Employer Engagement Academy

"As someone new to employer engagement and higher education, completing the Employer Relations Academy micro credential gave me a strong foundation in understanding employer needs and building meaningful partnerships. The program helped me develop practical skills and build my confidence. I highly recommend this micro-credential to anyone looking to grow quickly and effectively in employer relations - and connect with employer relations professionals across the US and Canada!"

"The Employer Engagement Academy was an incredibly valuable experience. It provided ample opportunities to hear and learn from industry leaders, post-secondary practitioners from all over Canada and the US - and learn from their best practices. Additionally, I gained strategies and a new mindset for employer engagement which will be valuable in my work."

"This was a phenomenal experience!"

"Great program with a lot of great knowledge shared amongst fellow Employer Relation Specialists with great sessions that were very interactive throughout!"

"I thoroughly enjoyed participating in the Employer Engagement Academy. The program offered a comprehensive and well-structured approach to understanding and enhancing employer relations in a rapidly evolving landscape. Each session was thoughtfully designed, featuring insightful workshops, expert panel discussions, and practical activities that made the learning experience both engaging and actionable. The Employer Relations Scorecard was a standout resource—an invaluable tool for assessing strengths and identifying areas for improvement in our employer partnerships. The course also addressed critical topics such as adapting to employers' changing expectations, integrating diversity and inclusion efforts, and leveraging technology to enhance recruitment strategies. The mix of collaborative discussions and hands-on assignments provided a perfect balance for immediate application of the concepts covered. I would highly recommend this program to any professional looking to strengthen their skills in employer engagement and stay ahead in this dynamic field."

"I am honored to have completed this program and grateful to Brainstorm Strategy Group for recognizing this accomplishment. The program was truly an invaluable learning experience, equipping me with consultative, relationship-building, and strategic problem-solving skills essential for effective employer relations. I especially enjoyed the hands-on sessions and collaborative discussions. These allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of how to address employers’ top challenges, co-create impactful events, and support diversity recruitment efforts - enabling me to better position myself as a trusted advisor to employer partners. I highly recommend this program to any career professional looking to elevate their employer engagement strategies and drive meaningful outcomes for both students and organizations."

"This program gave me a chance to reflect on some ideas, strategies, and processes that I had in place for my day to day work. The information I learned was invaluable to how I connect with employers and the connections with like minded folks in the industry I made were amazing."

"Participating in this year's Employer Engagement Academy was an extraordinary journey. The opportunity to connect and engage in stimulating discussions with like-minded employer engagement specialists from esteemed post-secondary institutions nationwide proved to be an invaluable asset for my professional growth. The insights and knowledge acquired will greatly contribute to my efforts in engaging employers interested in hiring student talent, as well as providing positive support to those hosting our exceptional students in internships and future co-op opportunities."

"The Employer Engagement Academy was an incredibly helpful resource. The workshops, panels, and networking opportunities were invaluable. This academy was a perfect place to build a roadmap for the future and assess my strategic approach to employer engagement. I can't recommend it enough!"

"I highly recommend this program to anyone in the employer relations field, who is interested in learning, sharing best practices, hearing from employer panels, joining in on lively discussions, and building their network, not to mention, receiving a micro-credential once completed! This program was informative, engaging, and probably the best PD I have ever been a part of, and it continues to be, with access to the dashboard, resources, network, and discussion board for six months after the program! Money well spent."

"I highly recommend this program to professionals involved in Employer Engagement. The program integrates various elements of the employer engagement experience and introduces participants to innovative ideas and diverse perspectives. It also facilitates a deeper understanding of personal strengths and areas for improvement in approaching employer engagement. This program is invaluable not only for newcomers but also for seasoned professionals, providing a platform to exchange insights and knowledge."

"I'm excited to put what I've learned into practice, and in turn strengthen relationships between Dalhousie University's employer partners, students, and alumni! This has been a wonderful professional development experience!"

"The Employer Engagement Academy gave me more clarity on all the streams concerning employer relations. Hearing the fantastic experiences of panelists and my classmates has provided a wide variety of ideas I can propose and execute inside the institution I work for. I am grateful for receiving the opportunity to participate in this program."

"I appreciated the approach presented in the Employer Engagement Academy that provided fundamental strategies and tactics that are proven best practices in relationship building, sales and CRM – which are typically outside of higher education – we were encouraged to use these to add value for our universities and employers."

"This was a great program and I have many takeaways for my "idea" whiteboard in my office. As employer developers, we often attend events and conferences for the main purpose of building and fostering new relationships with PD being an additional bonus. This was a great opportunity to give relationship builders their own PD exclusively focused on learning, growing and planning for the future. I would highly recommend!"

"This program helped me think about my work through a whole new lens. Previously, my team had done okay, but I always felt we were reacting to external pressures. I'm now confident that my team and I can build an employer relations work plan that is intentional and proactive, with clearly defined objectives to guide our work"

"The Employer Engagement Academy is a great resource for those who are new to the field and for seasoned professionals who'd like a refresher. The material is broad, relevant, and useful."

"As a new person working in this field, the Employer Engagement Academy provided important insights into current issues. I picked up terminology and concepts from discussions, awareness of current employer and student trends. Thanks to this course, and the willingness of experienced participants, I can carry on intelligent discussions with folks at my institute and have meaningful info to share. This program brought me up to speed quickly. The format allowed me to meet others in the industry personally. Through this class, I've forged many new contacts in the field- I feel like I've entered a national cooperative process, and that's pretty exciting!"

"The Employer Engagement Academy was an amazing opportunity, professional and down-to-earth. Speakers were informative and engaging on relevant topics. Group activities were thought provoking and provided great insight on what is happening coast to coast with post-secondary employer relations!"

"As someone who started in employer relations in the pandemic, participating in this program was a great opportunity for me to learn more about my area as a whole since everything has been so different for the majority of my time in this role. From breakout sessions with peers, to employer feedback on key topics surrounding our role, to best practices, this program gives employer relations professionals at all levels something to takeaway."

"The Employer Engagement Academy allowed me the opportunity to network with amazing professionals and learn great insights on how to build our relationships with employers!"

"The Employer Engagement Academy was a very engaging and insightful course that helped me better understand employers’ changing recruitment needs when it comes to hiring students and how I can better support them while navigating the evolving labor market. It was also a great avenue for meeting many other colleagues from various universities across Canada! I am looking forward to implementing some of the takeaways from this course."

"The Employer Engagement Academy was such a valuable experience as we spent each week diving into content that impacts the day-to-day work of employer relations professionals. From discussing how employer relations professionals aid their employer partners with their top challenges, to how our work ties into our employers' DEI initiatives, the content was relevant, current and insightful. I also loved making connections with many employer relations professionals from across the country! It was great hearing and learning from employer relations professionals at various stages within this career."