During this summer of 2016, I worked as an Assistant Project Manager with the Carling Campus Project (CCP) Management Team at Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC). The Carling Campus Project is a major real property project of a total cost of 792.2 million dollars led by PSPC that will create a new Headquarters for the Department of National Defence (DND) at the current location of the former Nortel Headquarters in the Greenbelt in the West End of Ottawa. The new installations will group over 8,500 DND employees currently scattered across 40 locations in the National Capital Region (NCR). The first move for the Phase 1 Buildings will occur in the fall of 2016 and continue until the completion of the project that is scheduled for 2019/2020.

 

My responsibilities as a Co-Op Student were focused on assisting the Project Manager responsible for the Interior Fit-Up of the buildings as well as the procurement of furniture. I had the chance to discover the area of project management which is intrinsically linked to engineering but unfortunately not taught at University. I participated in the reviews of engineering drawings and reports for the fit-up of the various buildings across campus. I was also very involved with the furniture team and worked on the development of a furniture procurement strategy for Phases 2 and 3. I often got the chance to visit the construction site and enjoyed seeing the progress from an unfinished and rough interior to an almost completed building with furniture installed. I had the chance to appreciate the complexity of a large infrastructure project and I was amazed on how many people could work a single project. But believe me, all the efforts of all these individuals are useful and necessary.

 

I would like to thank all the team members at the PSPC Project Management Team that made this Co-Op experience memorable, fun and enriching both on an academic and personal level. And I’d like to highlight once again my recognition to the Schulich Foundation for all the support that allows me to have these amazing experiences. I am also looking forward to meet the new 2016 Schulich Leaders at uOttawa and exchange with them.