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Announcing the Finalists of the 2023 TalentEgg National Recruitment Excellence Awards and Conference!

Congratulations to the finalists of the 2023 TalentEgg National Recruitment Excellence Awards and Conference! We are beyond egg-cited to celebrate with you and announce the winners at our Virtual Awards and Conference on June 7, 2023

The TalentEgg Awards applications are evaluated by our team of hand-picked, top student judges from across Canada, who give a student perspective and first-hand feedback on career development programs, employer branding, recruitment strategies and more.

Please join us at this year’s Awards and Conference to celebrate the winners and check out insightful panels with our egg-cellent lineup of expert speakers from the recruitment and career development space. We will share critical insights from our Student, New Grad, and Early Career Survey conducted this spring to understand how they feel about DEI and mental health initiatives, how to improve the workplace, and so much more! We will explore new and improved virtual tools to help employers continue to engage and attract top candidates. We will also share best practices for developing soft skills and diversity in the workplace.

Don’t miss out! Early bird Tickets are available NOW and end May 12 at 11:59 PM!

Now, what you’ve all been waiting for… your 2023 Finalists!

2023 TalentEgg National Recruitment Excellence Awards Finalists

Please note: Finalists are listed in alphabetical order.

Best Grad Program

Best Campus Career Website

Best Internship/Co-Op Program

Campus Recruiting Program of the Year

Campus Recruiting Program of the Year for a Nonprofit

Campus Recruiter of the Year (Individual)

  • Maddie Whibbs – BlackBerry
  • Michelle Ouellet – BDO Canada LLP
  • Pragya Gupta – Tata Consultancy Services Ltd

Best Employer Branding and Outreach

Best Social Media Presence

  • Tata Consultancy Services Ltd

Special Award for Diversity and Inclusion in Recruiting

  • Worley
  • Dejero
  • Fidelity Investments Canada

Special Award for Corporate Social Responsibility in Recruiting

Best Contribution to Student Career Development (Schools)

  • McMaster University
  • University of Toronto Mississauga Career Centre

Best Contribution to Student Career Development (Employers)

Best Use of Student Competitions for Recruitment

Special Award for Innovation by a Career Centre

Best Contribution to Mental Health in the Workspace

Career Coach/Educator of the Year (Individual)

  • Brenda Okorogba – Momentswithbren Consulting Inc
  • Emma Hartley – Yorkville University, Career Services
  • Shaunna-Marie Kerr – York University School of Continuing Studies
  • Sonny Wong, M.Ed. RP – Toronto Metropolitan University
  • Tiffany MacDonald – Dalhousie University Management Career Services

Thank you, and See You at the 2023 #TEAwards!

Thank you to all the employers, career centres and educational institutions participating this year. We can’t wait to celebrate the finalists and winners at our Awards & Conference on June 7, 2023! Join us for a day of recruitment tips, networking, and learning opportunities from industry experts. You’ll surely gain great insights with new and relevant discussion topics!

Don’t miss out! Early bird Tickets are available NOW and end May 12 at 11:59 PM!

Students are Looking to Make a Social Impact – How Can You Help?

After teaching over 4,000 students, I have learned this.  Students have changed.

It is much more common for students to state that they want to work for an organization that aligns with their values. According to a Deloitte report, Gen Z (those born since 2000) looks beyond a company’s products and seeks to understand an organization’s ethics, practices and social impact.  Research suggests that Gen Z is determined to make a difference and make an impact. 

What Instructors Can Do

Many of us teaching in higher education are excited about encouraging students to identify where they might direct their talents to make an impact in a way that is meaningful to them.  

As instructors, we can build into our courses, assignments and projects opportunities for this exploration.  For example, I have a marketing assignment that asks students to review and evaluate the corporate sustainability commitments and practices outlined on company websites. Students are often amazed at the good things that companies such as Patagonia are working such as responsible production and consumption of their products (GOAL 12 of the UNSDG’s). But sometimes, the information on their practices is hard to find on an organization’s website, or students have pointed out that some claims are not backed up with research or data. 

Students

As a follow-up, I have a marketing group project assignment where I ask marketing students to imagine they are launching their own company. Students are to develop a marketing strategy for a new product and service that they design. As future leaders, they are asked to consider how a product or service might address a challenge that they wish to solve and to consider how they might build corporate social responsibility and sustainability strategies into the product design.

I have been delighted to see product concepts that include elements that support the responsible production and consumption of their product.  The products might be made with vegan leather, are biodegradable, are recyclable or have been designed to have a light impact on the environment and leave nothing but footprints. Students thoughtfully include details on the ingredients, the manufacturing process and the fair treatment of their employees and suppliers.  

Participating in these types of projects helps students to identify what impacts are important to them and informs them as they seek out organizations to work for when they graduate.  It has been demonstrated that work is fulfilling when it contributes to the greater good, giving meaning and purpose. 

Meaningful Career Journey

My book,  “Backpack to Briefcase, A Student’s Guide to a Meaningful Career Journey”, was written for young people to help them navigate the student-to-work transition. The book is divided into three Phases: Discover, Build and Launch. In the Discover Phase, readers are given activities to uncover what they love, what they are good at, what they can be paid for, and to identify what issues the world needs solving that they might bring their talents to. 

Students

I ask readers to consider the challenges that we are facing in the world today and to list the ones they wish to address the most. This can inform students of possible places they might apply their talents. One way to help students generate ideas about world issues is to have them review the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There are 17 SDGs that were set to be achieved by 2030. By providing students with brief descriptions of the goals, they can better understand the challenges and identify which ones resonate with them. You can find out more at www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment.

What Employers Can Do

I remind my students that you do not have to solve these challenges on their own, as there are many organizations that are already tackling these issues. Students are hungry for information on what organizations are doing to solve challenges that are meaningful to them. These are the organizations where students wish to bring their talents. So it is key that employers clearly share their goals, initiatives and results on corporate websites and social media channels so potential employees are aware of the organizations’ ethics, practices and social impacts.

Grads wish to make an impact in the world, and they seek to bring their talents to organizations that are also working to solve the same challenges.  

Sounds like a win-win to me! 


Biography: Stephanie Koonar is a marketing professional, academic, career coach, and workshop facilitator. A community connector, she is an award-winning college instructor who has taught over 4,000 students. A Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and Co-Founder of PeerSpectives Consulting, she enjoys coaching purpose-driven individuals and organizations to be their best. Stephanie and her PeerSpectives Consulting Co-Founder, Louann McCurdy, are available to partner with Employers and Educators to collaborate on program development, guest speakers, and facilitate workshops. Contact Stephanie at sk.PeerSpectives@gmail.com. Interested in getting your own copy of the Backpack to Briefcase book? You can purchase it here.

Explore more articles on our Incubator and visit TalentEgg.ca to get started on your job search!

 

Providing Opportunities and Supporting Growth for Students and Grads at Worley

As the world continues to evolve, the demand and opportunities for new graduates and students with diverse backgrounds and skill sets in the workforce increase. Worley, a leading global provider of professional services to the energy, resources, and complex process industries, understands the importance of nurturing the next generation of leaders. We had the pleasure of speaking with Andria Matadial, the Campus Relations Lead at Worley, to learn more about the company’s initiatives and perspectives on various topics.

Career Initiatives at Worley

Andria expressed that her experience working as a Campus Relations Lead at Worley has been “delightful and rewarding.” She attributed her positive experience to the opportunity to work with a highly supportive Talent Acquisition (TA) Manager and team. Worley’s primary initiatives for students and new graduates looking to work within the industry are centred around learning, growing, and contributing to game-changing global projects. Recent graduates have the opportunity to take what they know and apply it to new initiatives, new ideas, and new teams. They also have a vast support network to help them succeed and build their careers.

When asked about international student opportunities at Worley’s Australian headquarters, Andria shared that the company had an International Transfer program until 2015. This program allowed a graduate to switch to another graduate at another location. For example, a student from Australia came to Edmonton for some time, and a graduate from Edmonton moved to Australia. Although this program is not currently offered, Worley would love to get it re-instated as it provides graduates with global experience.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are crucial components of Worley’s culture. Andria stated that diversity of background, skills, thinking, and expertise helps the company thrive and develop, enabling it to meet future needs. When we respect, value, and support each other, everyone can participate fully and reach their full potential.

Opportunities & Growth

The company has a Global Graduate Development program to help students and new graduates get involved with opportunities at Worley. Worley supports and develops its graduates to set them up for success. Through a self-directed learning approach, Worley gives its graduates the freedom and flexibility to direct their career paths.

Worley provides various career paths that students and graduates can enjoy, including opportunities to work with a global organization and projects worldwide. The pandemic positively affected the company’s recruiting process by allowing the TA team to recruit more flexibly since the world moved to a virtual work environment. At the same time, the company has moved to a hybrid model or is still in a work-from-home state, depending on the location. The employees have adjusted well to this change, and the company mobilized its staff to work from home at a record speed in 2020.

Leading into the Future

Looking towards the future, Worley foresees continuous hiring within the new graduate area to develop future leaders. In terms of measuring success in the industry, Worley places a strong emphasis on its values:

  • Valuing life
  • Rising to the challenge
  • Being stronger together, and
  • Unlocking brilliance

The company believes that the most successful Worley employees exemplify these values.

Lastly, Andria mentioned that Worley is the “Coolest Company to work for” and is leading within the industry regarding remote work, flexibility, and engagement. Worley eliminates bias from its hiring process by ensuring bias-free postings and promoting “bias awareness” training to individuals involved in the hiring process.

To learn more about Worley and its career initiatives, check out its employer profile on TalentEgg!

Career Initiatives and Career Opportunities with SNC-Lavalin

SNC-Lavalin is a global engineering and construction leader based in Montreal, Quebec. The company also builds public and private infrastructure around the world. Additionally, SNC-Lavalin is committed to connecting people, technology and data throughout their project lifecycle to drive better outcomes across safety, sustainability and efficiency.

We spoke with Mai-Gee Hum, Senior National Manager – University Relations & Early Careers, to learn more about how SNC-Lavalin supports students and new grads in their career journey with the company.

Initiatives for Students and New Graduates Looking to Work Within the Industry

SNC-Lavalin has a New Graduate Development Program for all those newly hired. It also is present at university and college career fairs, employer information sessions, and posts its internships and permanent positions on school job boards.

The team at SNC-Lavalin is looking for New Graduates from Canadian schools (universities or colleges) who are autonomous, collaborative, motivated, and have initiative. Previous work experience is usually optional.

The program welcomes new graduates from every discipline, not just engineering! The best way for students and recent graduates to get involved with career opportunities at SNC-Lavalin is to attend its information session, ask thoughtful questions at the school’s career fair, and to network with the team. Mai-Gee also invites students and new grads to go to the SNC-Lavalin career website to create a user account, set up their preferences and create job alerts.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at SNC-Lavalin

At SNC-Lavalin, diversity, equity and inclusion mean making a positive impact on society through more inclusive and accessible design – being sensitive to human differences concerning ability, language, culture, gender, age and other forms of diversity. And it means using our global voice to champion progress through thought leadership.

Internally, SNC-Lavalin is removing barriers in every region and at every level – spearheading change through trusted and inclusive leaders, increasing female representation across its whole  organization, and broadening its talent pipeline to include all under-represented groups. This is supported by ground-breaking learning opportunities that unleash potential – giving its clients world-leading expertise. It is essential for SNC-Lavalin because the team believes diversity makes them stronger. It builds a healthy and honest work environment and nourishes curiosity and innovation.

Employees’ diversity of characteristics, knowledge and approaches enhances the team’s ability to provide value-added performance and better serve our clients and business partners. With high diversity and inclusion, SNC-Lavalin can achieve a globally representative workforce and a supportive work environment filled with highly diverse and highly engaged talent.

5 Major Hiring Trends of the Future

Mai-Gee shares with us the five top trends that will take precedence in the future of the workplace:

  1. The job market remains tight and competitive
  2. Flexibility in the workplace is here to stay
  3. Work culture and environment will influence applicant acceptance decision making processes
  4. Employers will need to invest in regular up-skilling to ensure employees can tackle increasingly complex work
  5. Employer diversity and inclusion initiatives remain important to job seekers.

Measuring Success in the Industry

There are many ways to measure success in the industry. Some SNC-Lavalin metrics include retention rate, offer acceptance rate, and the rate of employees who, following employment elsewhere, choose to return to SNC-Lavalin for its values, work culture, and sense of belonging.

Final Thoughts

SNC-Lavalin is a phenomenal place for students or new grads to start their career. The company is focused on connecting new hires with professionally rewarding opportunities, delivery of complex projects with sustainable lifespans, and tackling the industry’s biggest challenges head-on.

To learn more about SNC-Lavalin and its career initiatives, check out their employer profile on TalentEgg!

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