Western Canada HR Students Compete at HRC West Case Competition 2025

On March 14 and 15, 2025, CPHR Alberta, along with our partners at CPHR BC & Yukon, brought together a record high of 20 teams of students from post-secondary business programs across Western Canada.

These students participated in a classroom learning competition dedicated to HR that merged theory with real-life simulations. The HRC West Case Competition two-day event provided post-secondary student teams with the opportunity to access a unique platform for the exchange of ideas with a comprehensive business case that explores a pressing HR challenge.

The competition hosting alternates between the two provinces, and is held at a sponsored school. With the first event held back in 2017. Bow Valley College hosted in 2023, and the 2024 competition was held at Camosun College, situated on the territories of the Ləkʷəŋən (Songhees and Kosapsum) and WSÁNEĆ peoples. This year, 2025, we brought it back to Alberta to host our record high of 20 teams at the University of Alberta.

“The Alberta School of Business was honored to co-host HRC West 2025 alongside CPHR Alberta, welcoming top HR students from across Alberta and British Columbia. This competition showcased the power of experiential learning, reinforcing our commitment to preparing future leaders who uplift each other through their knowledge, collaboration, and innovation,” says Vikas Mehrotra, Dean, Alberta School of Business, University of Alberta.   

Schools competing from Alberta included:

Bow Valley College, Calgary, Alberta
MacEwan University, Edmonton, Alberta
Mount Royal University, Calgary, Alberta
Medicine Hat College, Medicine Hat, Alberta
NorQuest College, Edmonton, Alberta
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), Edmonton, Alberta
Red Deer Polytechnic, Red Deer, Alberta
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), Calgary, Alberta
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta

Competitors from British Columbia included:

Ascenda School of Management, Vancouver, British Columbia
Camosun College, Victoria, British Columbia
College of New Caledonia, Prince George, British Columbia
Douglas College, New Westminster, British Columbia
Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Richmond, British Columbia
Okanagan College, Kelowna, British Columbia
Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia
Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, British Columbia
Trinity Western University, Langley, British Columbia
Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, British Columbia

Friday night opened with a welcome dinner for all participants followed by networking amongst the student participants, team coaches, CPHR Alberta staff, and faculty from the University of Alberta.

"Investing in the future of our industry is important to our association, it helps us build a strong and vibrant HR community. This is why we have developed programs and networking opportunities, like the HRC West Case Competition, for our student members to help them thrive in a career in HR after graduation,” says CPHR Alberta CEO, Ioana Giurca.

Early Saturday, five pools of four teams competed in their first rounds of preparation and presentations. Students were provided a case written by a Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR), and given three hours to study the case and prepare a presentation.

By Saturday afternoon, four teams progressed to the final round to present their ideas and strategies to our three esteemed CPHR designated judges.

Congratulations to all the teams that participated, and to the top four teams who were presented with cheques at the Student Awards Reception. The top four teams were:

In fourth place, Okanagan College; Dyra Pridham, Josh Smith, Marissa John, Rebecca Chin. Team name, Umbrella HR, coached by Nathanael Massey

In third place, Bow Valley College; Benjamin Velenzuela Celedon, Cheery Jane Oyog, Jilliane Blanchard, Maria Francis-Fairley. Team name, SparkMind Solutions, coached by Svetlana Miftahov-Rapoport.

In second place, University of Lethbridge; Chineye Rajafa, Deon Davidson, Mmesoma Ezebuala, Nicola Neave. Team name, Elevate Beyond Consulting, coached by Shawna Boyko.

The 2025 HRC West Case Competition winner, in first place, Camosun College; Dex Owen, Hillary Carr, Miracle Obimba, Roxy Hemlock. Team name, HRchitects, coached by Aidan Dumaisnil.

“We are incredibly proud of our team for placing first in this year’s HRC West case competition. It was a tough competition, with so many impressive teams showcasing their HR expertise and problem-solving skills. This experience is an invaluable opportunity for students to apply their knowledge in a real-world setting, gain confidence, and grow as future HR professionals. Congratulations to all the winning teams and participants for their hard work and outstanding performances!" says Aidan Dumaisnil, Faculty, Management and HR Leadership, Camosun College.

Thank you to our host school University of Alberta.

HRC West 2026 will be hosted in Richmond, British Columbia at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

About CPHR Alberta

CPHR Alberta is the professional association dedicated to strengthening the human resources profession and upholding the highest standards of practice.

With over 6,000 members in major cities across Alberta, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, CPHR Alberta is the fourth largest HR association in Canada.

CPHR Alberta is the exclusive registration body in Alberta for the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (CPHR) designation, which is the professional standard in Canada. The CPHR demonstrates HR expertise, experience and ethical management of today’s human capital. CPHR Alberta is a provincial member of CPHR Canada.

For more information about the 2025 HRC West Case Competition contact: Cali Kleine, Post-Secondary Coordinator, CPHR Alberta at ckleine@cphrab.ca.

About CPHR BC &Yukon

CPHR BC & Yukon is a non-profit organization specializing in advancing professional people practices. Committed to providing leadership in HR excellence, CPHR BC & Yukon is the foremost professional association for HR practitioners throughout the province.

Founded in 1942, CPHR BC & Yukon is a democratic organization governed by a volunteer Board of Directors elected by the membership. As the largest HR association in Western Canada, CPHR BC & Yukon has grown to include close to 7,000 members encompassing CEOs, directors of HR, consultants, educators, students, HR generalists, and small-business owners.

The association is the sole BC grantor of the Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) designation and is responsible for upholding industry standards. In addition, as the largest HR association in Western Canada, CPHR BC & Yukon offers professional learning and networking opportunities including workshops, symposia, events, and an annual conference and showcase.

For more information on the 2026 HRC West Case Competition contact: Quinne Davey, Member Relations Manager, Lower Mainland, CPHR BC & Yukon at qdavey@cphrbc.ca.

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The views and opinions expressed in this blog post belong solely to the original author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of CPHR Alberta.

An Update from your Board of Directors – March 2025

March 21, 2025

As the governing voice of CPHR Alberta, the Board of Directors meet quarterly to provide oversight and guidance in several key areas. The Board, alongside CPHR Alberta operations, continues to deliver on the association's strategic priorities developed in the 2020 strategic plan. To ensure transparency between our Board of Directors, members and key stakeholders, we are sharing post-meeting messages to inform the steps taken towards advancing our profession and ensuring a financially stable association. The Board of Directors met on March 15, 2025, and the Board’s key messages are as follows: CPHR Alberta continues to advance the strategic priority to become a self-regulated association, supported by proposed amendments to Alberta's Professional Governance Act. This continues to be a priority for operations over the next year. We encourage you to join us at the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Friday, May 9, 2025, to hear more about self-regulation. The Board approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024. Based on observations from the independent auditor, the association has effective reporting and control processes in place in addition to appropriate reserves for financial sustainability. Audit financial statements will be available in the 2024 Annual Report, distributed to members alongside our AGM Notice of Meeting in April. CPHR Alberta has launched an innovative new program for senior HR leaders working in executive-level roles, speaking to how the association is elevating the reputation of CPHR's and provided targeted professional development for HR professionals working at all levels in organizations. CPHRs can apply for the Executive Program by completing our application here. CPHR Alberta has aligned with CPHR Canada to approve mutual recognition with the Chartered Institute of Professional Management (CIPM) Nigeria and CIPM Sri Lanka. Learn more about the MRA here. The next Board meeting takes place in June 2025, after which we will again share our key messages. If you have any questions regarding these key messages or the Board of Directors, please contact chair@cphrab.ca . We welcome your feedback!

Fostering Neurodiversity in the Workplace

By Marina Perkovic • March 20, 2025

Why is Embracing Neurodiversity in the Workplace Essential? Innovation and creativity start when we bring together different perspectives. Diversity, however, is not just about race, gender, or background - it encompasses the diversity of our minds. As we celebrate Neurodiversity Week, it is an excellent time to reflect on how embracing neurodiversity in the workplace is not just a positive concept but a transformative approach. What is Neurodiversity? Neurodiversity acknowledges that neurological differences, such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette syndrome, and others, are natural variations in how our brains function. These variations bring unique strengths and abilities. How to Build a Neurodiverse-Friendly Workplace? Creating a welcoming workplace for neurodivergent employees isn't just about recruiting them—it's about making them feel appreciated, supported, and feel comfortable to be themselves. How can we create an inclusive workplace? 1. Cultivate Awareness and Understanding One of the biggest barriers that neurodivergent individuals have is misunderstanding. Ongoing education for employees and managers about neurodiversity is crucial to reduce bias and foster a culture of empathy and acceptance. Awareness goes a long way toward making someone understand and support them. 2. Provide Opportunities for Career Development Provide training and development programs, as well as providing mentorship and coaching to empower neurodiverse employees reach their full potential for promotion and advancement. 3. Offer Flexibility and Support Implement flexible work arrangements, including remote work and adjusted hours, to accommodate varying energy and concentration levels. Ensure clear and consistent communication. Provide options for how information is consumed and processed. The Benefits of Neurodiversity: Individuals with autism may have strengths in pattern recognition and detail orientation. Individuals with ADHD may thrive in dynamic environments and excel at creative problem-solving. When organizations value these diverse abilities, they unlock innovation, fresh perspectives, and a competitive advantage. Embracing neurodiversity is not only ethically sound but also strategically advantageous: Enhanced Innovation: Diverse cognitive styles lead to groundbreaking ideas. Improved Problem-Solving: Varied perspectives yield robust solutions. Increased Productivity: When employees feel supported and included, they perform optimally. HR Leaders, It's Time to Take the Lead HR professionals have a critical role in influencing workplace culture. By making neurodiversity a priority, HR departments can create spaces where all employees can thrive. During Neurodiversity Week, let's move beyond awareness and take action. Let's build workplaces where every individual is valued, where diversity is a strength, and where innovation is paramount. Let's create a more inclusive and equitable future.