Alicia Cher, 35, has been growing her career in the field of human resource (HR) since she graduated with a bachelor’s degree 10 years ago.
Alicia is the HR manager for Food Republic, and she was recently accorded a national endorsement in HR – the Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP) Certification.
While her competency has previously been validated by her supervisors and peers, Alicia still acknowledges the benefits of the IHRP certification. She recognises the value of a nationwide accreditation, to ensure the HR professionals in Singapore remain at the forefront to direct and influence strategic HR changes.
Alicia is one of 88 in the pilot batch recently certified by IHRP. The IHRP is a HR professional body set up by the tripartite partners, and the certification is part of the HR Industry Manpower Plan.
Fundamental Criteria
For successful certification, she completed two papers that included a broad spectrum of HR competencies. These include knowledge of the labour policies and legislation, HR functional and foundational competencies, and the mindsets and behaviours of a HR professional.
“As we are the custodian for all employment-related matters, these labour policies and legislation are essential knowledge as they lay the foundation for a HR practitioner. The second part of the assessment required more knowledge transfer, where we were given case studies and asked on the possible direction and decisions we would take.
“While there were no textbook answers – one’s experience in the field would allow an individual to quickly ascertain what is the best outcome or decision to make,” she explained.
She encourages all HR professionals to go through the IHRP certification. It endorses an individual as a competent person in the HR field, by fellow professionals and through a recognised body.
She added: “HR is no longer confined to administrative work. As we move towards strategic HR, we require a holistic understanding of HR. Every decision that we [HR professionals] make on behalf of our employer has implications and legal compliances. Therefore, it is imperative for a HR professional to be competent in these areas of work so we can safeguard the interests of the company and partner its employees – regardless of an individual’s seniority in the company.”
Source: NTUC This Week
