What does a day in the life of a procurement and contract management trainer and assessor and consultant look like?
Today I catch up with procurement and contract management guru Angi Wirtitsch what it takes to excel in procurement and contract management.
Angi is our lead procurement and contract management trainer and assessor for the Certificate in Procurement and Contracting, Diploma of Procurement and Contracting and Advanced Diploma of Procurement and Contracting. I have had the privilege of knowing and working with Anj a consultant and as a trainer and assessor for over 15 years. So I thought it would be great to find out more about Anj and why she has taken up a career in in procurement and contracting.
Michael Young: Tell us about yourself?
Angi Wirtitsch: Angi Wirtitsch is my name but most people call me Anj. I am currently living in Aotearoa (New Zealand) and live on South Island, 45 minutes out of Christchurch, in small friendly, beach side community. Some of my family also reside in the same community and some are in Christchurch, Adelaide, Canberra, Melbourne and Queensland.
AW: It is not unusual for me to flit across the Tasman to visit family and undertake a work assignment either for Government or Commercial sector whilst I am visiting.
As an avid learner I am keen to improve my te Reo Māori language skills and some of my interests include reading, travelling, walking along the beach, getting creative and making things and catching up with friends over coffee. My family is very important to me. It would not be unusual to find a grandchild staying with me over some weekends.
MY: What courses did you do to get to where you are?
AW: I have been involved in Adult Education in some shape or form for the past 15 plus years and it would not be wrong to say that I like to keep my hands dirty and keep up with industry requirements by keeping my practical skills current. I primarily specialise in Procurement and Contracting, Asset Management, Project Management and Risk Management.
I have been a facilitator and assessor with Transformed since 2012 where I have been teaching Procurement and Contracting face-to-face and assessing e-learning and recognition of prior learning candidates from the Certificate IV through to the Advance Diploma levels. I am a holder of all 3 Procurement and Contracting qualifications myself and have also undertaken my training for those qualifications via e-learning, face-to-face and completed a recognition portfolio for some units of competency.
MY: What are you currently working on?
I am currently providing specialist guidance advice to the Institute of Asset Management (UK) on Supply Chain Management. This assignment involves research, compliance and alignment with various standards in Infrastructure Asset Management and Procurement and Supply Management.
MY: What does a typical day look like for you?
AW: My days are never the same. I currently teach from home on some days, assess candidates submissions and work on my research and guidance material three nights a week and over some weekends. I provide procurement recommendations to Councils in New Zealand and Australia on an as needs basis. Thursday evenings I attend my te Reo Māori classes. I make sure I can squeeze in a beach walk and language study on most days. There are days I may pick up the grandchildren from school. I love my work and doing what I am currently doing enables me to have the flexibility and variety I need to find the work challenging and enjoyable.
MY: What are your plans for the future?
AW: xx
MY: The best thing about working in procurement and contracting is…
AW: I love seeing people learn and gain the right skills, using best practice methods so they have the knowledge to discern when something is not correct and be able to challenge and ask questions as to why things are done in a certain way. I have been fortunate to have learned and worked with the best and feel it now my turn to give back what I have learned and use in industry today.
MY: If you could give someone who was thinking about making a start in procurement and contract management – what would it be?
AW: I do not believe you have to be in a Procurement or Contracting role in order to undertake the Certificate IV qualification. I look for ways to ensure all of my candidates are given enough information to be able to research and find examples to complete their studies. There are people that wish to change from Industry to government or are seeking work and having the right skills gives them an edge when apply for a position. If you set your mind to something, are given the right support along the learning journey, you can achieve anything.
MY: Thanks Angi for catching up today and filling us in on what you do.
You can connect with Angi on Linked In.
