Graduate Careers

Both large corporate companies and government departments are driving huge demand for procurement professionals.

There has never been a better time to enter the procurement profession. The profession currently faces a significant skills shortage — so why not begin an exciting career where your skills will be recognised globally. Both large corporate companies and government departments are driving huge demand for procurement professionals. Procurement is now a great pathway to a business career in some of the most dynamic organisations in Australia. Salaries are growing and a wide range of flexible contractor roles are emerging.

‘Procurement is definitely still a hot career choice for young graduates. The number of students interested in joining the Coles procurement team in 2007 was overwhelming…once they understand its broad scope and how it can positively impact all aspects of the organisation, they are only too keen to learn more’, explains Craig Rooney, former Manager Strategic Procurement, Coles.

Studying and working in professional procurement provides a broad-based business education. Graduates are able to learn important skills in negotiation, strategic planning, project management, commercial management and financial management, as well as specific technical skills in procurement. What’s more, as procurement professionals master the art of ‘buying’, they also learn a lot about the art of ‘selling’. This combination leads to a crucial understanding of the most fundamental aspects of any enterprise, and that can be a launch pad to a wide variety of other business careers.

Australia now has a peak body for procurement professionals, offering world class standards. The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) Australia’s professional development programs are available to help career progression Australia-wide, and even internationally. CIPS is one of the most respected peak bodies worldwide, and its presence in Australia provides practitioners here with a variety of ways to achieve the highest procurement standard: MCIPS — an internationally recognised degree-level professional competency standard that can progress careers in procurement both here and overseas.

While this trend towards the ‘professionalisation’ of procurement has lead to increased opportunities for career progression, it also means that those in other business areas are increasingly seeing procurement as a ‘career of choice’.

The procurement profession is becoming more important to organisations as senior management realises that it not only contributes directly to the bottom line by delivering cost savings and maximising cost avoidance, but delivers best outcomes in terms of ongoing contract and performance management, and minimising risks to the organisation.

Currently in Australia, CIPS has a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate programs accredited to the MCIPS standard offered at universities such as CQ University, Curtin University, University of South Australia, Griffith University, Southern Cross University and Wollongong University. This means that upon successful completion of these programs, participants will be eligible for full membership of the Institute (MCIPS) once three years full-time procurement work experience has been completed.

CIPS is currently in the process of accrediting more universities in Australia and New Zealand, and providing more pathways to achieve MCIPS through distance education, online learning and the opportunity to study the CIPS qualifications locally. To keep up to date with all of the latest information on studying procurement (and achieving MCIPS) visit the ‘Education’ page on www.cipsa.com.au