"I had been looking to shift my career from Supply Chain to HR when I came across PACE and the program, and the courses were perfect for me to get the education I needed to make a move in my career," says Alonso Aguayo Topete, who earned his Human Resource Management Diploma from UWinnipeg PACE in 2022.

Alonso says he found the PACE unique because of the industry-connected instructors in his program.

"The instructors are professionals that work in the HR field. All of them brought meaningful and valuable experience I could put into practice in the real world," says Alonso.

Alonso credits PACE with helping him reinvigorate his professional life.

"PACE helped me re-kindle the passion I was losing for my professional life. After PACE, I realized that I'm capable of much more than I gave myself credit for. PACE also served as a platform to find my current employment; without PACE, I would not be where I am today."

Alonso landed a role as a Recruitment Consultant at Pinnacle Staffing Solutions, a recruitment firm with two main areas of focus: staffing & recruiting and executive & professional search, shortly after graduation.

"My job is basically being a matchmaker between aspiring candidates and organizations to make sure they have a solid and rewarding professional relationship," says Alonso, who assists clients in finding the best talent to work in their organization by doing market research, interviewing, and selecting the best-suited talent for the opportunities.

Before studying at UWinnipeg PACE, Alonso earned a Bachelor's Degree in Administration and International Business from Universidad Panamericana in Mexico.

"PACE helped me understand the Canadian working culture," says Alonso. "Canada is such a diverse country, and PACE gave me the tools I needed to be able to thrive in a multicultural environment."

Alonso says the most memorable moment for him was hearing his name and walking to the stage to receive his diploma.

"Best feeling ever!" he says.

Alonso's advice to others taking the Human Resource Management program?

"Be ready to start your journey. This is a work-intensive program that will give you the necessary tools you need to consolidate your previous experience with new learning."

Alonso Aguayo Topete
Recruitment Consultant
Pinnacle Staffing Solutions