Public Works and Government Services Canada
www.pwgsc.gc.ca
Working hard to achieve results."
Whether you are a current post-secondary student thinking of possible internships and development programs, or a recent post-secondary graduate looking for ways to start a career in the federal government, start your search here.
If you have completed a student work term in the Government of Canada, you might want to market yourself to managers at Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC). Hiring former students is a fast, simple staffing option for managers.
Former college or university students employed under one of the following programs are eligible:
Candidates must have worked one term in any department. They must be "bridged" within 24 months of graduation.
These programs offer a variety of ways to gain work experience and training for graduates.
The Compensation Apprentice program is directed towards graduates interested in the field of compensation.
The FORD program trains university graduates in accounting, finance, business administration, commerce or economics to become Financial Officers.
Finally, Purchasing and Supply Interns are university and college graduates that will be trained to buy goods and services for the federal government.
Over four years of classroom training and work experience, apprentices develop expertise in pay or pensions.
The starting salary for a compensation apprentice (AS-2) is $52,520*. Those who complete the program attain the level of AS-5, which has a salary range of $73,411 to $79,369*.
*Salaries are subject to review at the expiry of the current collective agreement.
In short, they help client departments and agencies provide timely and accurate services in areas such as pay, pension and benefits. They learn and provide services in each of the three career streams:
Advice – helping employees, managers and others with issues like:
Systems – developing, maintaining and updating systems, e.g., making sure that employees receive the right amount of pay at the right time, as specified in new collective agreements. Tasks include:
Training – developing training resources to help present changes to pay and benefits staff in departments and agencies across government. Tasks include:
They also offer services in generic areas like project documentation, writing policies and procedures, presentation skills and project management.
Assignments – Apprentices "shadow" an experienced mentor during each of three 8-month assignments, providing clients with services under close supervision.
Development Periods – Apprentices work more independently, take on more responsibility and develop a specific area of expertise during one 8-month and one 16-month period.
Both periods include classroom training. Apprentices progress on the basis of their performance on periodic evaluations.
Apprentices from outside the public service must have a degree from a recognized university in discipline relevant to the program. They must also pass the Public Service Commission's Graduate Recruitment and Written Communication tests to be considered for the compensation apprentice program.
For more information: PWGSC Compensation Officer Apprenticeship Program (COAP)
The objective of the FORD Program is to train financial officers through a variety of assignments, which helps them develop their financial management knowledge, skills and competencies.
For more information: Visit the PWGSC FORD program Web site.
Over two years, interns learn the essentials of buying goods and services, including the management of contracts for clients across the Government of Canada.
The starting salary for interns (PG-01) is $39,269* per year. Upon completion of the internship the PG-02 salary is $57,802*
*Salaries are subject to review at the expiry of the current collective agreement.
Anything public servants need to get the job done. Goods range from routine items like office supplies and furniture to sophisticated lab equipment. Services could be anything from landscaping to medical testing by neuropathologists. They key is to purchase in the most transparent and efficient manner, getting the best value for taxpayers' dollars. Essentially, interns become smart shoppers, buying for Canadians on a large scale.
The learning process developed for this program provides interns with the skills, knowledge and experience to allow them to plan, negotiate and administer the contracts on behalf of the Government of Canada. It includes:
Interns usually have a university degree or an applied degree from a college with a specialization in:
Recruitment usually occurs in early to mid September, interviews are held in early January and successful candidates begin in June.
