Dhillon School of Business graduate Nicholas Canning (BMgt Co-op '22), who majored in human resource management and labour relations, landed an amazing job, just weeks after graduating. Here he talks about the best advice he received from his favourite professor, his most memorable experiences at ULethbridge and advice he'd give to other students.
What are your most memorable ULethbridge experiences?
Spending three-and-a-half years studying human resource management, doing case competitions, business research papers, group projects, surviving a strike, a global pandemic, a 12-month co-op, a four-month internship, numerous accounting classes (why so many accounting classes for a human resource degree?) and, after all that, getting to attend the first in-person job fair since the pandemic. Now I'm on the other end of the table as a recruiter representing a non-profit organization in Lethbridge, weeks after graduating.
What is the most important lesson you learned during your time at ULethbridge?
My liberal education professor Brandon Cummings always said, “question everything.” Brandon was one of my favourite professors. At the end of the semester and in every class I had with him, he would reiterate from his own life experience that no matter where his students' career paths or personal lives take them, they should always question everything and apply the scientific method to their thinking in order to make well-informed decisions.
Who had an important influence on your uLethbridge experience?
My wife and best friend, Stephanie Bride Canning. Rodney McGregor, who motivated me to attend ULethbridge. Stacey Gaudette-Sharp from the Career Bridge office assisted with the storytellers at the large program through the Lethbridge Public Library, and all my work intergraded learning. Dawn Vickers and Meghan Paul from the Accommodated Learning Centre. Amanda Jensen and the team at Volunteer Lethbridge, and Abigail Shakespeare and the team at The Mosaic Institute.
What are your hopes and plans for the future?
I plan on being happy. My hope is to find purpose and support people in whatever way I can help. I bought a house in Lethbridge, and I plan on pursuing my Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) designation.
What advice would you like to give those who are about to begin their journey at ULethbridge?
C's get degrees. Don't believe that this university only cares about ticking off boxes and completing courses as quickly as possible. There will be both awful and excellent experiences during post-secondary. You are worth more than a grade percentage in a subject that you might dread. Therefore, don't base your abilities on some arbitrary grade. Keep in mind how fortunate you are to be studying at a university in this land. Join a club, do something you love, participate in a co-op, join a committee, do a case competition, and VOLUNTEER! All these activities will add to your experience, which you will likely discuss in a job interview.
I work in human resources, and we hire individuals with experience. Good grades are nice, but amazing experience goes further, and those are the things that will provide a competitive edge when you're looking for a job once you've graduated.