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Transition to the workforce from Queen’s MPA

January 28th, 2010

Today I participated in a panel on the transition from the MPA program at Queen's University to the workforce. Three other recent MPA grads were on the panel, which was moderated by Richard McKinnell. We each gave a brief presentation and the class followed up with a series of questions.

My fellow panelists work for the Ontario Public Service. One works in communications for the Minister of Health; one works in policy in the Cabinet Office; and one works as counsel in the Office of Legislative Counsel. As the only panelist who is working in the non-profit sector, I focused my remarks on my experience finding my first job after graduation.

Some advice that I gave to the class:

  • Keep your options open and stay broad. I was very focused on working for the federal government generally and joining the foreign service in particular. As a result, I passed on or didn't pursue a number of other policy-related opportunities.
  • There are lots of great charities and non-profit organizations out there, especially in Toronto. But there are also a lot of poorly-run non-profits that lack vision, focus, and resources. It is essential to do your homework on the organization, its finances and its people before and during your interview.
  • Engage with the network of MPA grads and friends of the program. I spent too much of my job search time submitting resumes online through the public, formal recruitment campaigns and not enough time speaking with current and former executives in the Ontario and federal governments.
  • On work-life balance, I noted that I don't know anyone who is very successful in their job, regardless of what sector they are working in, and who works only eight hours per day.

I really enjoyed participating in the Queen's Park session, and similar trips to Ottawa and Washington, when I was an MPA student. It was fun to come back to speak to the class.

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Posted in Autobiography, Public policy, Queen's MPA, The Third Sector

Canada’s economic future

March 4th, 2005

A former high-ranking bureaucrat at Industry Canada delivered an interesting, albeit somewhat depressing, talk today on Canada's economic future. Andrei Sulzenko, who is currently a Fellow at the School of Policy Studies here at Queen's, argued that Canada's recent strong economic growth will not be easy to maintain in the future. His discussion ranged over a number of issues, including Canadian macroeconomic policy, but focused mainly on the challenge of improving productivity through microeconomic policies. The short story is that the problems are significant and that few people in the government are paying attention to them.

Sulzenko's argument is easy to accept. He did a good job of illustrating how the drivers of past economic growth, especially adjustments due to the implementation of free trade agreements, will not be the main drivers of future economic growth. Put bluntly, the North American free trade agreements were a one trick pony. To maintain solid economic growth in the future will require harder to come by improvements in productivity. Industry Minister David Emerson is one person who Sulzenko noted has identified the basic problem.

During the discussion, many references were made to how the US has, in many respects, better microeconomic policies than Canada does. I said that I was concerned with simply trying to play catch up with the larger US market and asked whether Mike Lazaridis's focus on basic research was perhaps an example of how Canada could successfully distinguish itself from the US market.

I'm taking a class with Sulzenko in the Spring term called Canadian Policy in a North American Context. It should be great.

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Posted in Public policy, Queen's MPA

Washington recap

March 4th, 2005

Washington is a very cool city. During the three days I spent there on our class trip, I not only had a great time relaxing with my classmates, but also learned some things about America and American politics and public policy.

The bus ride down was fairly painless. It included lots of discussion with friends and watching Stand By Me, The Princess Bride and The American President. We travelled through New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia.



The organized events were great. The presenters from the World Bank and IMF were very candid. At the embassy, I was pleased to see that the presenters were late and that some had to leave early: it's nice to know that they have more important things to do! The seminars at the Brookings Institution, for the most part, were very informative and interesting. The session on American health policy was especially lively and the Executive Director of OMB Watch was very engaging. Our session with four congressional staffers was perhaps the most interesting and useful organized event, at least for me. I didn't really know who cracks the eggs for a legislative omellette in the United States. Now I better understand why things like the Byrd Amendment are so difficult to change.

The unorganized portion of the trip was also very good. Washington, especially Georgetown, where we stayed, is certainly a tourist town. I visited the Lincoln Memorial (cool), the Vietnam Memorial (awesome), the Capitol Building (protected by guys with serious weapons), Arlington National Cemetary (where JFK is buried), and two Smithsonian museums: American History (cool "Price of Freedom" exhibit) and Air and Space (lots of large, scary missiles). I found the Metro to be a clean, safe, efficient and cheap means of transportation, although we waited at the Arlington stop for an inordinate amount of time.

Two asides: first, I was disturbed by the fact that virtually all of the service workers and homeless people that I saw were black; second, our car service -- that is, an unlicensed taxi -- driver drafted a speeding fire truck through downtown Washington at 60 mph. That was crazy!

All in all, the trip was very good. It was certainly worth the money and time. Interestingly, I think that most of my classmates hold the same opinion.

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Posted in Queen's MPA, Travel

Off to Washington, D.C.

February 14th, 2005

Most of my classmates in the MPA programme are heading to the heart of American politics, Washingston, D.C. We leave on Wednesday morning and return by Sunday morning.

Thursday is the first full day of the trip. We go to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in the morning and to the Canadian Embassy in the afternoon. In the evening we meet up with some students from the Georgetown Public Policy Institute.

On Friday, we spend most of the day at The Brookings Institution. Near the end of the day we go to Capitol Hill to learn about the role of congressional staff.

Saturday is a free day for us to explore on our own. Any suggestions on where to go or what to see? Later that evening, we board the bus drive through the night and across the country, back to Kingston.

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Posted in Queen's MPA

Back to school

January 10th, 2005

Two friends are interested in taking the Queen's MPA. In an effort to help them make a good decision, I plan to blog more often about my experience in the MPA program. Today is the first day of classes in the Winter term, the second full-time term of the two-terms-and-a-bit (aka 10-month) program.

Although I was on waiting lists for the three optional courses I wanted to take this term, I am now enrolled in all three of them: Law and Public Policy, Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations, and Reforming Global Organizations.

In Law and Public Policy, taught by Beverley Baines, we are exploring introductory material on Canada's court system, legal reasoning and the relationship between the judicial, executive and legislative branches of government. The course includes a mid-term test, a major group presentation on a recent legal case and a concluding note that argues that either the courts do or do not complement the legislature. The course looks very good. If you know of any especially interesting Canadian legal cases, please post a comment.

Reforming Global Organizations consists of two basic parts: an overview of global organizations, such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; and a simulation: "the instructor will act as the Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to the Canadian Prime Minister. Canada must decide what to do about Afghanistan in a few months time. The Prime Minister wants a realistic options paper on Afghanistan well before Cabinet must make a decision. A task force will prepare it for him." Groups of students form parts of the task force. The coursework consists of a book review, a policy memo, and the group report on one issue-area considered by the task force.

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Posted in Queen's MPA

waiting list!

December 6th, 2004

I'm on the waiting list for the three optional courses that I wanted to take in Winter 2005. Pre-registration opened at 11:30 and the courses were full by 11:45. Here's hoping that I'll be able to enrol in them!

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Posted in Queen's MPA

JFH MBTI INTJ

November 26th, 2004

As part of my Management in the Public Sector course, our class used the Myers Briggs Type Indicator instrument. Jane Good, Coordinator of Career Counselling and Workshops at Queen's University Career Services, explained the MBTI to our class. I'm INTJ (slight I; clear N; clear T; slight J). I had guessed that I was INTP. I plan to meet with someone from Career Services to go over my results one-on-one.

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Posted in Autobiography, Queen's MPA

Winter 2005 courses

November 25th, 2004

I'm planning my course selections for next term. Here's my provisional list:

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Posted in Queen's MPA

Rae meets with MPA class

November 23rd, 2004

Bob Rae met with our MPA class today for about twenty minutes (he arrived late). I asked the first question: "Do you think that the funding formula for operating grants should provide incentives for year-round undergraduate education?" Mr. Rae didn't seem very interested in the idea. At first, he said that it's already a twelve month operation, with summer classes. In reply, I pointed out that University of Waterloo, which is likely a leader in year-round education, only enrolled 40 per cent of its fall enrolment in the summer term. I also mentioned that problems associated with student migration flows might be mitigated by year-round education. In response to a question by one of my classmates about employment, Mr. Rae said that he wouldn't be including an incentive for year-round education in his report (apparently he has mostly made up his mind!).

So my submission will need to be very persuasive--more persuasive than my questions and comments today were.

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Posted in Public policy, Queen's MPA

Management

October 7th, 2004

One of the instructors for MPA 809: Management in the Public Sector is retired Brigadier-General William Richard. I enjoyed his discussion of leadership today. During that discussion, he noted that one challenge faced by leaders is to know how to control their emotions (including body language). Do you know of any books or articles on body language that might help me better understand the language?

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Posted in Queen's MPA