hopes of moving on to compete against the Western Regional champion at the CIFP National Conference. This conference is being held in Vancouver later this year. The event hosted approximately 45 attendees, including the student teams, their coaches, sponsor representatives, and members of the CIFP.

This event was made possible by Steve Bang, a business professor and Humber’s coach for the competition, along with his two Event Management interns Nicole Nosic and Karan Shah. Nicole and Karan are graduate certificate students in the Event Management program and produced this event as a part of their internship. From start to finish, the event was taken care of through their meticulous planning, which involved managing a team of 13 volunteers from Humber, as well as the details of catering, entertainment, logistics, and more. Their planning began back in November 2018 and they spent the next four months making this event a reality for the CIFP. The work of these three individuals made the Case Challenge a huge success for all the schools who attended and Humber looks forward to hosting the event again in the coming years!

Students from universities and colleges across the GTHA were assigned groups and had one hour to analyze a case and provide a solution. Five teams were chosen to present their analysis and the staff from Uber Eats selected the top three teams. Two of Humber’s Professional Accounting Practice Graduate Students participated in this event and placed. Shawn Oliver was part of the 1st place team and Alice Yoo was part of the 3rd place team. There was also a presentation from staff at Luminari about how technology is changing the work CPAs do, and opportunities for CPAs within tech companies and startups.

Sagar had the opportunity to participate in a study abroad program at Hungkuang University in Taichung, Taiwan, which he describes as the best two weeks of his life: 

"In summer 2018, I had the opportunity to participate in a study-abroad program at Hungkuang University in Taichung, Taiwan. It was a two-week program, and arguably, they were the best two weeks of my life. No exaggeration.

The program was a complete package in itself. Going there, I didn't have really high expectations, but I soon discovered many of the best things that come in life are unexpected. The Taiwanese students went out of their way to help us. The program itself was very well organized. We had Chinese language classes every morning accompanied by different vocational workshops and field trips to the most exotic places in Taiwan.

Apart from all this, the program taught me something that I wouldn't have learned otherwise. I learned more about myself and my skills and abilities. I also learned some things about me that I was unaware of like my adaptability to ambiguous situations—something I could not learn in the classroom. Through making new friends from a variety of countries, I now understand the value of making lasting connections as a way to expand my personal network. The memories I made will last a lifetime. I even found a home in Taiwan—a loving mother that calls me her son. I am still in touch with her and all my new friends. I've promised them that I'll visit Taiwan again soon.

Out of all the advice that I can give to other students, I would just say: Close your eyes to any excuses. Pack your bags and just go! I would like to thank Humber’s Business School for selecting me to participate in this program. I feel honoured and grateful for the opportunity and the experience I had."

As a diversified global retailer, HBC’s internship programs have been designed to provide students with direct work experience in their fields. In addition, their career training programs are comprehensive and of great interest to new grads.

The event was hosted over two days, March 1st and 4th for third and fourth-year Fashion Management students. Both events were well attended and gave students the chance to connect with HBC representatives and learn about possible career and job opportunities within the company.

This was a two-part event featuring an information session conducted by the Regional Vice President and an interview session for successful student applicants. Interviews were granted to students who applied for Customer Service Representative (CSR) and Personal Banking Representative (PBR) positions. BMO selected 27 students for the first round of interviews.

The representatives, who were branch managers and HR representatives, were very impressed with our students. BMO made offers to 11 students, and three students were invited to a second interview. This event was a tremendous success with a strong turnout and many students securing positions.

The visit, which was organized by The Placement Centre, included an office tour, presentation from Randstad’s Director of Talent Acquisition and Diversity, and an open forum with Randstad representatives.

Students enjoyed the visit, as they were able to engage in conversation about potential opportunities within Randstad and inquire about different career paths. Randstad is looking forward to having more opportunities to have Humber students conduct office visits at their Head office.

The successful evening event was a well-attended affair with over 100 students from Degree, Diploma and Graduate Certificate Business programs.

Seven CRA professionals participated in roundtable discussions with students. They were very impressed by the interest and the preparedness of our students. The event was a great opportunity for students to engage in great conversation with CRA professionals and expand their networking opportunities.

The CRA is a solid employer partner of The Business School which provides Work Integrated Learning (WIL) opportunities for our students every semester and across programming.

With an extensive range of career options, TJX Canada stands out as one of the most successful retailers in the world, and have opened up exciting opportunities for college and university co-op, internship and graduate students. Our students had the chance to learn about the company, experience the culture, and explore career paths.

The 60 students in attendance had the opportunity to enjoy a “speed chat” with professionals from various departments. The Placement Centre was delighted to facilitate such an informative and engaging networking occasion for students.

Dr. Nicholas P. Sisto is a full Professor at the Centro de Investigaciones Socioeconómicas (CISE) of the Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila (Saltillo, Mexico). He is working closely with Dr. Pierre-Pascal Gendron (Professor of Economics and Program Coordinator, B.Comm International Business, B.Comm Healthcare Management) on a research project. The work analyzes the regional economic and social effects of tobacco and alcohol excise taxes in Mexico. The project involves a Master’s thesis in Regional Economics at Dr. Sisto’s home institution with Dr. Gendron acting as co-director of the thesis. The Master’s candidate, Carlos Milanes, holds a B.A. in pure mathematics and is a Cuban national. This internationalization initiative marks the beginning of a long-term, productive collaboration between The Business School and CISE.

The Humber Professor of Economics and Program Coordinator, B.Comm International Business, B.Comm Healthcare Management created the module during his six-month appointment as Visiting Scholar in the Fiscal Affairs Department of the IMF in 2017-18. The IMF and the World Bank have released publicly the first module (VAT) for discussion and comment. TPAF will provide a framework for systematic assessments of all major taxes, aimed to provide a solid analytical basis and practical guidance for the design of tax policy. It is a public good that can be used by providers of technical assistance, country officials, analysts, civil society organizations, the donor community, and academia. The official press release and a link to the interactive tool are available here.

The partnership aligns the completion of the Professional Golf Management program with Class “A” accreditation with the PGA of Canada.This is a game-changer for the program, students, and alumni. The details of the agreement are as follows:

As a recognized partner program of the PGA of Canada, Humber Professional Golf Management graduates (who are PGA of Canada Members) will achieve Class “A” status with the successful completion of Instructor of Beginner Golfers and evaluation. *Subject to 70% grade or higher in the identified courses outlined in the Policies and Procedures of the PGA of Canada Training Academy.

Humber Professional Golf Management students will be required to submit Official Transcripts ONLY to the Education Department at the PGA of Canada to receive the allotted credits. For more information, please contact the Program Coordinator of the PGM program at Humber College, or the PGA of Canada. Additional requirements and/or costs may apply.

Congratulations to all who made this partnership happen!

The guests included students from multiple business Degree, Diploma and Graduate Certificate programs. Students were able to engage with employers and learn of possible career and job opportunities. Employers included Walmart, UPS, Sysco and Panalpina, among others. The evening was enriched with great conversation and strong networking connections were established.

The Cold Chain Global Forum is the largest temperature-controlled life science supply chain event of its kind, focusing specifically on the challenges and opportunities in the Canadian market. The topic of Nedal’s address was “The Ramifications of Blockchain, AI, Drones and other Emerging Technologies.

On January 21, 2019, students from various business programs met two industry professionals from RBC who hosted a Resume Building Workshop. The employers shared information on what RBC looks for in resumes and cover letters including dos and don’ts as well as what kinds of experiences are valued.

The RBC Representatives also discussed possible placement opportunities for students. At the end of the presentation, there was a networking session and students had their resumes reviewed by the representatives for feedback.

It was a huge night for the Insurance Management Program (IMPG) that witnessed its first of many CIP graduates (Nisar Ansari) who completed his designation in under one year. This is a remarkable feat, as it takes the average person about 3 years to complete their CIP designation.

Annette Palalas, IMPG professor was awarded the Instructor of the Year for her teaching excellence in the insurance industry.

Zhiquan (Harold) Pan received three awards for this academic excellence in the CIP program.

Lastly, seven Humber IMPG students volunteered their time to help the event run smoothly.

Excellent evening overall!

IMPG students had the great opportunity to listen to a leadership panel who shared their views of the future of claims, and the insurance industry.

Students also had a chance to enjoy and network amongst the over 70 vendors taking part in the OIAA trade show.

To end the day, students took part in a larger employment fair that involved twelve best-in-class companies.

In what has already been a fantastic year for the Insurance Management Program (IMPG) at Humber, all current students were hired in the insurance industry before the end of their first semester. Four students were even hired within the first three weeks of the program!

All of the IMPG students have now been hired part-time allowing them to pursue their full-time studies, with the potential of leading to full-time roles upon graduation.

These opportunities also allowed students to fulfill their 160 hour work placement component, learn the inner workings of the insurance industry, develop their professional network, and gain valuable experience.

IMPG students have had the chance to experience what they have learned in the classroom, such as working with insurance policies, and handling auto and property claims. Some students have even been promoted to appraising, and specialty lines units within their respected companies.

With a huge talent crisis on the rise with 27% of the industry expected to retire in the next 5 years, the Humber Insurance Management Program has worked vigorously to establish strategic partnerships with best in class companies in the industry.

A huge thank you to Claims Pro, Crawford and Company and Hub International for providing these opportunities to the Humber’s Insurance Management students. Your support is greatly appreciated.

The faculty team from the Bachelor of Commerce Accounting program are proud to share with everyone the four successful Humber graduates who passed the exam for CPA designation:

Stephanie Dove
Brad Meyer
David Wegske
Crystal Balgobin

That's why it's important we are aware of the effect our daily actions have on the planet and try to minimize our ecological footprint.

The third-semester Event Management students and the Office of Sustainability held an event called Sustainability: Due Tomorrow in the Center for Urban Ecology. The purpose of the event was to raise and spread awareness of tiny adjustments that can reduce the impact we have on the environment.

This event was open to faculty and staff members and consisted of several interactive booths and activities for them to participate in. Staff members had the opportunity to speak with members from the Sustainability Office on ways they can incorporate sustainability into their courses and bring awareness to their students. They also had the chance to determine their ecological footprint, create and plant their own bamboo plant to take home, and get up close and personal with the chickadees as they eat seeds from their hands.

Thank you to everyone who came out to support our students and learn about sustainability!

Students reserved their spots in advance and participated in 30 minute simulated interviews. Students received valuable and constructive feedback at the end of the simulation and the interview response technique, STAR, was re-emphasized to each and every student.

• Situation – what was the situation?
• Task – what goal were you working toward?
• Action – what specific steps did you take?
• Result – what was the outcome and what did you accomplish?

We hope to offer this session again in the near future!

The seminar was a collaboration between Annette Borger-Snel and Rossie Kadiyska, program coordinators of the respective academic programs, who saw the need for a fashion-focused public relations workshop for students seeking knowledge in this part of the industry. Participants in the seminar were provided with information on creative tactics, sourcing and building relationships with influencers, and working with the media. Students were able to apply their newfound knowledge and work in groups to build their own PR strategies for a Canadian brand. The hands-on seminar was a huge success with the students, and feedback from the participants included full agreement to hold the Fashion PR Seminar again, build on it and make it a credit for co-curricular activity.

The students appreciated the career advice and the insights received from the industry experts. A big thank you to the HRM Program Advisory Committee (PAC) members Jeff Ollinger, Jawwaad Malik, Kimberly Hogendoorn, Adriana Correale, CHRL, Sarah Malik, Sara McLellan, and Louis Custodio, CHRP, for their unconditional support in strengthening the program and mentoring the students. We also had the privilege of having Karam Tawfiq, Shanna Walsh-Callon, and Rita Samaha as industry panelists, who have been continuously supporting HRM students in placements and beyond. Thanks to the students for moderating the event by asking relevant questions to the industry experts and generating meaningful discussions.

Special thanks to Rabita Naqvi for the photos.

The Business School Placement Centre is proud of its strong partnership with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Currently, thirteen Humber College business students are completing their work term this semester with the CRA.

Gladstone Sue, Assistant Director at the CRA, along with several CRA team members presented on available co-op and graduate opportunities. In the next couple of years, CRA is predicting a large number of employees will retire, which will lead to a surge in the number of new personnel added to their teams. The information session discussed opportunities for both students and graduates and gave insight into the work culture of the CRA.

After the session, the CRA partners encouraged questions from the crowd and then participated in a networking session to meet Humber talent. All in all, participants left the room feeling invigorated by the positive benefits that come along with working for the CRA. Students and graduates are encouraged to monitor the CRA website on a regular basis, in order to apply to the exciting opportunities that are bound to come out soon.

Feel free to check out the CRA career site for yourself. 

We look forward to having CRA back on campus again in the New Year!

Over 100 students from many programs across The Business School participated in the session.

Students learned about RBC’s recruitment process and many engaged in a Q&A session. These useful tips and insights will help our students throughout the hiring process if they choose to apply to RBC or any other bank in the GTA. It was a refreshing session full of resume/cover letter tips, along with job interview strategy and information regarding the hiring process.

We hope to welcome RBC back again to the North campus due to its high demand.

The names of the attending students are Arsh Paul Sran, Gozde Unel and Philip Kountouris. This was a very exciting event for the Property Casualty (P&C) Insurance industry, as the IIC was presenting its most recent findings on its demographic research. Throughout the day IMPG students were exposed to talent thought leaders, and insure-tech innovators on what the future of the P&C insurance workplace would look like, and the implications of technological disruptions on the insurance industry. A big thanks to the IIC for inviting Humber College to this very exciting event.

He was awarded for his academic excellence in the Chartered Insurance Professional Program (CIP) in 2017/2018.

Harold was awarded the Tretiak Award by the IIC for being the top academic student in Canada in a full-time insurance program.

In addition, Harold was also awarded the Gerald E. Hackett Memorial Prize for achieving the highest marks in his first five CIP courses, which is sponsored by Crawford and Company (Canada) Inc.

Nine years ago Harold came to Canada from China, and spent the first seven years of his time here selling furniture until he was drawn to the insurance industry, as he was looking for a stable career that would allow him to see his family more. Immediately Harold took to the world of risk in Humber College’s IMPG, and finished top of class with the Academic Award for Excellence. Currently, Harold is a full-time auto/property adjuster at RSA Canada. Congratulations Harold, very well done!

The event was both a thank you to the dedicated industry partners who have continued to support our students and an opportunity for students of the Business School to promote their programs. Students were given the chance to liaise with business professionals and celebrate the various Humber partnerships.

Over 400 guests attended the event including students, staff, and faculty, industry and community partners. Our student volunteers worked with enthusiasm and perseverance to ensure that the event was a success. Students were able to engage in meaningful conversations with industry partners and many promising connections were made.

The Business School Placement Centre expresses their sincere gratitude and thanks to all attendees whose presence contributed to the event’s success.

Together with their moderator, Michelle Cowell (Humber PAC member), they launched their second event, a panel discussion called “SHE BOSS - The Raw Truth & How-To’s!” on October 21, 2018, just six months after their Capstone project. This time the conversation was steered toward the “raw truths” associated with being a woman in business. It was an honest conversation about entrepreneurship, being your own boss, and putting in the work to make your dreams come true.

The event was sold out two weeks before the date and was a great success. The event raised money for two charities: The New Beginnings Support Program and The 100 Wells Malawi Project run by Humanity First.

Watch this coverage of the She Boss panel.

This means that students who complete their Humber finance degree courses will be able to write their Certified Financial Planning exams directly and be given credit for the coursework completed in the program. We have also been able to modify the finance degree curriculum so that we are lined up with the new technical knowledge requirements that will be in place by the June 2020 exams.

On the 16th the students engaged in a panel discussion with potential employers, including hiring managers from various organizations (Bell Canada, WalMart, KPMG, Air Canada, and the City of Toronto). The discussion was based on what current employers would be looking for in new graduates. The panelists also provided information on the importance of networking in order to “jump-start” a career in various industries.

The second panel event occurred on Oct 30. Six GBM alumni returned to Humber to discuss “life after graduation”. The alumni currently work in various positions in organizations such as Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, Morneau Shepell, Loblaw Corporation, and Humber College. The panelist provided information for the graduating class that included the importance of setting goals and making sure that the placement that they target is aligned with their future goals.

Paul is a leading speaker and expert in philanthropy and also an avid networker and community builder. He shared lessons learned and insight into personal branding, networking in the fundraising industry and his career journey leading him to specialize in gift planning and strategic philanthropy. CAGP, the organization Paul works for, is the only organization in Canada that brings together charitable representatives with donor advisors in one professional association and are known experts in strategic charitable gift planning. Paul shared his passion for planned giving as an avenue to amplify social impact. He is also currently serving as the Fundraising Management Program Advisory Committee Chair.

The Insurance Career Day featured six best in class companies from the insurance industry which included TD, RBC, Claims Pro, AIG, Hub International and M&W Insurance brokers. Insurance Management students had a great opportunity to meet with various different industry thought leaders. A big thank you goes out to the Insurance Institute who helped manage/organize the event. As well as the Placement Office (Antoniette and Sheena Ordinario) for attending, and Annette Palalas for her help and support in executing the event.

The students in attendance were Philip Kountouris, Amrit Singh and Eduardo Pinto Morante. The IBAO Convention is considered the largest insurance event in Canada, with over 3,000 attendees, 36 speakers, and 29 sponsors attending each year. This year’s event took place at the Scotiabank Convention Centre. The students had the chance to meet all of the major insurance companies in Canada, and take part in a CEO panel.

Students will be selling Marlies hockey tickets at a discounted price of $25 (regular price is $38) with $5 going to Camp Oochigeas. Students will also accept donations for Camp Oochigeas, which is a privately funded camp for kids with cancer and their families. Students will provide official receipts for those making donations of $25 or more to the Camp, and the Camp will provide a tax receipt at tax time.

Steve Bang started this assignment about 5 years ago. In total, Humber College students have raised over $100,000 for Camp Oochigeas and received excellent selling experience! Students are required to approach friends, family, professionals, and businesses. Faculty and staff may be approached by students, who will be using their professional selling skills, and it would be great if they could support them in this experiential selling assignment by either buying tickets or donating. Students at both the Lake and North will be selling up until the week of Nov 12th.

Having completed two years of business management study at our partner institution in China, students learned what is needed to be a successful post-secondary student in Ontario. The two education systems are different, and it is essential students understand what will be expected of them at Humber. The academic skills they learned during the August Orientation program will enable the students to adapt to a new style of teaching and learning. Using project-based learning, students had the opportunity to research a social problem common to both Canada and China, generate possible interventions and make recommendations in a final presentation and report.

To further improve their collaboration and problem-solving skills, students participated in Workshop Wednesdays. Students learned the importance of working collaboratively as a team to accomplish specific challenges. It has been a successful month full of learning and fun. Students are ready to begin their new academic year at Humber.

For those that don’t know, the IMPG prepares students for a variety of entry-level management career paths in the large and growing property and casualty insurance industry. Students can pursue careers in underwriting, claims, sales and others. Like all of the many programs at the Business School, the IMPG program is very demanding and requires students to complete not only Humber exams, but seven separate exams towards the Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) designation. Students in last year’s program achieved higher CIP pass ratios than the overall national college average!

In addition, 95% of IMPG students in the program landed industry placement roles, with many of them landing full-time positions at best-in-class companies such as All-State, Aviva, Northbridge Insurance, Wawanesa Insurance, Crawford Independent Adjusters and Desjardins. The IMPG program success can be attributed to the hard work and dedication of Peter Madott, and a very committed and passionate faculty that includes Annette Palalas, Jason Mancini, Susan Kates, Troy Bynoe, Kelly Hopkins, John McNeil, Bill White and Patricia Cooper.

In its second year, the IMPG program looks to build on its achievements of 2017/2018 with an exciting group of students that are enrolled in the program.

This is an excellent result given that on average, over the last 10 years, 40% of those writing the exam passed and most who write the exam are not recent graduates and many are 2nd and 3rd-time writers. We also had 2 students who graduated the year previously who did not pass on their 1st attempt and decided to re-take the CFA Level 1 exam. This time around, both of them passed, which brings the total pass rate of that year of students to 40%. This year, given the Humber BCom Finance Degree’s recognition as a CFA Institute Affiliated University, we are able to offer 15 scholarships to graduating finance degree students who write the CFA Level 1 exam in June 2019, which significantly reduces their cost to write the exam.

Every year they organize a day of learning, fun and exploration as part of International Youth Day celebrations. This year’s theme was Career Day and they called upon the Placement Centre to contribute their energy and expertise. Camille Bacaksizlar and Mary Cantisano developed and delivered a 90-minute seminar on Networking. This was a fun, interactive and motivating seminar. The information and activities built upon the participants’ skills, unique style and helped them understand strategies to improve their networking. One of the best feedback comments about this workshop was “Humber killed it!” (We were told this was a good thing). Moreover, the advisors engaged in post-seminar discussions with the participants, which clearly indicated this seminar was meaningful for this group of youth! We look forward to taking part in similar events in the future.

MPI is a global organization of meeting and event planners with approximately 2,000 event professional members. MPI held its annual, black tie/formal wear, Royal Gala on March 8th, at Metro Toronto Convention Center with 300 participants from Ontario and Quebec. Every year, the organization recognizes event professionals for their outstanding achievements in the field of meeting and event planning at their Royal Gala Night.

This year, Humber College was the only college (out of 8 colleges and two universities) to be recognized in the Student of the year award category. Our two current students broke the long chain of wins of Ryerson for this award (the award has been in existence for over 20 years).

Students are nominated based on their community/industry/school service, other awards and professional recognition, chapter participation, scholastic merit, placement/co-op experience and references.

The winner, Amanda Banh, received the scholarship on stage and thanked Humber College for the unwavering support in building her as an event professional.

Congratulations to you both, Amanda and Lindsey!

Most recently, five students from the Business Administration Co-op diploma and five students from the Business Administration Accounting Co-op diploma have been hired for the Fall 2018 semester. Currently, we have 11 students completing their Summer 2018 work term at their Mississauga location, 3 of which are from Business Degree programs. We are excited about this growing partnership and look forward to many more positive and valuable student experiences at the CRA Mississauga.

The panel addressed the question of “What are the core 21st-century skills and competencies graduates need for success in today’s workplace?” and “How can graduates demonstrate these core skills and competencies to employers?” The members shared their insight into what students will be facing in the working world once they graduate. They provided information from their own industries (banking, portfolio management, entrepreneurship, consulting and sales) and the students engaged with the panel enthusiastically during a Q & A.

Each presentation was based on an actual "client" organization that the student team worked with throughout the semester. One of the teams worked with Covenant House, a well known not-for-profit organization that helps homeless youth, and at the end of their presentation, the group presented a representative from that organization with a cheque in the amount of $300 on behalf of their entire graduating class.

The students not only applied what they learned in class but also put their hearts into the project. Numerous decisions had to be made quickly and they overcame many challenges during the planning stages and on event day. The 2-hour-long event on Friday, April 13th, 2018 in the LRC included a variety of games, food and drinks as well as a GoFundMe campaign. The event was a huge success, attracting many members of the Humber community and raising over $300! As with any project, reflection after completion is an important part of project management. Students had many ideas to make the project better and they will document those in their Project Closeout Report. They have even suggested that the project should be an annual Humber event!

This is the first time that the mooting teams at the Osgoode Cup were asked to select their favourite judge. Bernie was extremely honoured to be one of four judges to receive the People's Choice Award for Judging. There were over 100 judges at the Mooting Competition. Congratulations, Bernie!

Sheena Brown has been recently hired to work for the Pay Equity Commission in a paid placement position starting this spring. "I am a second-year student in the Paralegal Education diploma program, and I have been passionate about pursuing a career in the legal field since I was a young child. I have made the absolute most of every opportunity available to me at Humber during the program. In addition to my school community and leadership involvement, I have made lasting impressions on my faculty and classmates and have earned a cumulative GPA of 93%."

Over 80 students, staff and faculty from various Humber College business programs attended the event. The Panel consisted of nine industry professionals including Humber alumni from various Bachelor of Commerce programs.

The successful event began with an introduction of the members of the panel, along with a brief overview of their professional careers. The discussion was facilitated by two Finance Degree student moderators and included topics such as various leadership styles, interview and resume strategies, mentorship, as well as advice on climbing the corporate ladder. The attending students asked industry and job-specific questions touching upon issues such as building relationships, active engagement and professional communication. The responses from the panel members offered valuable advice and information to the eager students.

The conclusion of the event involved breaking out into a networking session, which offered the opportunity for the attending students to make connections. The success of the event is credited to the Industry Panel members, the Finance Student Association, and the Placement Centre.

The course was meant to prepare for the annual Ontario Colleges Accounting Case Competition. 

Although the host college unexpectedly cancelled the competition, Humber reacted quickly to create its own competition and awards dinner held on Monday, April 2, 2018. Six well-prepared teams competed for the title of the best-presenting team.

Following a gruelling day of time pressure preparation and presentation; the winning team was Jimmi Gill, Theon James, and Justin Paulsen

The students also voted for the peers they felt best represented the course objectives of teamwork, knowledge and presentation skills; the Peoples Choice Awards went to Theon James, Precious Ajose, and honorary mention to Casius Wray

A big thank you to Associate Dean Susan Kelsall and all the accounting faculty for their continuing support of this case competition course.

The winning students were Cavan D’Mello, Matt Pietrangelo, and Alexander Puntillo. This was no small feat given the stiff competition from the other Ontario colleges. They had to analyze, solve and build a PowerPoint presentation of a complex 12-page financial planning case within a 2-hour time limit and then present that case within a 20-minute time limit to three very tough judges.

Congratulations to these students on a job well done and a special thanks to Professor Steve Bang who spent many hours outside the classroom coaching them.

The objective of the visit was for students to get a feel for what it’s like to work for a tech company.

Students heard from various departments, such as sales, account management, marketing and more. The speakers gave the students an idea of what a day in the life at Twitter is like, how they got started in their career and the skill sets required to work at Twitter.

Students also had the chance to eat lunch at Twitter and spend an hour interacting with employees and asking them questions.

The day ended with a tour of the office. Students were able to see first-hand the Twitter work environment from treadmill workstations to the Twitter Blue Room and Library.

A Tweet from one of our students says it all: “What an amazing time @TwitterCanada today. Amazing experience and privilege to visit such an open workspace and being inspired by the amazing people there. Special thanks to our Professor Ivan for arranging this visit for us”

Special thanks to Twitter Canada for hosting Humber and to Ivan Pehar for continuously inspiring our students.

The reason for their visit was to speak with students from the Insurance Management Program. The event provided students with the opportunity to listen, network and engage with industry leaders on their valuable insight, experience and career advice. This was the first career event for the Insurance Management Postgraduate Program, which resulted in a tremendous success. Industry leaders that attended included representatives from Intact, Cooperators, Travelers and MiFinancial Solutions. This included a focus on disciplines that emphasized claims, management, sales and underwriting.

Overall, the event was very successful, laying the ground for this new program's Career Fair scheduled to take place in late March.

Special thanks go out to Peter Madott, faculty (Annette Palalas, Troy Bynoe and John McNeil) and Trevor Buttrum from the Insurance Institute of Canada for helping organize and conduct such a successful event.

Monday, March 19, 2018, was a historic day for Toronto’s municipal governance. It was the first time that the city’s Executive Committee held its meeting outside of Toronto City Hall. The meeting was held at the Scarborough Civic Hall in Scarborough’s former municipal council chamber. It was also the last Executive Committee meeting attended by City Manager Peter Wallace who will become the first senior civil servant to serve at the top levels in three levels of government. Wallace is leaving the City to become Secretary of the Treasury Board in Ottawa. Prior to joining the city, he was a top civil servant at Queen’s Park serving as Deputy Minister of Finance and Secretary to Treasury Board and Deputy Minister and Associate Secretary of the Cabinet, Policy.

The city’s top bureaucrat tabled the much-delayed, “Long-term Financial Plan: The City of Toronto’s Roadmap to Financial Sustainability,” in which he outlined that if no new revenues are found, the city will have a $1.4 billion operating budget gap in 5 years. The report states that “there is a growing gap between council’s vision for Toronto and available funding.”

Humber students from the Canadian Municipal Government PA 5007 class were there to witness the Toronto Executive Committee meeting and met with Mayor John Tory.

The event was well attended by over 100 business students from the Business Administration, Business Administration Co-Op, and the Business Management programs. Refreshments were served, and the students engaged in networking with Degree Program Coordinators, and representatives from Toastmasters, DECA U, the Math, English and Accounting Centers, and Student Services. The HBSA leaders are busy organizing more events, a website, and a Facebook Page.

HBSA was founded in 2017 by Lakeshore business students Scott Jeffrey, Simon Young, Uju Nnamani and Bianca Domingues, with support from their Placement Centre Advisor, Janelle Vermeer and their Program Coordinator, Suzanne Iskander.

Congratulations to the HBSA on a very successful launch!

Students Heather Pittman, Omar Abdulaziz, Nathaniel Pannu, and Philippe Bissonnette joined the top students from across Canada to compete and strategize solutions for a capacity and transportation problem in the 2018 Supply Chain Management Association (SCMA) Student Case Competition – partnered with PwC, FICO, VersaCold Logistics Services, and Loblaw Companies Limited – placing 5th nationally.

The student's names are Sudhanshu Salwan, Aleksandra Fila, Eric Winsor, and Stephanie Moorman – congratulations on their 3rd place ranking!

Graduating students rotated from table to table to engage in short meetings with employers looking to fill their placement and job opportunities.

The event featured guest speaker, Shiv Narayanan, CMO of Wild Apricot - an expert in building inbound lead generation engines using thought leadership, content marketing, paid media, SEO and social media. Shiv's advice will help students land spectacular jobs, negotiate salaries, land promotions/raises, and start their own businesses. The event was organized by The Business School's Placement Centre, and is scheduled to occur again annually. We look forward to meeting with our employer partners again.

A panel of five working professionals from various corporate and cultural backgrounds offered valuable advice and insight into what it is like to be a woman in the workplace and how to achieve personal and professional measures of success. The successful, well-attended event provided meaningful information about the importance of empowering women. The discussion involved a range of topics including mentorship, knowing your value, fiscal responsibility, work-life balance, and mindfulness.

She has now received admission to the Doctor of Philosophy Legal Studies program at Carleton University in Ottawa, beginning in September 2018. Sara also has an Honours degree from Trent University and was an Editor of the Humber Journal of Paralegal Access to Justice.

Event Management alumni and employers representing AGO, TIFF, Talent Egg, Dundas-Yonge Square and various others were in attendance. The event accommodated a question and answer panel, employer and alumni presentations, and networking opportunities. The event succeeded in its goal to provide a mutually beneficial networking platform for students and guests.

Students, alumni and employers were able to share success stories, ideas and business expertise on the challenges and opportunities facing the Toronto event industry in an open and supportive environment. Collaborative discussion and conversation regarding the event industry and its various opportunities took place. Common interests, knowledge and resources were shared for the mutual benefit of all in attendance. Overall, the event was a great success. Thanks to all who attended!

Students from the Business School were welcomed by the TJX staff. The tour began with an introduction to the layout of the modern building and its many contemporary facilities such as vendor rooms, leisure areas, merchandising and more. A brief presentation about the mission, vision and values of the company was interactively presented by Ria Arora and other TJX Canada team members, including Humber alumni. The representatives answered many questions from students on career prospects at TJX Canada. Students also received insight into the day-to-day activities of buyers and merchandisers and the dynamic culture and workplace atmosphere at TJX Canada. The tour was a success with positive feedback from all who participated.

50 finance degree students were in attendance and were able to ask questions of a panel of finance industry professionals. On the 4-person panel was Stephen Gerry, Principal of the CFO Centre and ex-CFO of UBS Canada, John Spitman, Investment Counsellor RBC Phillips, Hager & North Investment Counsel Inc., Patrick O'Meara, Senior Director at The Canadian Institute of Financial Planning, and Michelle Hastick-Cowell, VP Wealth and Strategic Management Benson Kearley IFG.

It was an excellent learning experience for students, as they were able to ask the panel industry-related questions and hear about the panel’s industry experience. Thank you to the panel for coming out and sharing your insights with our students.

The award will provide $1000 to a full-time student involved with toastmaster, career strategies or programs/courses that Michael taught or was involved in. In order to be considered for the award, the student must have a minimum GPA of 80, be engaged, perseverant, hardworking and who would benefit from financial assistance. The student must also be eager to help others and be a team player. 

They did so by achieving the highest mark of Honors on their Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) exams. The CIP exams are notorious for being very difficult, however, through hard work, dedication and determination, Scott and Harold achieved excellence on their first attempt - a truly amazing accomplishment. Well done Scott and Harold!

In the interview, John discussed the advantages and benefits of the new Insurance Management - P&C program.

“We are building the next managers to mid-level managers,” explains John in the article. “They could be managers or specialists. They will have the leadership skills to lead a project or supervise people. They will be able to speak to executives in the room with confidence in presentations. We are setting up our students in such a way that they are in line for or can situate themselves for leadership roles and succeed in them.”

John also discusses the process of building the program, as well as the skills students will learn.

Read the full Canadian Underwriter Article. 

This marks the first time that CRA has taken college students in a co-op. The students will be working at CRA locations in Mississauga and Hamilton. Their duties will include, account compliance, such as working with taxpayers that are not up to date with their filings. One student has already been pulled off to work on an additional special project. Due to the programs excellent training in personal income tax and financial accounting, all of these students were very well prepared to take on this opportunity.

Congratulations to these seven students and best of luck with this opportunity!

Previously, she graduated from the Paralegal Studies degree program in June 2017. She is completing her first year of studies and was accepted for an Externship Position with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan with Judge Terrence G. Berg in Detroit. Judge Berg was nominated for his judgeship by President Obama. This court has jurisdiction over federal cases, both criminal and civil. Ms. Drury was also our first graduate to be accepted for admission to Lakehead University Law School in Thunder Bay

The evening was a success, with over 150 potential students wanting to learn more about our degree and post-grad programs. The information session proved to be a popular recruitment tool and a second session will be planned for next year.

Previously, Keon served as a cadet instructor officer for the Canadian Armed Forces and has also worked as a paralegal at Anderson Sinclair PC since 2013. Keon has also been volunteering with various organizations for the past 16 years, including Canadian Cadet Organizations and the Regent Park Boys and Girls Club. Congratulations, Keon, on this wonderful accomplishment!

The Capital Cup is an annual debate competition. This year, over 180 students argued a 2016 provincial case of New Brunswick, R v Comeau, where a man was arrested for possessing more than the legal amount of alcohol not bought from New Brunswick’s liquor corporation.

Tudor first heard about the competition from Paralegal program coordinator, Bernie Arnon. In preparation for the competition, Tudor and his teammates attended weekly sessions where they read through cases several times in order to develop a solid understanding of the issues. From there, they presented arguments and gave feedback to each other.

“Getting involved with mooting at Humber was one of the best decisions I've ever made,” says Tudor. “I've made connections with peers and mentors that will last a lifetime. I've also gotten a deeper insight into my field and have been able to apply my advocacy skills in a way that's rewarding and meaningful.”

Congratulations, Tudor, on your success!

On December 5, 2018, The Business School Placement Centre hosted an information session with Powerhouse Retail Services at the North Campus. According to the company representatives, the three pillars in their sector include merchandising, warehousing and replenishment. In today’s busy world, the most iconic retailers and brands are partnering with Powerhouse Retail Services to ensure their operations are running optimally. The session gave an overview of the company, its culture, along with information about placement and job opportunities available. Students were excited to learn about the company and the prospects for placements and permanent employment. Powerhouse foresees expansion in its team over the next several years.

Students, faculty and Humber community members came out to attend hands-on workshops on MS Excel, Shopify, Google AdWords and Analytics, and Filmora.

Representatives from Shopify attended Tech Week to lead the Shopify workshop. Students and alumni also got involved in leading the workshops as grads Martin Perez and Chad Fernandez led the Google Adwords and Analytics Workshop and fourth-year student Lauren Ashmore gave a tutorial on Filmora.

Thank you to all the organizers, attendees, instructors and volunteers involved in making Tech Week a success once again. 

Almost 400 attendees were welcomed into the beautiful G Commons. Of those attendees, over 160 were industry partners who have continued to successfully support students through work-integrated learning opportunities. Our student volunteers worked tirelessly to promote their programs and engage in thoughtful conversations with industry partners, faculty, staff and other students.

This open house and social served as a thank you for our employers who continue to support our students, while also providing students of the Business School an opportunity to promote their programs and liaise with industry professionals to grow their networks.

The event was a great success and valuable connections were made.

The Business School Placement Centre would like to thank our industry partners, faculty, administration, students and guests whose presence contributed to the event’s success.

The event was an information session about the Ontario Internship Program. Successful candidates will work in one of the following areas during two, 12-month assignments: Business and Financial Planning, Communications, Human Resources, Policy Development, Labour Relations, Information Technology.

The hour-long session was attended by over 50 students, faculty and staff from various Business programs. The session began with a presentation from Michael, informing students about the features of the Ontario Internship Program and the high possibility of securing a full-time job within the Public Sector upon completion of the two assignments. He also highlighted the fact that Humber is one of the select few Colleges in Ontario that has been added to the campus circuit and visited each fall by a Program Consultant due to the high level of success that past Humber Alumni have achieved within the program.

Following the presentation, students were invited to a Q&A session and on conclusion, were given added information about the website where students can access additional resources about this opportunity.

According to the GBM Association website, their mission is to “offer support and guidance to all Global Business Management students in transition from school to the Canadian labour market.”

Since the Association's launch, the management and executive teams have been busy organizing networking events, student and alumni meet-and-greets and workshops, as well as posting bi-weekly profiles of GBM alumni on the blog and composing and distributing monthly email newsletters.

To date, their biggest event was the Humber GBMSA Networking Event on July 18th, which was also the official launch of the GBM Student Association. The event was a huge success, as over 100 students, alumni and industry professionals attended. Current GBM students had the chance to interact with GBM alumni and listen to them speak about their work experiences during panel discussions. 

It’s wonderful to see students take initiative, help their peers, network and launch new ventures like the GBM Student Association. It’s exactly the type of values and skills we teach at The Business School - this mindset and work ethic is essential for future success.

Congratulations to all those involved in the GBM Student Association. Keep up the great work, and we can’t wait to see what events and initiatives the GBM Student Association launches next.

If you would like to connect with the GBM Student Association, follow them on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.