CPaCE News

PHOTO: Annie Ngov, Payroll Team Lead at CSU Stanislaus and graduate of the HR Management program at CSULB.

In today's rapidly evolving workplace, ongoing professional development has become an essential part of career growth, especially for Human Resources (HR) employees who serve a wide range of people from many different backgrounds. Annie Ngov and Megan Cordeiro, two dedicated women working in the HR department at California State University, Stanislaus, found an ideal opportunity to enhance their skills by taking the HR Management program at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). When their supervisor offered to enroll them, Annie, Megan, and two other co-workers jumped at the chance.

“Of course, I did not hesitate and took the opportunity because I wanted to build a solid foundation of HR principles,” said Annie, a Payroll Technician at CSU Stanislaus. “I enjoy working with people and I wanted to let my department know that I am serious in my HR journey. If your workplace is offering professional development, why not take the opportunity to do so?”

Taking CSULB’s online HR Management program in Fall 2022 meant that there was no need for a commute to Long Beach, and the Wednesday evening classes allowed both Annie and Megan to balance course work with their full-time jobs and busy family lives at home. This was especially true for Annie, who was pregnant with her third child at the time, but was able to fit everything in. Taking classes with fellow HR colleagues from CSU Stanislaus enriched the educational experience, as they progressed through the curriculum together and reached the common goal of improving their department.

“We were very excited to work together on something outside of work tasks,” said Megan about her HR colleagues. “I personally liked that we had each other to lean on and discuss different topics.”

PHOTO: Megan Cordeiro, Human Resources Operations Specialist at CSU Stanislaus and graduate of the HR Management program at CSULB.

“We all worked in different divisions within HR, but to be able to take it together was special,” Annie agreed. “It also was very encouraging because we got to bring new ideas to our workplace, help build a better department culture across our HR units, and be the new faces of our CSU Stanislaus campus.”

HR Management instructors shared relevant experience from across a wide selection of industries, providing students with helpful tips to take their careers to the next level. At the same time, Annie and Megan gained equally valuable networking opportunities with fellow classmates, each of whom had varying levels of experience in HR. 

“I am new to Human Resources,” explained Megan, “and what appealed to me about the program was how well-rounded of an experience I could get from industry experts in all of the areas that encompass HR.”

“I learned that I am capable of setting professional goals for myself and achieving them as long as I take the initiative and be confident in myself,” said Annie. “I was glad I took that initiative, because it had me think a lot about mapping where I am at currently in my career, and where I want to be professionally.”

As a Payroll Technician, Annie’s responsibilities include processing payroll and other personnel transactions for students, staff, and faculty at CSU Stanislaus. Megan’s main duties as a Human Resources Operations Specialist include managing the front office and their student assistants, overseeing the department budget and expenses, and acting as an executive assistant to the Senior Associate Vice President.

“The experience allowed me to get a better understanding of each of the areas in my team,” Megan said. “I was able to connect the dots with how they also work together.”

“This program has helped in a lot of ways,” agreed Annie, who recently returned to work in a new position as a Payroll Team Lead. “I’m so excited to take on this new role and to practice some of the skills I have gained from the HR Management program at CSULB. I hope to become an awesome, inspirational leader for my team and our HR department.” 

Click here to learn more about the HR Management program at CSULB.