Toronto Transit Commission: On Track for Consistency and Capacity

The Challenge

In 2013 both Purchasing and Sales and Project Procurement staff at TTC identified a need for comprehensive procurement training.  The challenge they faced was that, because the two groups operate somewhat independently within very different areas of procurement for the corporation, each had different needs from a training program.   While Purchasing and Sales staff focus primarily on procuring goods and related services for the transit operations and facilities, Project Procurement folks focus on capital construction projects and related services such as architectural design and engineering. To complicate matters, each group had a mixture of very seasoned, experienced procurement staff and new recruits with varying backgrounds and credentials in the supply chain field.

The Procurement School Response

After much discussion and consultation with key staff, The Procurement School Public Sector Procurement Program was deemed to be the best fit, and by customizing two different versions for the two very different audiences, The Procurement School was able to ensure the training was tailored to their individual needs yet provided consistency and continuity between and across departments.  TTC-specific policies and templates were embedded into the course materials for extensive use during program delivery, and different case studies were crafted for each audience.  With the added benefit of national accreditation, the PSPP provided participants with a recognized Certificate applicable far beyond their work for the TTC.