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A people-centred approach is NFI’s key to success

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This article was published 10/03/2026 (186 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For Crystal Pattyn, who has been with Winnipeg-based NFI Group Inc. for 13 years and served as human resources director with subsidiary Carfair since 2022, it’s “first and foremost” the people who make it a top employer.

“It’s across the organization,” she says of NFI, which manufactures transit buses, single-and double-decker buses, and motorcoaches across its seven subsidiaries (Carfair itself produces fibreglass-reinforced polymer components for a variety of vehicles). “Positive culture is driven through genuine connections with leadership engaging with people, taking the time to build connections that strengthen how we work together.”

NFI’s workforce includes a range of skilled trades such as vehicle assemblers, welders and painters, as well as professional engineers and sales, marketing, finance, IT and supply-chain specialists, among others.

And diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is “extremely important” at NFI, Pattyn notes. “There are both formal programs and an informal culture of acceptance. We’ve really prided ourselves on getting DEI threaded throughout the organization. We’ve got training for the whole range of employees on policies, communications, all the stuff that we live day to day.”

For Joecelle Candelaria, a materials administrator at Carfair who counts himself as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, that climate has been a godsend. “I’m always excited to go to work and talk to my fellow employees,” he says. “I feel safe here. My boss has trusted me to do my job, and everyone has been respectful. It’s easy to work when you have people around who support and respect you. “Even when my starting time is 6 a.m., I’m here at five because I’m always excited to go to work.” Plus, he adds, “the benefits are good, and the pay is also good.”

As for Pattyn, she notes that in an industry traditionally underrepresented by women, NFI is actively creating pathways for broader participation. “NFI has partnered with the Women of Steel initiative and with the Canadian Welding Bureau, which offers a seven-week program for women to acquire welding skills,” she says. “Since I started 13 years ago, we’ve had a lot more women in senior leadership roles, and we continue to pride ourselves in having that type of diversity within a business. “It’s definitely come a long way,” she continues. “And I feel that, as an HR leader, I am able to contribute meaningfully to shaping our direction.” She notes that half of the company’s independent board members are women.

Candelaria also appreciates the fact that NFI provides many opportunities for career growth. He’s been at the organization for a decade, starting in production and moving to lead hand before landing his current job. And the company supported his upward movement. “Every time you move to a different department,” he says, “you receive training, so you know exactly what to do.”

For her part, Pattyn cites NFI’s comprehensive onboarding program. “We’ve transitioned much of that old paper-based process into a streamlined digital workflow. Once candidates are hired, they receive their onboarding package by email and can complete everything online. Our comprehensive new hire orientation covers everything from benefits and workplace culture to practical information like what to do when you’re sick. In some facilities, orientation extends over an entire week and includes handson training, from tool use to reading blueprints. She adds that learning doesn’t stop once this onboarding ends. Through the NFI Institute, employees have access to a wide range of training and development opportunities designed to support future opportunities across the organization.

“So, we really set up our new employees for success for now and into the future.”