Brian LeBlanc
MPA '12
Current location
Edmonton, Alberta
Degrees
Bachelor of Arts, Saint Mary鈥檚 University Master of Public Administration, pilipili漫画
Current employment
Policy Advisor, Alberta Treasury Board and Finance
How did you get to your current position?
After graduating from the MPA program I was hired as an intern with Alberta Treasury Board and Finance (TBF). I made the move to Alberta and spent 18 months as an intern. The internship was rotational so I spent 6 months in three different areas of Alberta TBF: the office of an Assistant Deputy Minister, Capital Markets, and Tax Policy. The experiences I gained as an intern in addition to the educational background I have from Dalhousie assisted me in getting to my current position.
What skills did Dal help you develop?
Many of the courses are taught by professors who have real-world experience in the civil service and the School of Public Administration has a number of great professional development opportunities that help build interviewing and networking skills. The MPA course work assists in developing a well-rounded skill set. By incorporating accounting, economics and statistics courses in addition to policy and research-oriented courses, the Dalhousie MPA offers something that other MPA programs across Canada don鈥檛.
How was your experience in the MPA internship program?
I spent my internship working in Ottawa at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development. I supported the Trade Policy group in the work that they did. This paid internship is a great feature of the Dalhousie MPA and allowed me to learn about how policy is made at the federal level of government. The policy skills and economic analysis that I learned through the MPA provided me with an excellent foundation to build on during the internship experience. This internship also helped me to get employment with the Government of Alberta.
Any advice for future MPA students?
Work hard! The job market for both private and public sector jobs remains highly competitive and one of the best ways to distinguish yourself is to work very hard at what you do. Networking and getting to know people is important but it is more important that those people know you because of the great work you have produced.