Hosted annually, this two-day virtual competition engages the best and brightest HR students and challenges them to tackle real-life business and HR situations. 

Participating students will be presented with an HR business case on the day of March 20th. You and your team will have a few hours to read and analyze the case, develop a response strategy, and produce a 15 minute presentation with their team’s recommendations. A panel of judges, comprised of senior HR professionals, will review and score the presentations based on a point system. On March 23rd, the top three teams with the strongest presentations will be awarded first, second, and third place prizes!

On day 2, there will also be an opportunity for all contestants to network with peers, senior HR pros and HRPA staff as well as listen in on a special keynote from top HR executive, Melina Gillies, on AI and HR.

Day 1: Wednesday, March 20

Please note that HRPA reserves the right to modify the event schedule.

9:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Day 1 Welcome & opening remarks

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Case Competition begins: Case prep & presentation planning

12:00 PM – 12:15 PM
Submit Case presentation to HRPA

12:00 PM – 12:15 PM
Closing remarks. See you on Day 2!

Day 2: Saturday, March 23

9:15 AM – 9:30 AM
Day 2 Welcome & opening remarks. Top 3 teams are selected

9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Special guest speaker*

10:30 AM -10:45 AM
Break

10:45 AM – 11:30 AM
It’s on! Top 3 selected teams have 15 min each to present their case.**

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Lunch & networking (open to all participants)

12:30 PM – 12:45 PM
We’ll wrap up the competition with an awards ceremony & closing remarks

* Please note that the selected 3 teams will prepare for their presentations from 9:30 am to 10:30 am.
** Non-selected teams are welcome to watch selected teams’ presentations.

Day 1: Wednesday, March 20

Please note that HRPA reserves the right to modify the event schedule.

9:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Day 1 Welcome & opening remarks

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Case Competition begins: Case prep & presentation planning

12:00 PM – 12:15 PM
Submit Case presentation to HRPA

12:00 PM – 12:15 PM
Closing remarks. See you on Day 2!

Day 2: Saturday, March 23

9:15 AM – 9:30 AM
Day 2 Welcome & opening remarks. Top 3 teams are selected

9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Special guest speaker*

10:30 AM -10:45 AM
Break

10:45 AM – 11:30 AM
It’s on! Top 3 selected teams have 15 min each to present their case.**

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Lunch & networking (open to all participants)

12:30 PM – 12:45 PM
We’ll wrap up the competition with an awards ceremony & closing remarks

* Please note that the selected 3 teams will prepare for their presentations from 9:30 am to 10:30 am.
** Non-selected teams are welcome to watch selected teams’ presentations.

SD_COMM_FlexNetworks_20230720_0730_Crop1
Melina Gillies

HR executive

Melina Gillies, an HR executive recognized by CIO Magazine as one of the “Top 10 HR Executives in Tech 2023,” is a dynamic leader with over two decades of experience in HR and leadership. Specializing in remote work, authentic leadership, and the application of generative AI in HR, Melina is dedicated to innovating and “future-proofing” the HR profession.

As a Certified People and Culture Leader, Melina advocates for a human-first approach, leading to significant improvements in employee engagement, reduced attrition rates, and increased productivity. Her expertise in remote work, honed since 2013, is evident in her role as Chief People and Experience Officer at FlexNetworks, where she excels in managing geographically dispersed teams and promoting remote-work best practices.

Melina’s influence extends beyond her corporate role, as she is a respected thought leader on LinkedIn, sharing valuable insights on culture, communication, and the intersection of technology and HR. Her strategic leadership and commitment to maintaining a human touch in the digital age make her a vital voice in the HR community.

SD_COMM_FlexNetworks_20230720_0730_Crop1
Melina Gillies

HR executive

Melina Gillies, an HR executive recognized by CIO Magazine as one of the “Top 10 HR Executives in Tech 2023,” is a dynamic leader with over two decades of experience in HR and leadership. Specializing in remote work, authentic leadership, and the application of generative AI in HR, Melina is dedicated to innovating and “future-proofing” the HR profession.

As a Certified People and Culture Leader, Melina advocates for a human-first approach, leading to significant improvements in employee engagement, reduced attrition rates, and increased productivity. Her expertise in remote work, honed since 2013, is evident in her role as Chief People and Experience Officer at FlexNetworks, where she excels in managing geographically dispersed teams and promoting remote-work best practices.

Melina’s influence extends beyond her corporate role, as she is a respected thought leader on LinkedIn, sharing valuable insights on culture, communication, and the intersection of technology and HR. Her strategic leadership and commitment to maintaining a human touch in the digital age make her a vital voice in the HR community.

The Student Case Competition is open to all post-secondary HR students. This includes students working towards a:

• Diploma
• Undergraduate degree
• Master’s degree
• Postgraduate degree

Both HRPA student members and non-members can enter the competition.


Deadline to register your team is March 6


Step 1: Gather Your Case Competition Team! Each campus of any university/college across Ontario is eligible to enter up to two (2) teams compromised of three (3) to five (5) post-secondary HR students per team. All post-secondary HR students can participate. See Eligibility Criteria tab for more details.

Step 2: Get a Team Coach! Teams must register a faculty member as a Team Coach to participate. As a Team Coach, you’ll get to support your team before the big day so that your students are competition-ready. One Team Coach per Case Competition team. (In other words, a Team Coach cannot represent more than one team.)

Step 3: Register!*

*Please note that registration for the 2024 HRPA Student Case Competition is now closed.

A case will be chosen by HRPA and will be revealed to the participating teams on Day 1 of the competition. Teams will be given 2 hours to read, analyze the case, develop a strategy, and create a PowerPoint presentation with answers to the questions. Each team will record a 15 minute video during the 2-hour window.

Each team will record their presentations to be scored based on pre-determined evaluation criteria. Each team member must speak during the recording of their presentation, and if selected as a top 3 team, must speak during the final round, on Day 2, in front of the judges. Teams are encouraged to be creative, organized and use strategic thinking. 

All attendees will receive a $20 Uber Eats voucher, valid for use during the Student Case Competition. Conditions apply. 

Prizes:

The top three teams, with the strongest presentations, will be awarded first, second, and third place prizes.

  • The 1st place winning team will receive a $200 gift card per student
  • The 2nd place winning team will receive a $150 gift card per student
  • The 3rd place winning team will receive a $100 gift card per student.

  • Apply your classroom knowledge to a real-life business scenario
  • Upgrade your resume with impressive and relevant experiences
  • Get valuable, constructive feedback directly from a panel of Senior HR Professionals
  • The chance to win a gift card of up to $200!
  • All attendees will receive a $20 Uber Eats voucher, valid for use during the Student Case Competition
  • Build your confidence in the field of HR
  • Expand your HR network
  • Have fun!

Check out the Competition

  • Algoma University (Rep: Anto M.)
  • Cambrian College (Rep: Chris V.)
  • Canadore College (Rep: Mukti S.)
  • Centennial College (Rep: Sheldon S.)
  • Conestoga College Team 1 (Rep: Dorothy M.)
  • Conestoga College Team 2 (Rep: Ash W.)
  • George Brown College (Rep: Dylan S.)
  • Fanshawe College (Rep. Lianne G.)
  • Niagara College Team 1 (Rep Susan E.)
  • Niagara College Team 2
  • Nipissing University (Rep: Dr. Alireza K.)
  • Seneca Polytechnic Team 1 (Rep: Puneet L.)
  • Seneca Polytechnic Team 2 (Rep: Ash P.)
  • Sheridan College Team 1 (Rep: Sujay V.)
  • Sheridan College Team 2 (Rep: Rohan M.)
  • St. Lawrence College Team 1 (Rep: A.J. Gould)
  • St. Lawrence College Team 2 (Rep: Stacy Airhart)
  • Trent University Team 1 (Rep: Stephen G.)
  • Trent University Team 2 (Rep: Lisa R.)
  • University of Ottawa (Rep: Stephen D.)
  • University of Toronto, St. George (Rep: Bradley S.)
  • University of Windsor Team 1 (Rep: Diana S.)
  • University of Windsor Team 2 (Rep: Brooke Mayville)
  • Wilfrid Laurier University (Rep: Steve R.)
  • York University (Rep: Althea G.)