"Why should I take the risk on a student when I am unsure of my future? What is the value to me and my organization?" These statements were directed to me when speaking to an Ottawa business manager last week. I have to admit that I have been mulling over the same issues myself. What can the Sprott MBA program offer to Ottawa businesses in these economic times? Where is our program headed and what is our strategy to endure the anticipated softening in business?

This year the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University introduced a redesigned, professionally focused MBA program that is offered in two streams: a part-time evening stream and a full-time stream that includes a required summer internship. The full-time stream is designed for candidates with less than two years of substantial work experience or those seeking a career change. The internship provides talented students with challenging, real-world experience in their area of concentration (financial management, management and change, international business) by building a bridge from their education to the workforce.

At Sprott we are reinforcing to our MBA students that the economic climate is changing. Our students are aware that they must work that much harder not only to acquire an internship, but to show their skills and talents during the course of the internship if they expect it to be a catalyst for a future position. Sprott MBA students are excited at the opportunity to perform substantive work in a field of choice and are willing to exert extra effort to obtain valuable work experience.

But what do you, the hiring organization, have to gain?

Often when organizations downsize the remaining resources are overworked. Sprott MBA Internships offer cost savings by providing high quality talent with fresh ideas to complete extra projects, easing the demands placed on full-time employees without the high salary requirements. If you do not have the financial capacity to employ a full-time staff, MBA interns can help by facilitating tasks and projects the organization would not normally have the resources to undertake. Businesses must focus on pursuing goals and growth through high-quality temporary employee support.

Does this mean that you should implement a hiring freeze for full-time employment and only focus on temporary staff? Not so; instead, now is the time to implement smarter hiring processes. Successful organizations know that reacting to market volatility without looking ahead long term will not give them a sustainable competitive advantage. You must take a long-term approach to recruiting, looking ahead several years rather than tailoring hiring to market conditions. MBA students hired now will be the directors and VPs of the future, so if hiring slows now there will be a talent shortage down the line.

An MBA internship should be looked upon as a four-month interview process to discover potential employees. Successful interns can be hired as full-time employees upon graduation, eliminating the graduate recruitment process and, in turn, saving your business time and money. Positive internship experiences now make your business more desirable in future years resulting in competition among interns to win a placement with you.

In today's economy, organizations pay particular attention to hiring those employees that have the correct fit; there is no room for error. Collaboration with the Sprott School of Business MBA program will give Sprott the insight it needs to produce MBA students that meet the needs of the Ottawa Business Community. The Sprott MBA internship program is an opportunity for businesses to develop an efficient hiring process to meet future resourcing needs and gain an edge over competition.

Joanne Kennedy is the MBA Internship Co-ordinator for the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University. If your company would like to explore Sprott MBA internship opportunities, please contact Joanne at 613-520-3461 or joanne_kennedy@carleton.ca.

To read more Business Matters article from the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University, click on

http://www.ottawabusinessjournal.com/298983383086740.php