Centre for Career and Personal Development Degree Profiles

Operations Management oversees all activities directly related to making a product or providing a service. This functional area is responsible for the processes that transform or convert inputs of materials, equipment, energy, information, and human skills into goods and services that satisfy customer needs. This includes business processes (purchasing, order entry, billing, recruiting, training, payroll, etc.) where the immediate customers are primarily internal to the organization. Large portions of the organizational resources (labour, capital, and materials) are devoted to or allocated by the operations function. The curriculum will often include hands on industry-based projects.

The objectives of the OPMA concentration are to:

• demonstrate the applicability of operations management concepts within organizations
• provide an understanding of the design and implementation of systems for planning, controlling and continuously improving operations
• demonstrate the applicability of analytical aids for managerial decision-making

Verbal and written communication - Ability to summarize, condense and organize ideas and information; Ability to articulate, explain, and teach technical information to others; Ability to question and probe to improve business processes;  Communicating Business process Improvement(BPI) Methodology and Tools ; LEAN principles

Organization and attention to detail- Independent worker, ability to meet deadlines; demonstrate precision and accuracy in data collection and observation; data, time and resource management

Problem-solving - Defining and solving problems; Approaching topics and problems from various perspectives; Analyzing multiple dimensions of a problem; Decision making skills; Advanced quantitative abilities; Trouble shooting

Interpersonal - Working in a team; oversee, supervise and contribute to a project

Research - Analyze and evaluate information; interpretation of trends from results; gather and access data

Please note some of these positions may require further training, certification or education. Check out the occupational profiles to review the full details for the occupations that interest you at alis.alberta.ca/occinfo

• Operations Manager
• Operations Analyst
• Supply Chain Manager
• Purchasing Agent
• Buyer
• Industrial Buyer
• Logistics Manager
• Supply Chain Analyst
• Transportation Manager
• Procurement Manager
• Production Manager
• Process Improvement Consultant
• Quality Assurance Analyst
• Process Manager
• Business Continuity Planner

• The Association for Operations Management (APICS)
• Canadian Operational Research Society (CORS)
• Supply Chain Management Association (SCMA) 
• American Society for Quality (ASQ) 

Student Clubs

• Commerce Undergraduate Society

• Enactus Calgary 

• Operations and Supply Chain Management Association 

• Women in Business

Aligned Majors

• Business Analytics

• Computer Science

• Economics

• Finance

• Marketing

• Mathematics

• Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources

Formal Career Assessments like the Strong Interest Inventory and the Myers Briggs Type Indicator can be helpful tools for your career development.  These assessments have been used for decades to help individuals choose a major, explore career options during and upon completion of a degree and to further understand yourself in relationship to the world of work.  Inquire with Career Services if you are interested in these formal assessments.

Faculty Contact

Haskayne School of Business
Scurfield Hall, 351
T: 403.220.6593
E: undergraduate@haskayne.ucalgary.ca 
W: haskayne.ucalgary.ca

Haskayne Career Centre
Scurfield Hall, 350
T: 403.220.6743
E: careercentre@haskayne.ucalgary.ca 
W: haskayne.ucalgary.ca/services/career-centre/welcome

Career Services
MacEwan Student Centre, Room 188
T: 403.220.8020
E: csstdnt@ucalgary.ca
W: ucalgary.ca/careers