HOW TO GET THERE
Typical pathway
A typical path starts with high school courses in business, math, English, and computers. Many students then take a college or university program in business, supply chain, logistics, commerce, or a related field, though employers may also value strong experience. Early work often begins in entry-level purchasing, buying, inventory, or administrative roles, where a student can learn how to compare suppliers, track orders, and use business software. Over time, people usually build experience in negotiation, budgeting, and team coordination, and some employers may prefer additional training depending on the industry or province.
THE WORK
What you may do
Legacy duties
- Plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the purchasing activities of an establishment
- Develop purchasing policies and procedures and control purchasing department budget
- Identify vendors of materials, equipment or supplies
- Evaluate cost and quality of goods or services
- Negotiate or oversee the negotiation of purchase contracts
- Participate in the development of specifications for equipment, products or substitute materials
- Review and process claims against suppliers
- Interview, hire and oversee training of staff.
SKILLS TO BUILD
Skills used in this Career
Communication SkillsComputer SkillsInternational experienceTeam project workTeam management