THE FUTURE OF NCMA Student Members and Student Chapters

1
THE FUTURE OF NCMAStudent Members and Student
Chapters

• Georgia Carolina Chapter
• September 15, 2005

2
Implementation of Strategic Objective

• Objective is to connect recent college graduates
  to NCMA and to the profession
• Establishment of Student Membership Category
• Formation of University Relations and Outreach
  Committee

3
STUDENT MEMBERSHIP CATEGORY

• Adopted by Board of Directors April 2005
• To qualify, must be full-time students in an
  accredited, degree-granting institution and not
  hold full-time employment in contract management
  or a related field
• Annual Dues -- 0

4
STUDENT MEMBERS

• Receive all the benefits of Regular Members
• Contract Management magazine
• Access to local and national training/educational
  opportunities
• Member discounts
• Networking opportunities leading to possible
  future intern programs or full-time employment

5
UNIVERSITY RELATIONS AND OUTREACH COMMITTEE

• Past President Tom Kelkis is Chair
• Other members include college professors, senior
  experienced contract managers and recent college
  graduates new to the profession
• Purpose is to identify college programs with
  procurement, acquisition and contracting content
  and to connect faculty and students to NCMA

6
FOUR SUBCOMMITTEES

• Subcommittee on the Market to research,
  describe and quantify demand for recent college
  graduate entrants to the profession
• Subcommittee on Model Curriculum to develop and
  promulgate model undergraduate and graduate
  curricula in the field of contract management

7
SUBCOMMITTEES, CONTD

• Subcommittee on Student Chapter Support to
  develop policy and procedures governing the
  formation and operation of student chapters
• Subcommittee on Web Site Development and Content
  to provide virtual resources and connectivity
  by and for student members and chapters

8
CURRENT MODEL

• Student Society for Procurement, Law and
  Contracts at California Polytechnic University,
  Pomona, CA
• Operates under the tutelage of a full-time
  Professor in contract management
• Adopted by San Gabriel Valley and San Fernando
  Valley Chapters

9
WHY DID WE DO THIS?

• Key stakeholders have told us they need
  well-trained, entry level professionals
• Average Age of NCMA Member is Increasing (45)
• Contract Management is traditionally not a first
  career
• Brain Drain
• Who will replace us?

10
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

• Contract Management increasingly seen as a
  strategic core competency
• The art and science of bringing together buyers
  and sellers in the marketplace and crafting long
  term relationships between them.
• There is a challenge in crafting a mutually
  beneficial contract.

11
WHAT DOES IT TAKE?

• Contract Management demands competence in such
  areas as contract law, administration,
  accounting, psychology, management and planning.
• Organizations need to quickly identify, hire,
  orient and field entry level professionals to be
  able to deal with threats or opportunities.

12
HOW DO STUDENTS PREPARE?

• Pursue a degree in Business with emphasis in
  contract management (not yet offered by many
  schools), finance, accounting, or business law
• Pursue internships while in college with major
  corporations or local, state and federal agencies
  contracting, purchasing or accounting and
  finance departments
• Join NCMA be involved in student and regular
  chapter activities

13
WHAT CAN THEY EXPECT?

• Thousands of jobs in both public and private
  sectors contract administrator, contract
  manager, buyer, subcontract administrator,
  purchasing agent, etc.
• NCMA 2002 Salary Survey showed average member
  earned over 73K/year 2005 survey expected to
  be even higher
• Federal starting salaries 34K/year, rising to
  over 60K after 4 years experience

14
WHERE ARE THE JOBS?

• Virtually every community
• Most densely found in major urban areas where
  Government agencies and corporate offices are
  found
• Currently 168 jobs posted at NCMAJobs.com

15
HOW CAN LOCAL NCMA LEADERS HELP?

• Engage with students and professors from local
  colleges and universities
• Focus on the business school or department
• If there is interest, contact NCMA and the
  University Relations and Outreach Committee to
  discuss benefits of forming student chapter or
  adopting a contract management course of
  curriculum

16
HOW CAN YOU HELP?

• Encourage students to join NCMA
• Adopt a group of students
• Ask them to do a program for you
• Ask them to serve in a chapter leadership
  position/chair
• They are your replacements!

17
POINTS OF CONTACT

• Neal Couture, Executive Director
• Couture_at_ncmahq.org 1-800-344-8096, ext. 423
• Steve Boshears, Chief Knowledge Officer
• Sboshears_at_ncmahq.org 1-800-344-8096, ext. 410
• Tom Kelkis, Chair, University Relations and
  Outreach Committee
• thomas.kelkis_at_baesystems.com