Our History

The Association was formed by Human Resource practitioners in Trinidad and Tobago, to share ideas as well as experiences and to engage in professional stimulation and development.

HRMATT was formed out of a desire by human resource practitioners in Trinidad and Tobago to share ideas and experiences, and to engage in professional stimulation and development.

With this in mind, a team of six professionals met to discuss the possibility of forming an Association. At this initial meeting, representatives of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), a human resource development organization based in the United States of America, were invited to address the group.

The aim was to familiarise local human resource practitioners with the Society and in particular, to discuss the benefits, which could be derived from membership in a professional body.
As a result of this initial meeting, a core team was appointed to discuss the creation of the proposed human resource management association and to arrive at a consensus on proposals for the objectives, structure and key activities of the Association. The prospective membership of what is now called the Human Resource Management Association of Trinidad and Tobago (HRMATT) was reconvened to consider the proposals from the core team. Agreement was reached and the association was formed in October 1989.

Today, HRMATT has a membership database of Over 700 HRM practitioners in the country. It lives its motto, “Promoting National Development Through People” and takes a leading role in facilitating change and transformation in organisations.