Interview w/ Christopher Law - HR Business Partner at Canadian Bearings Ltd.

1. Where do you work now and what are your main responsibilities?

I am currently working for Canadian Bearings Ltd. I am mainly responsible for payroll and benefits, employee relations, recruitment, terminations, communications and organizational effectiveness.   

2. Did you always see yourself choosing the HR stream? What was/is it about HR that (eventually) grew on you?

I was originally in the accounting/finance stream but I always had an interest in human psychology as well. I ended up taking an introduction to HR course and I loved it. (I never looked back.)  I really liked to variety of tasks you could do within HR. It offered opportunities to help people through training, coaching managers to do their job more effectively, it really offered a lot of room to learn and develop new skills which made it very appealing to me because I love learning. 

3. What advice would you give management students, interested in a career in Human Resources?

If you are fortunate enough to be in the coop program try different HR jobs at different companies, really get a taste of different roles and companies.  Even if you are not in coop, you should try hard to find summer jobs that incorporate some aspects of HR, even shadowing someone in HR for a day a week at your summer job will give you some good exposure.  Join your local HRPA association as a student delegate, attend networking sessions and build your network now!
 
4. What was your favorite course at UTSC?

I would say my favorite course was probably Recruitment & Selection with David Zweig. It was fun to create an entire recruitment system from beginning to end.  It was a very practical course.

5. What do you miss most about your time at UTSC?

I miss the relationships I made with my fellow classmates and professors.  I also miss being around so many like minded individuals who are there for greater learning.  I also miss the social aspect of being a student and being able to participate in various school associations. 

Cornell Jones   

ECM/MGT Course Code Changes!

With 2013-14 around the corner, there are sure to be some changes coming to the management department in this upcoming year. Two changes in particular, happen to be in regards to the course codes for economics and management courses. The changes will be in effect for the 2013 summer term (this upcoming May) 

Here is a legend to better understand the changes:

MGA = Accounting Courses

MGE = Economics Courses

MGF = Finance Courses

MGH = Human Resources and Organizational Behaviour Courses

MGI = International Business Courses

MGM = Marketing Courses

MGO = Operations Management/Management Science Courses

MGS = Strategic Management Courses

MGT = Miscellaneous Management Courses

For example:

Principles of Marketing, will change from MGTB04 to MGMA04 (Notice it is now an A level course!)  Also keep in mind that economics courses are now coded with MGE, rather than ECM.

Click the links above to learn more, or email questions and concerns to Betty Walters (Program Advisor) at mgmtss@utsc.utoronto.ca

Cornell Jones 

MGMT Student Club Events in 2012-13

As a student considering UTSC Management, I’m sure you have already heard lots of people saying it is a big transition from high school. You are entering a bigger community, a more competitive environment and there will be more resources available to you than you can imagine. I can tell you from my experience, 

THIS IS REALLY TRUE!

Therefore, participation is crucial to your success at UTSC. Our business-oriented clubs in management (MGMT) not only will pave your road to the future corporate world, it will really give you a life-changing experience. I am hereby presenting to you an overview of some key contributions of a few clubs within the management department throughout the 2012-2013 academic year.

Management and Economics Student Association (MESA)

MESA is the largest departmental student association in UTSC; it holds various annual initiatives for students to learn about particle business disciplines. MESA also helps develop connections between the external corporate world with UTSC Management students.

Initiatives:

CA Fact Night

A networking event with Certified Accountants over 10 accounting firms, including the ‘BIG 4’. Students will be able to learn from different professionals about possible career paths with different designations. There was/is also an event called Marketing Fact Nights, to network with marketing professionals. 

Live Conference 
A two-day national business conference hosted by the UTSC. Held in downtown Toronto, LIVE brings together the brightest and most ambitious undergraduate business students from across Canada. LIVE provides as a platform for delegates to explore their potential as future business leaders. 

MESA Gala, A Night To Remember

A formal ceremony at the end of the year to conclude all the work MESA has done and to give credit to students with astonishing achievement both socially and academically in previous year.

DECA UTSC

DECA UTSC was established in 2004 and represents the largest chapter offered by the three University of Toronto campuses. DECA UTSC’s primary goal is to foster a platform of opportunity forth business leaders of tomorrow by immersing them into an engaging, interactive network of ambitious and passionate students that are inspired by each other’s successes through conferences and competitions. 

Initiatives:

DECA U Ontario Provincial Competition

DECA UTSC is the only organization to provide UTSC students with the opportunity to register and compete in the DECA U Ontario Provincial Conference. 

Inter U of T DECA competition

A whole day DECA Conference exclusively for U of T candidates held at UTSC. Preparing students for the DECA U Ontario Provincial Conference and a good opportunity to establish friendships with candidates at different U of T campuses. 

The Campfire 
A networking event with individuals from CMA Ontario and business professionals from various industries.

Investment Society

An exquisite student club tailored for students who are interested in financial management and investment trading. Students can gain access to talk sessions by financial experts in the three University of Toronto Campuses through an Investment Society membership. 

Initiatives: 

Bay Street 101

This is a joint event with MESA, students attend to receive 1-on-1 feedback from some of the industry's most successful executives. This year's team of industry professionals boasts extensive knowledge on: career opportunities, investments, derivatives, asset management. 

Ultimate Trader

A semi-annual stock competition that offers students the opportunity to compete in a real-world simulation of the stock market. 

Passing the CFA

An information session is dedicated to the subject of CFA exam strategies. It covers the do's and don’ts of how to prepare and how to write the exam successfully. 

The Co-operative Students’ Association (CSA) 

The main goal of CSA is to ensure students gain valuable experience through the co-operative program offered exclusively at UTSC. CSA serve as a resource for any Co-op student who requires information or guidance on any aspect of his or her education. 

Initiatives: 

How to Get into Co-op

An informative presentation on how to get into this program. Such questions as what Co-op is to what is entailed in the Co-op Work Term Preparation Course required to be taken by all Co-op students will be answered. 

CSA Mixer

An evening of networking, fun and food! This will be an informal way of building contacts in the UTSC Coop community to ensure success in landing that coveted coop position. 

How to Beef Up Your Resume

CSA will be presenting an informative 1 hour workshop on what you can do to make your resume stand out from the rest. Put on my experienced coop students – you will find out key industry tips to ensure your resume is at the top of any employers’ list. 

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I hope this will provide some idea of the student clubs you can join in the UTSC Management community. Please note that all the initiatives above by MESA, DECA UTSC, Investment Society and Co-operative Student Association, were offered in the 2012-2013 academic year. Please visit the Useful Links on the Management Blog page for more details on upcoming and future events.  

Also keep in mind, there are several other management/business related clubs out there. (The Marketing Group, Women in Business, Chinese Management Association, Canadian Entrepreneur's Organization, etc). Explore opportunities and find a club that is right for you!

Ernest Tsang