Marina McLaughan, NIGP-CPP CPPB
Manager, Procurement and Distribution Services
Waterloo Region District School Board
Bringing co-op students into your organization can be beneficial for your organization, your personal development of mentoring, and for the co-op student. For those striving to move into a management position, engaging co-op students may be a great opportunity to refine your mentoring skills. It is also a benefit to add to your portfolio / resumé as it shows you have experience with the mentoring side of management.
It would be interesting to know how many public sector agencies entertain the hiring of co-op students.
Perhaps procurement is overlooked when students are looking to apply for a co-op. This could be because procurement falls under different departments within each agency. For example, procurement could fall under Finance. A co-op student may not think to look there because in their mind it is ‘Supply Chain Management’ not ‘accounting’. Or in some municipalities it can fall under the Clerk’s department, again, not somewhere a supply chain student may think to look. And let’s be real, if you took a survey of grade school students on what they want to be when they grow up – I doubt you will hear many, if any, say they want to be a ‘buyer’ lol.
Many seasoned Ontario procurement professionals will be retiring within the next 5 to 10 years. Where does that leave the public procurement world?
The Struggles are real:
Many procurement job postings state: Must have public procurement experience. If someone is a new graduate, how would they have experience? Co-op placements would be a great way to overcome this hurdle. Some postings ask for CPPB designation. If someone is in the job market but can’t secure a job because they don’t have experience, how do they receive their 3-5 years of procurement experience to qualify to write the CPPB exam? They end up in a vicious circle.
On the flip side, as an agency, many of us are already stretched to the limits and don’t have a lot of ‘spare’ time to sit and mentor a new hire with little to no experience.
The Benefits:
A co-op student who comes into procurement quickly learns the variety that comes with the role. They are astounded to see how much procurement’s capacity of involvement is within an entire organization. Many people tend to get bored with their job roles. However, it is surprising to most there are no two days alike in the procurement world. You touch on such a vast variety of commodities. It keeps things interesting! I have been in the public procurement world for over 20 years, and I am still learning. But better yet, I am still excited to go to work every day because I am almost guaranteed something interesting is going to happen that day. Therefore, I am forever growing in knowledge and as they say Knowledge is Power.
Why you should incorporate co-op placement students in your workplace:
- In your environment, a co-op student discovers new personal strengths and skills.
- They can home in on their professional conduct and see first-hand workplace expectations.
- It gives them a chance to see where their strengths and weaknesses truly are; giving them an opportunity to make improvements.
- It boosts their confidence knowing they are bringing their best self forward.
- As mentioned above, they gain practical work experience that complement their interests.
- They learn to actively thrive as a responsible team member in the ‘real world’ in an area chosen by them.
- It provides them with career connections.
- It helps solidify if this is the right career choice for them prior to being further invested.
- They may receive employment income during their work term.
- It provides a deeper, richer educational experience.
- It provides opportunity for real interview experience.
- It allows them to enhance their resume and add work references to better their chances of landing a career.
I have only touched on a few benefits. As you can see, the benefits are endless for a co-op student.
However, us as the employer must remember they are only going to get out of this what you, as the agency, allows them to. Meaning, don’t just give them the menial tasks for example filing. In my years of experience of mentoring co-op students, I have them involved in many aspects of procurement. Depending on your assessment of their capabilities they sometimes are involved in a low dollar/low risk formal bid opportunity right from onset to completion of award and beyond. Whatever the limitations you set on them, set realistic goals for them. In the end you want them to have a meaningful experience and an opportunity for growth and to be in touch with the realism of the procurement world as a career and feel successful at it. We want them to walk out of the co-op placement with their knowledge, skillsets and confidence boosted.
I personally have mentored several co-op students over my career. Some from approximately a decade ago are still in touch. I find they are all in awe at the vastness of what we touch and the knowledge base we obtain about so many commodities. It is a delight to see them enter co-op procurement placement with not really knowing what it fully entails, and the passion grows within them. Most of those that I have mentored have stayed in the procurement field.
There are many hurdles to think about and overcome for both the organization and the co-op student, but the rewards far out way any challenges!! The pride you feel when you see the growth in the co-op student throughout the term is richly rewarding. The cards/notes you receive from the co-op students are priceless. Without hesitation, I strongly encourage you, and your organization, to embrace the idea and fully invest in co-op placements. If you want any further information don’t be afraid to reach out.