What it’s like to intern at CPCS
Spotlight on inspiring CPCS interns: Meet Michael Ludwik, who’s pursuing a degree in Business Management and Marketing at Carleton University.
CPCS is the best kept secret in town. A successful global business management firm right in Ottawa.
I’m Michael, an amateur hockey player with a dream to make it big in the business world.
I recently had the opportunity to complete an internship at CPCS and do hands-on work on infrastructure projects and data analytics. CPCS is a global management consulting firm that helps leaders realize their infrastructure aspirations specific to transportation, power and public-private partnerships.
Putting your leadership to work
The CPCS internship formula is simple. They throw you in a shot-calling position, let you experiment and then help you grow even stronger.
CPCS aims to nurture leadership in their interns. They want students who want to get things done. As the captain of a hockey team, this was music to my ears.
In my first week, I shared with my supervisor what I wanted to explore, which is consulting and advisory services. He promptly tasked me to conduct a large internal audit covering hundreds of project files — a big responsibility for an intern. Given that I had never been exposed to transport and power development, I must admit I was a little overwhelmed at first.
Thankfully, my supervisor anticipated my growing pains and provided me the resources to help me tackle this challenge. The training allowed me to effectively evaluate the firm’s many ongoing infrastructure projects. Since then, I’ve worked with consultants on projects around the world.
Adopting a teamwork mindset
Beyond leaders, CPCS looks for colleagues who can work as a team.
For someone who fought for every inch on the rink with the same teammates for the past few years, it felt great to experience such solidarity during my four-month stay.
At CPCS, knowledge-sharing and transparency are the norms, even as we work on wildly different projects. Every other week, consultants gather and tune in to learning sessions. Just last week, I learnt how we helped the president of a country save US $50 million on oil contracts. Not too bad, eh? These knowledge-sharing sessions are more than an occasion to learn trivia over company pizza though. It’s about the essence of what CPCS does, which is to find the best possible solutions for growing economies.
My two cents for a successful co-op at CPCS
CPCS wins a lot, and so will you.
Show them that you embrace the same values that made CPCS a success story. Show them that you know when to take charge and when to put the team first. If you’ve ever played or watched hockey, you’ll know what I’m talking about.
CPCS is always hiring new talent. Be the next to snag an internship at our management consulting firm! See our co-op opportunities.
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