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Category: Newsletter (page 6 of 13)

Empowering Students with TTi’s Leadership Development Program

Techtronic Industries (TTi) is internationally recognized as a global leader in the design, manufacturing and marketing of power tools, outdoor power equipment, hand tools and floor care appliances worldwide. TTi is proud of its history and the vast legacy of tradition and excellence that they have inherited from the brands that make up its company today. If you’re passionate about empowering students, keep reading to learn how TTi achieves this goal through fostering strong values with their Leadership Development Program.

We spoke with Dave Dininio, the Director of Talent Acquisition at TTi, to learn more about how TTi continues to support students and new grads on their career journey.

The Leadership Development Program

We believe exceptional people drive exceptional results, which is why TTi launched the Leadership Development Program. The Leadership Development Program is a comprehensive training program to develop outstanding and extraordinary people for the long term. The Program provides employees with relevant sales and field marketing experience while learning about our customers from a fundamental perspective. Throughout the Program, students and grads will be able to hone different skills such as communication, product knowledge and business acumen. They will execute exciting weekly projects to gain hands-on relevant workplace experience. The Program provides them with all the resources to accelerate their career. At every step of their career, we provide them with a combination of support, guidance and freedom that brings out the best.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at TTi

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential to establishing and maintaining a thriving workplace. Diversity is the recognition, appreciation, and acceptance of individual differences inside and outside the organization. Equity is about ensuring fairness and impartiality for everyone, and TTi Canada strives to provide equitable access to opportunities for all candidates and employees. 

Collaborative, encouraging, respectful and polite are how I would describe our inclusive workplace. It is supported by policies that are intended to eliminate any barriers, bias and intolerance to encourage the involvement and contribution of all employees. Diversity, equity and inclusion are essential to TTi Canada because it helps attract top talent. Many students and new grads seek employment in a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization where they are safe and supported. TTi Canada provides that kind of environment.

A Future After TTi’s Leadership Development Program

The Leadership Development Program provides new employees with various career advancement opportunities. An entry-level Field Sales Representative (FSR) or Brand Marketing Representative (BMR) can move into a position with more responsibilities, industry specialization and/or people management, such as Territory Manager, District Supervisor or Trades Site Specialist. The Leadership Development Program is a progressive training program that prepares them for the next level in their career and gives them the skills and knowledge to succeed at any level. The table below highlights potential career path options. 

  • Field Sales Representative
  • Brand Marketing Representative
  • Field Marketing Representative
  • Territory Manager
  • District Supervisor
  • Sales Coordinator
  • Trades Site Specialist
  • Field Sales Manager
  • Key Account Manager
  • Market Manager
  • Senior Trades Site Specialist
  • Regional Sales Manager 
  • Strategic Account Manager
  • District Manager
  • Program Manager
  • Marketing Manager
  • Divisional Sales Manager
  • Marketing Coordinator
  • Assistant Marketing Manager
  • Program Manager
  • Sales operations manager
  • Marketing Manager
  • Senior marketing manager
  • Group marketing manager

 

Opportunities for Students and New Grads at TTi

Career centres and schools, if your students or recent alumni are looking to grow their leadership skills, we are constantly recruiting for enthusiastic top talent year-round. We recommend that students and new grads regularly check our Career Site and LinkedIn page for new job postings and information about the company. Moreover, we encourage students and recent grads to join our LinkedIn Group, TTi Canada Careers for Students and New Grads and start a conversation or ask questions.

When students and new grads join TTi Canada, whether in a full-time role or Co-op capacity, we want them to stay with us for the long term. This long-term goal is why we invest a lot in our new employees, ensuring they have the best training, robust support and accessible resources to achieve their goals. Our Leadership Development Program is where it all starts.

Students and grads who join TTi Canada will get to enjoy a diverse set of roles and responsibilities that will allow them to acquire various skills that are valuable and transferrable throughout their careers. They will be allowed to collaborate on real-world projects and opportunities where they can contribute their ideas to gain relevant experience. As employees of TTi Canada, students and grads will have ample opportunity to advance their careers, move up within the company and explore different positions. We pride ourselves on developing people, recognizing talent and promoting from within – all part of our dynamic culture. 

How the Pandemic Has Affected Recruiting

We have to adjust our hiring practices to align with what is happening in the job market. The pandemic has caused a shift in candidate mentality, particularly in compensation and remote work. Candidates demand higher pay, and there are more requests for remote or hybrid work environments. TTi Canada offers an excellent package for our Field Sales Representatives and Brand Marketing Representatives, including an attractive base salary, a company vehicle, great benefits, and an annual performance bonus. We do not offer remote or hybrid work schedules. Our Field Sales Representatives and Brand Marketing Representatives work in our clients’ stores daily.   

Companies are replenishing their staff and ramping up hiring practices, increasing competition for talent. TTi Canada is positioning itself as a preferred employer at campuses by attending career events, partnering with student services departments and driving our employer brand at schools across the country. We openly discuss our great culture, career advancement opportunities and Leadership Development Program to stay ahead of our competition.

What are 5 major hiring trends you see in the future?

✓    Diversity Hiring – Inclusion and diversity offer TTi Canada many benefits, including improved employee happiness, productivity, retention, loyalty, and employer branding. We realize that diversity, equity and inclusion are not just feel-good initiatives but a must for our success.

✓     Speed of Hiring – With increased employer competition in the job market, our hiring processes must be efficient, optimized and technology-driven. We are focused on reducing the time it takes to fill positions. We know that other employers will hire the best talent if we aren’t fast enough.    

✓     Employer Branding and Positioning – Improving our employer brand image to show that we are a highly respected company with strong values and a great culture is key to being the best and being a preferred employer among students and new grads 

✓     Providing the best candidate experience – We ensure students and new grads can apply easily, there is transparency in our hiring process, and people know where they stand and the next step. We’re open to talking about compensation, the demands of the job and our company culture.

✓     Proactive hiring – It’s not enough to post a job these days. Our Recruiters are proactively potential sourcing candidates via LinkedIn and other channels. They hone recruitment efforts, actively search for talent and stay ahead of recruiting trends. These trends include being front and present at campuses by attending career events, conducting information sessions and connecting with students through various channels.

Enforcing Fairness and Equality During the Hiring Process

Fairness and equality during the hiring process are fundamental, so we give each candidate an equal opportunity to showcase their professional background and skill set. We ensure that every candidate is asked the same role-based questions during interviews for consistency and equality. We utilize a matrix system to score various competencies and skills exhibited during the hiring process to ensure a fair comparison of all candidates. Our Managers are provided with hiring training, which includes eliminating bias and stereotyping during the hiring process. Finally, we require the opinions of at least two people when making a hiring decision which mitigates the risk of bias or stereotyping when hiring. 

Final Thoughts

TTi Canada is an excellent place for any student or new graduate to start their career. TTi Canada is where culture meets opportunity, and students and recent grads have the chance to advance their careers and work with intelligent, progressive and like-minded people. It’s an opportunity to support some of the best product brands in the world (RYOBI, MILWAUKEE, RIDGID, HOOVER, DIRT DEVIL) while developing a long-term career and working in a dynamic, forward-thinking culture. 

To learn more about Techtronic Industries and their Leadership Development Program, check out their employer profile on TalentEgg!

Meet Our New Director of Partnerships and Operations: Rachel Evans

We are delighted to welcome Rachel Evans to the TalentEgg team. As the Director of Partnerships and Operations, she brings a wealth of experience in talent acquisition, recruitment marketing and employer branding. We interviewed Rachel to learn more about her experience and how it can support emRachel Evans At TalentEggployers and career educators.

Q: Why did you decide to join TalentEgg?

What attracted me most was the critical role TalentEgg plays in connecting tomorrow’s workforce with great employers and the support TalentEgg offers employers to extend brand awareness, reach, and connection with students and those early in their careers.

I was also a previous client of TalentEgg, working as a recruitment marketing advisor with Shell Canada, where I led talent attraction for students and new graduates nationwide. My experience with the TalentEgg team was exceptional, and the company’s growth has been impressive. While TalentEgg started many years ago as a job board with digital advertising, the company has grown to offer comprehensive employer branding and talent attraction services, enabling employees to use TalentEgg as an extension of their campus recruitment teams.

Q: Can you tell us more about your background in employer branding, recruitment marketing and talent acquisition?

As mentioned, I led recruitment marketing for Shell Canada, and I have had the opportunity to participate in employer branding and talent acquisition throughout my career as a marketing professional. I recently came from the talent acquisition industry, where I led marketing and communications for a technology company that enabled talent pools. In that role, I was a speaker on employer branding best practices. I consider recruitment marketing no different than traditional B2C marketing, with the product being the career within the organization and the consumer being the student/new graduate. Applying tried and tested marketing principles to talent attraction is quantifiably better than not adopting these best practices.

Q: Why is employer branding important now more than ever?

Employer branding is essential as businesses recover from the pandemic. Many employers stopped or scaled down their employer brand and talent attraction spend, which has resulted in reduced brand awareness among students and new graduates. With Boomers leaving the workforce in unprecedented numbers, organizations have a significant gap to fill. In a hyper-competitive talent attraction landscape, the only way to differentiate your organization is with a strong employer brand and presence in the market, intersecting young people with where they are physically and digitally.  

Q: What are your plans to support TalentEgg’s partners?

I am excited to support employers with their talent attraction strategies and employer brand to help connect them with great students and new graduates. I see a significant opportunity to partner collaboratively to extend existing services, including co-marketing and branding initiatives during campus events that show institutions are committed to connecting their students and new grads with employment opportunities.

TalentEgg also has a suite of e-learning courses that may be of interest to all of our partners. These professionally produced courses teach soft skills needed in the workplace that are often lacking in young people. These courses are incredibly cost-effective and could be an excellent addition to the services already offered by post-secondary institutions and employers struggling to close this gap within their workplace.

Q: How can TalentEgg’s partners (employers, career centers, career educators) get in touch with you?

Reach out anytime by email at: rachel@talentegg.ca connect with me on LinkedIn! I look forward to working together!

Stephanie Harper – Supporting Students in the Hybrid Era

Opportunities to help students prepare for the school-to-work transition are essential for personal development and career growth. As an Associate Director, Engineering Co-op & Career Services at McMaster University, Stephanie Harper is committed to utilizing her resources to support and provide students with enticing opportunities to navigate their career paths confidently.

We recently interviewed Stephanie to learn more about her work with students and soon-to-be-grads in this hybrid era!

studentsQ. Tell us a bit about yourself!

A. I lead an exceptional team of career/talent development and student engagement professionals in the Faculty of Engineering at McMaster University. My role involves delivering a growth strategy that supports engineering students in building their experiences, advancing their skills and achieving career success through robust career development programming and various curricular and co-curricular experiences.

With a track record of delivering efficiencies and leading teams to achieve change, my career includes 15+ years of experience in talent development, recruitment, training, career education and program management for large, multifaceted organizations. I have led small and large teams, new initiatives, program expansions and organization-wide projects that have helped support and connect the career development needs of post-secondary students with the evolving world of work. 

Q. Why did you decide to go into Career Education/Coaching?

A. I never pictured this as my career path. Truthfully, I never even realized this was a career path until I found myself in it! I chose to pursue this as a career, and I continue to love what I do because of the meaningful impact I get to have on students during a critical time in their early professional lives. My job is to help students build experience, discover their talents, realize their potential, make industry connections and successfully navigate the world of work. It’s a pretty cool and rewarding job. 

Strategies to Support Students in the Hybrid Era

Q. What do you think employers can be doing to best support students and new grads in hatching their careers in the age of digital recruitment and hybrid work?

A. Find ways to make meaningful connections (in real life) with students before and during the recruitment process. It can be more challenging in a digital/hybrid world for students to get a real sense of the workplace and feel a sense of connection, community and belonging once they’ve joined your team. Also, remember that the transition from school to the work world can be intimidating and overwhelming for students and recent grads, especially when most of their interactions with you are behind a screen. Having empathy and delivering kindness can go a long way. 

Q. How do you help students in making their school-to-work transition? What new services or strategies have you employed to support students in a hybrid environment?

A. I believe the school-to-work transition is a practice that starts long before a student graduates. I often encourage and coach students to involve themselves in various opportunities where they can meet people, find mentors, build experience and develop their skills. The notion of “relevant experience” is misleading at times. Hence, I encourage students to worry less about what’s perceived as “relevant” and more about opportunities where they can learn and develop themselves as people. 

Transferable skills and experience exist even in the most obscure opportunities. At the core of all of this is the practice of building relationships and keeping your head up because opportunities will pass by you frequently. If you’re too focused on the end goal or an “ideal” state, sometimes you miss out on things that can add real value to your development along the way. In a hybrid environment, it can be easier to access different opportunities but harder to build relationships. I encourage students to find a balance between virtual and in-person opportunities and leverage their strengths. 

Some of us are more comfortable (and effective) in a virtual environment, and others are more comfortable (and effective) in person. Find a good balance for yourself, and step out of your comfort zone now and then!

Additional Advice and Insights

Q. What do you think is the best way for employers to connect with and attract top students right now?

A. Dedicate intentional time and energy to understanding your talent strategy and your organization’s value proposition. Be clear about your definition of “top students” because this will dictate your engagement strategy. Some best ways to connect with students are through student clubs/groups/associations, at student conferences/competitions and by leveraging your connections with faculty and staff at post-secondary institutions!

Q. What’s your best advice for fellow Career Educators?

A. Find a good balance between listening and advising/educating. Frequently the thing students remember most is that we listened to them, showed genuine interest and care in supporting them, and encouraged them. You won’t have every answer for every student; your role is to provide guidance and support, not answers. 

Q. What is your best advice for students looking to start their careers in this current environment?

A. Build relationships as much as possible, say “yes” now and then to things that push you out of your comfort zone, and give back to others when you are in a position to do so. 


Stephanie Harper is an Associate Director for Engineering Co-op & Career Services at McMaster University who has 20 years of experience in career coaching. She is passionate about leading small and large teams, new initiatives, program expansions and organization-wide projects that have helped support and connect post-secondary students’ career development needs with the evolving work world.

Connect with Stephanie on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephharper/ and visit https://www.eng.mcmaster.ca/ to learn more about McMaster University and how their Engineering Co-op program remains one of the most successful programs in the country.

A People First Approach At Evolution Mining

Evolution Mining is leading the way with a hands-on approach to learning and success for the company’s graduate program. We at TalentEgg had the chance to hear from Bianca Baghdassar, an Advisor for Organisational Development at Evolution Mining. Bianca shared what trends the company believes are important moving into the future. She also explains how its graduate program prepares students and graduates for future success within the mining sector. Lastly, Bianca goes over how diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives help create a more supportive workplace within the company and its new Inclusion Awareness Committee.

Keep reading to learn how Evolution Mining measures success in the industry and how they balance the company’s world-class graduate program in Canada and Australia!

People & Relationships at Evolution Mining

“My experience working as an Advisor at Evolution Mining has been extremely rewarding and positive. From the moment you step foot on an Evolution site, you get a sense of a people-centric and relationship-driven workplace that welcomes everybody, which (in my experience) you don’t just find at any company.” Bianca told us. The company is full of opportunities, especially for those who want to excel, push themselves out of their comfort zone and be agile, backed by Evolution Mining’s leadership team and fully supported. 

Graduate Success In The Mining Industry

The company’s graduate program aims to support the growth and development of the future workforce of Evolution Mining, in addition to addressing hard-to-fill and hard-to-retain roles. Graduates have the opportunity to develop personal, technical and commercial skills throughout a two-year program. The graduate program has been in full swing since 2013, and they still have representation in their business from every cohort, which is a massive achievement for Evolution Mining. In addition to their grad program, the company offers students opportunities for summer vacation work while completing their studies. This benefit is to give students a taste of what the mining industry looks like and hopefully gives them an experience which will persuade them to apply for the graduate program when they’re ready to do so.

Success in the mining industry is tough to narrow down. Still, success at Evolution means a high-performing culture where people are clear about the types of behaviours that we want to see and hear, in line with the company’s values. As part of its strategy, Evolution Mining aims to be a business that prospers through the cycle by generating superior returns from the company assets. It also is building a reputation for sustainability, reliability and transparency, embedding financial discipline across the business, maintaining an active pipeline of quality exploration and development projects and being open to all quality gold, silver and copper-gold investments.

Connected Across Borders

We at TalentEgg asked if there was a difference between The Canadian and Australian Graduate programs and how they are run. “The Red Lake Alberta and Australian Graduate programs are the same. We bring our graduates in for a structured two-year development program with opportunities for regular coaching, mentoring and support from leaders at our sites. The only real difference is one time, meaning we’re dialling in pretty early in the morning from Australia to connect with our Red Lake colleagues. Still, it’s all worth interacting with such awesome grads!” Bianca told us enthusiastically! 

Career Path With Evolution

Evolution Mining operates off a very successful 70:20:10 model of learning, recognizing that about 70% of a graduate’s learning is done daily by providing the graduate with meaningful and value-adding project work. 20% of learning is done through other people in a formal and informal mentoring and coaching capacity. The final 10% of learning is done through formal learning by offering opportunities for graduates performing well to complete certifications or attend external conferences, in addition to their quarterly internal workshops hosted by Evolution to develop their soft skills.

Post Pandemic Recruiiting

Evolution Mining saw the post-pandemic lifestyle as an opportunity to leverage technology in more innovative and interactive ways while recruiting new graduates. Although they had to shift to a virtual approach, the company could work with external providers to launch video interviews, psychometric assessments and host assessment centres using breakout room functions on MS Teams. Even though the process was virtual, Evolution still found ways to increase its levels of interactivity and provide candidates with an approach which was not only fun but efficient.

Future Hiring Trends & Workplace Bias

With an industry as large and expansive as mining, Bianca shared what the team at Evolution Mining believes to be at the forefront of the company’s hiring process’ moving forward.

  • Increased female representation within the industry
  • Larger graduate cohorts entering the business to further build on its approach to hiring the future leaders of Evolution
  • Increased use of virtual recruitment tools
  • Candidates looking for a workplace that will offer flexibility
  • Candidates who are open to international secondments and opportunities across all our operations

Evolution works diligently to ensure its hiring process is fair for all applicants by providing multiple data points to assess candidates and their suitability for the role. This process includes resumes and cover letters, video interviews, psychometric assessments, and face-to-face interviews with a diverse panel of hiring staff.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Evolution Mining

Evolution is passionate about creating a workplace that’s inclusive and supportive, a place where everyone can indeed be themselves. In 2021, the company’s Inclusion Awareness committee was formed to play an essential role in connecting, informing and educating their employees about inclusion and diversity, including the benefits, barriers, mindsets, and conscious and unconscious biases. It is vital for Evolution Mining to constantly improve Inclusion and Diversity as they’re committed to creating more accountability and ownership as a business and from their employees. This improvement is to support the company goals for greater collaboration, more innovation and ideas, greater productivity, more revenue, more profit, and greater shareholder returns. A diverse and inclusive company is a stronger, more successful company.


Check out Evolution Mining’s profile on TalentEgg! You’ll be able to watch an overview video of the Red Lake site and learn about the company culture at Evolution and the company’s graduate program here in Canada and Australia!
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