HR professional lands dream job in fashion retail
Henry Guerreiro has landed his dream job working as an Employee Relations Coordinator at retailer H&M Canada. He credits his training at George Brown College for helping him get there.
Graduating in 2015 with an advanced diploma in Business Administration - Human Resources, Guerreiro’s career trajectory had already taken him from a role as manager at staffing firm Robert Half, through progressive roles as HR administrator then HR coordinator at national publishing company Postmedia Inc.
Guerreiro says he was drawn to this profession early. “I wanted to combine my two passions, people and administration—so I knew I wanted to be in an HR role,” he says, adding that the small campus and recommendations drew him to George Brown. “Seeing all the positive reviews online about the HR Diploma course, I knew this would be the best option for me.”
Courses such as Employment Law and Career Planning & Development were foundational for Guerreiro, who says learning both hard and soft skills have helped him excel in his career. In particular, conflict resolution skills gained from many group projects have been extremely valuable in the workplace. “I was able to learn how to adapt and work with different personalities,” he says.
He also picked up an unexpected skill by taking his Speaking with Confidence course. “I used to be a very shy individual, and the class pushed our boundaries with public speaking,” he says. Today he even speaks at George Brown to students enrolled in the program.
Guerreiro also appreciated his exceptional professors. “My teachers felt like mentors because they took the time to stay after class to help me. They provided me with valuable feedback, which showed me that they truly cared.” In particular, one prof used to tell her students “you are your own product,” a lesson that Guerreiro says still stands out. “This has stuck with me because it is true!”
Today Guerreiro says he is challenged by his busy job and happily credits the origins in his program. “George Brown changed my life—because of George Brown I was able to work for one of the biggest media companies in the country, and I was able to land my dream job today-working for a well-known fashion brand.”
