Could a Rotational or Development Program be the right post-grad job for you?

May 22, 2019 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

If you are graduating (or have already graduated) and have not heard about rotational or leadership development programs before, read on! They may be the perfect solution for establishing yourself as a professional while enhancing your exposure to a given company and enhancing your growth potential within it. So what are they exactly?

Rotational programs provide new graduates with the opportunity to explore the various functions of an organization. By the time you have completed the program, you should have a well-rounded understanding of how the organization operates and how different departments interact.

Development programs offer a slightly different experience but are also a powerful step to launch a career. The programs are designed to accelerate career growth, personal development, and early roles of responsibility.

Here are some examples of employers that offer programs like these:

Other examples include:

Aviva – Global Graduate Leadership Programme
Bell Canada – offers five different programs
Emco – Management Development Program
HSBC – offers seven different programs
J. D. Irving – Career Track
Labatt – Global Management Trainee Program, Logistics Development Program, Brewery Development Program, and Sales Development Program
RBC – offers new-graduate programs and RBC Indigenous Peoples Talent Development Program
Restaurant Brands International (Tim Horton’s & Burger King parent corporation) – Leadership Development Program
Scotia Bank – Associate & Rotational Programs
Scotia Bank Global Markets – Sales & Trading Rotational Program
Turner Drake & Partners Ltd – Trainee Real Estate Counsellor

How to apply

Most graduate rotational and leadership development programs conduct their application and hiring process in September, some start even earlier. If you are interested in learning more or want to apply, visit the site links provided above and look for relevant job postings on myCareer under the Career Services section of the site. You may also have the opportunity to connect directly with recruiters for these companies on campus before you graduate, as some may be hosting information sessions or participating in career fairs. Check the myCareer event calendar to see the full event list and register to attend.

Student Spotlight: Sam Dyson and Michele Megannety

April 3, 2018 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Sam Dyson is a second year CRMBA student who took the initiative to plan a networking trip for himself to Toronto. He was able to organize meetings to reconnect with colleagues from his past and discuss future career opportunities for himself.

Sam was fortunate enough to arrange a meeting with the Member of Parliament for his home riding, Julie Dabrusin. He served as a candidate’s aide for her during the 2015 Canadian Federal Election and was able to discuss with her his short-term future. As a result of their meeting, Sam and Ms. Dabrusin have planned to connect while she attends a convention in Halifax this month.

Sam also arranged a meeting and tour with Borealis Wind, a start-up company in the renewable energy sector. Sam has an interest in renewable energy sector careers and was able to make a strong connection stating, “After the tour, I spent about an hour and a half with Daniela Roeper, CEO, and Kyle Pearson, Business Strategist.”

Sam’s initiative paid off, as he described his interactions with Borealis Wind by saying, “I feel that we were able to develop a rapport and social connection based on our meeting, and it is my hope that as the company grows I may be able to support and/or join them in the long-term.”

Sam also connected with his former supervisor John Allen from Global Public Affairs who, “also holds an MBA and provided some very helpful wisdom and advice on career planning.”

After their meeting John Allen connected Sam with Michael MacTaggart, who is also Sam’s former supervisor. Michael MacTaggart mentioned to Sam that he was looking to fill a position with Global Public Affairs in Ottawa and encouraged Sam to apply.

Sam’s final meeting was with an associate from Sustainalytics. Sam was excited by this visit as he refers to this company as, “an ideal destination given its status as the top pure-play sustainability research firm worldwide.”

The initiative Sam took in organizing his own networking trip allowed him to tailor his networking experience. This meant that Sam was able to connect with colleagues and employers he was truly interested in and help to build a network that will help him along his career path.

Michele Megannety is a second year CRMBA student who used the recent Toronto Connects Tour to explore her interest in third party logistics and freight forwarding. Michele was able to connect with several companies which allowed her to grow her network within her field of interest.

Michele first met with Panalpina World Transport. From this meeting she gained contacts with Damco and Kuehne + Nagel that are willing to connect with her in the future. This meeting also provided Michele with a better understanding of how the supply chain industry operates in Canada.

During her meeting with Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation, Michele met with Dalhousie CRMBA alumni Sean Butler who encouraged Michele to apply for an Approvals Manager position which allowed her to interview with their VP and Director of Sustainable Development.

Michele completed her Corporate Residency with Aon and viewed her meeting with them during the tour as a chance to reconnect noting, “I met with one of the Marine Brokers in the Toronto office and was able to learn more about the companies they are doing business with and the operations of that office.”

After the Toronto Connects Tour, Michele was considering taking a position with Aon in Halifax and described her tour experience as helpful. “If I take a position in Halifax, I will be working with this group from time to time and therefore this was a great opportunity to put faces to names and build my internal network.”

In the end Michele accepted her job offer and starts working with Aon in June.

Sam and Michele both used their networking experiences in Toronto to learn more about potential careers, gather industry and company intelligence, and make connections while doing so. To learn more about the Toronto Connects Tour visit our website.

Alumni Spotlight: Phill Stanley

February 6, 2018 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Phill Stanley is an alumnus of the Bachelor of Commerce program. He graduated from Dalhousie in 2014 with a major in Marketing Management. Phill first heard of DHL at an information session they hosted at Dalhousie in the spring of 2014. After he attended the information session and he was asked to interview for an Operations Supervisor role. After additional interviews, he was offered the role based in Langley, British Columbia.

Phill describes his experience with DHL as very positive. After starting as an Operations Supervisor in Langley, BC where he helped provide third party logistics services for Overwaitea Foods, he was given the opportunity to move to Calgary and start up a new distribution center for Cabela’s Canada.

Working with Cabela’s, Phill has been exposed to many different aspects of their supply chain operations, from inbound procurement, to inventory management, and outbound order fulfilment. Phill’s role further expanded to involve managing highly regulated firearms and dangerous goods such as ammunition, primers, and powders. Phill says he became more involved with systems testing and continuous improvement. This eventually led him to his current role of Systems Manager where Phill is now responsible for all IT aspects of the distribution center, including systems integration, IT project management, and process improvement.

Phill went on to say that “DHL has also given me the opportunity to work with other clients that use our services. In 2016, I spent time in Memphis, Tennessee where I supported the opening of a new Nike distribution centre. This year I’m working with two new clients that are building distribution centers in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.”

When asked if he would recommend a career with DHL to current students Phill said he would and that, “DHL is growing rapidly and the amount of opportunities available within our company are increasing. Most people do not realize how much of a role DHL plays in our daily lives. Some of our clients include Shopper’s Drug Mart, Shell, Smuckers, P&G, and Nike. We continue to see a trend in companies outsourcing their supply chain operations to third party logistics specialists such as DHL and this will only increase with the trend towards E-commerce. A career with DHL will provide you with the foundation of skills needed to compete in today’s modern logistics industry and give you an opportunity to advance your career quickly”.

Phill says the greatest benefit of working with DHL is getting to work with a company that is the largest in the logistics industry with global connections and opportunities in all areas of business. “Whether you are in accounting, finance, marketing, or engineering, DHL can provide you with a career in all of these areas. DHL has already given me the opportunity to work across North America and there are many opportunities abroad. If you are a highly motivated, flexible, individual looking to advance your career, DHL can provide you with the opportunity to achieve this”.

DHL is hosting an information session on February 8^th at 6pm in the Rowe Building. Register now on myCareer.

Get involved with these government employment programs!

October 2, 2015 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Interested in gaining experience in, or finding full time post-grad employment with a government organization? The Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP), the Post-Secondary Co-operative Education and Internship Program and the Post-Secondary Recruitment (PSR) program gives federal organizations a chance to find you! Learn more about these programs and the benefits of applying!

Federal Student Work Experience Program

What is it?
The Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP) provides students with learning opportunities through valuable, hands-on work experience. Interested students can apply to the national FSWEP inventory by creating an account and completing all listed requirements. When a federal government organization submits a request to fill a job position, students from the inventory are selected based on the required job criteria (e.g., education, language, skills, work location, etc.). The student is then contacted to confirm their interest in the job, and if selected by the requesting organization, is invited for tests and interviews, as required.

Who will it appeal to?
This program is open to full-time secondary or post-secondary students in a recognized institution who are returning to full time studies in the fall. Students are not required to have previous work experience in order to apply. While non-Canadian students may apply to co-op/internship work opportunities, preference is given to students who are Canadian citizens. If your citizenship status changes to Canadian citizen after applying, please update your applicant account.

What kind of opportunities are available?
Jobs can be offered on a full or part-time basis. Jobs are offered from a number of employers from different fields, such as Transport Canada Civil Aviation, Natural Resources Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Royal Military College of Canada, etc. When applying to the general FSWEP inventory, students can also request to be included for consideration in the departmental programs.

When is the application deadline?
The deadline to apply is October 31, 2015, 23:59 Pacific Time. Please note that students must apply to the FSWEP every October to be included in the inventory.

Where can I find out more?
For more information, visit: http://jobs-emplois.gc.ca/fswep-pfete/index-eng.php

Post-Secondary Co-operative Education and Internship Program (CO-OP/Internship)

What is it?
The Post-secondary Co-operative Education and Internship Program (CO-OP/Internship) is a way for students to gain hands-on experience in their fields of study with federal organizations.Students can apply for a co-op or internship work placement by becoming approved by their on-campus co-op/internship program and consulting campus job posting boards.

Who will it appeal to?
This program is open to students recognized as having a full-time status by their academic institution. The student must also be enrolled in a co-op/internship program that the federal government has been approved to hire from. Only work terms necessary for graduation may be completed in the Public Service of Canada. While non-Canadian students may apply to co-op/internship work opportunities, preference is given to students who are Canadian citizens.

What kind of opportunities are available?
Co-op opportunities last four months, while internship assignments may vary from four to eighteen months. Federal organizations may offer students back-to-back work terms if approved by the student’s academic institution.

When is the application deadline?
The application deadline depends on the individual job position posted. Please check with your university co-op coordinator/center for individual job post deadlines.

Where can I find out more?
For more information, visit: http://jobs-emplois.gc.ca/coop/index-eng.php

Post-Secondary Recruitment Program

What is it?
The Post-Secondary Recruitment (PSR) program launches and furthers the careers of university and college graduates by offering a range of jobs within the federal government of Canada. Requests for candidates from the PSR campaign take place throughout the year. PSR uses the Public Service Entrance Exam (PSEE) for most of its jobs and inventories. The PSEE includes unsupervised internet tests and supervised online tests (in person). The PSEE can only be written once per PSR campaign.

Who will it appeal to?
Anyone with a post-secondary education is eligible to apply. Student graduating in the spring, are also eligible to apply. While non-Canadian students may apply to co-op/internship work opportunities, preference is given to students who are Canadian citizens. If your citizenship status changes to Canadian citizen after applying, please update your applicant account.

What kind of opportunities are available?
Opportunities are available at specific federal organizations. Applicants can also get added to a number of career inventories.

When is the application deadline?
The deadline to apply is October 6^th, 2015. Internet testing will occur during mid-October, 2015 and in-person testing between November 2015 and early January 2016.

Where can I find out more?
For more information, visit: http://jobs-emplois.gc.ca/psr-rp/index-eng.php

Want to get involved with these government programs? Apply through Dalhousie by logging onto myCareer and searching the Career Services job posting ID #49842!

RBC Career Launch Program: Kick Start Your Future!

October 23, 2014 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

“Can’t seem to get your foot in the door? RBC Career Launch is the opportunity you’ve been looking for! It’s a year-long, paid, first career experience and development program designed to help develop your resume and prepare you for long-term career success.”

2 years ago, Mallory McKenzie had just completed her internship with Summerhill while in the Bachelor of Management program and was looking for post-grad career opportunities. Upon learning about RBC Career Launch, Mallory wrote the required essay and applied online through the program’s website. Her application was selected and Mallory was interviewed for the position.

Once the interview stage was complete, Mallory was accepted into the program.

The RBC Career Launch program spans 12 months and is separated into three “rotations”:

The first rotation spans months 1-6 and involves fundamental training within personal and commercial banking.
The second rotation spans months 7-9 where the student participates in a secondment with an RBC charitable partner.
The final rotation spans months 9-12 and includes a functional experience where students can work on a project in a specific area at RBC (such as Human Resources).

Mallory has almost completed her second rotation where she is currently volunteering in Fund Development at Phoenix Youth Program: a Halifax based non-profit organization that provides guidance to at-risk youth:

“It has been very interesting and so different from anything I have done before. They are a really great organization and I’m happy to be able to contribute to their work.”

Mallory is looking forward to her third rotation of the RBC Career Launch program where she will be working on a commercial banking project at RBC’s regional office.

More information as well as applications for the RBC Career Launch program can be found and submitted through the RBC Career Launch website. The deadline to apply for the 2015 RBC Career Launch program is on October 27^th, 2014 at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Student Spotlight: Garrett Jung

October 21, 2014 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Meet Garrett Jung, a graduate of the Bachelor of Management Internship program who landed a job after graduation by using the skills and experience that he gained from his internship. Garrett completed his 8-month internship at Alliance World Transport, helping him identify his career path and gaining experience in the field. From this internship, Garrett gained insight on the sales industry helping him focus his grad job search and securing a job. Here’s what Garrett had to say about how his internship experience contributed to his success:

“If you were thinking about doing an internship I would highly recommend it. I learned a lot of professional skills and grew as a person from the experience. The extended time frame allows you to take on larger roles in the company and become more involved in daily operations. During my internship, I learned more than at my past six summer jobs combined. The internship program is a great opportunity that you don’t want to miss.”

“My ideal career is in the sales industry, for recreational products in particular. My internship allowed me to gain an insight on what a role in business-to-business sales entails. This helped me identify a career path before entering the market, and gave me the experience required to secure a position in sales with MSC Industrial Co.”

If you’re a second-year MGMT student and are interested in applying for the internship program, visit the Bachelor of Management Internship Program page of Dalhousie’s website for more information on the program including how to apply.

The Internship Program application period opens in January 2015. The application deadline is set for January 29^th^.Stay tuned for more information!

Alumni Spotlight: Gray Little

October 15, 2014 Andrea McKay Leave a Comment

Gray Little graduated from the CRMBA program in May and currently works for Procter & Gamble (P&G) as an account manager. Although Gray now works in marketing, his focus while on his corporate residency with BMO Capital Markets was on the banking sector.

At BMO Capital Markets, Gray was assigned projects that pushed him outside his comfort zone; something that he claims was very valuable and helped him become successful after his corporate residency was over:

“BMO has a great culture, I accomplished a lot and made some great connections. I was given the opportunity to have a lot of responsibility and to learn new skills, especially when I was given tasks that were out of my comfort zone. Although challenging, those experiences helped me gain confidence, take initiative, and recommend changes while working on projects.”

“Participating in the CRMBA program will lead you to great things. Even the smallest skills you learn will affect your professional career. For me, it was learning how to develop a strong elevator pitch. On Interview Day, it was my pitch that caught the attention of BMO.”

“Your corporate residency will help you step outside the box and feel more confident in the workplace. More importantly, it will give you a good idea of what you want to focus on with your career. It will help you realize what you are good at and what profession you truly want to pursue.”

Using the skills he gained while on his corporate residency, Gray later attended a P&G information session on campus where he spoke with P&G representatives. By showing initiative and networking, Gray was able to have a good conversation with the representatives which increased his interest in working for P&G. The conversation he had during the information session lead him to apply for a positon at P&G online. Gray was hired soon afterwards.

Through the career development skills he gained during his corporate residency and the valuable company insights he received during the P&G information session, Gray has become a strong member of the P&G team.

For more information on career opportunities with BMO, visit the Career Opportunities page of their website.

For more information on career opportunities with P&G, visit the Careers page of their website.

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