Supply Chain Management

Finding your place in the supply chain

The Government of Manitoba recently celebrated their partnership with Asper School students in their Procurement & Supply Chain (PSC) division.

Paris Fragkoulis speaks with a student
Estimated Read Time:
2 minutes
Paris Fragkoulis speaks with a supply chain student
Paris Fragkoulis speaks with a supply chain student
Estimated Read Time:
2 minutes

If you had to order 90 days of emergency supplies for the entire province of Manitoba, what would you order?

That’s just one example of the real-world complexity behind public procurement, something students at the Asper School of Business explored firsthand during a recent engagement with the Government of Manitoba’s Procurement & Supply Chain Division.

Hosted by the Asper Career Development Centre, the session brought together senior government leaders, faculty, and graduate students for an inside look at how public sector supply chains operate at scale. 

The division manages approximately $1 billion in contracts annually, overseeing everything from provincial vehicle maintenance to the purchasing and transportation of medical supplies, including maintaining Manitoba’s 90-day emergency supply warehouse.

The session brought together 35 participants, including six faculty from the Department of Supply Chain and Logistics, CDC staff, and 22 master’s students from the MSCM and MBA programs.
 

Supply chain students bring fresh insights to public service

The event was something of a homecoming for Asper MBA alum Paris Fragkoulis [MBA/16], who now acts as Assistant Deputy Minister for the division.

“It has been amazing to see Paris’ career progression since he’s been at the Asper school,” said Kelly Mahoney, Director of the Asper School’s Career Development Centre.

She noted in the last year alone, Paris hired 13 Asper students through the STEP student program, each paired with mentors, often Asper alumni themselves, reinforcing a strong culture of learning and development within the division.

Kunnal Sharma, Executive Director at PSC, said during the event that this focus on student talent has had a transformative impact.

“A lot of these students, they become our permanent employees eventually,” he said.

Paris Fragkoulis presents at a podium
Kunnal Sharma
Kunnal Sharma
When students come and join us for any kind of position, the level of confidence, the understanding, the knowledge, and the approach is very unique. Their delivery of programs is amazing.

Kunnal Sharma

Asper's Leadership in Supply Chain Talent

Throughout the session, students were introduced to future of the division, as they modernize procurement through data-driven decision-making, AI-enabled tools, and a strong focus on sustainability, social impact, and Indigenous reconciliation. 

These areas closely align with Asper’s curriculum and student interests. Dr. Bruno Silvestre, Dean of the Asper School of Business, reinforced Asper’s leadership in developing modern supply chain talent.

“We are one of only two supply chain management professional graduate programs in this country, right here in Winnipeg, North America’s supply chain hub,” said Dr. Silvestre.

“The Master of Supply Chain Management program is a powerhouse program inside the Drake Centre. Our expert professors and key location offer students a truly specialized experience you can’t get anywhere else,” he said. “It is an incredible sign of success that the Government of Manitoba sees industry expertise and undeniable value in each of our MSCM graduates.” 
 

GMAT exemptions for the Asper MSCM now available

New to Fall 2026, applicants for Asper’s Master of Supply Chain Management (MSCM) may now be eligible for a GMAT exemption.

GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) or GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) scores are not required for applicants who have successfully completed a four-year bachelor’s degree in any field of study from a recognized Canadian post-secondary institution with a minimum 3.3 admission GPA.
 

On average, MSCM graduates earn a 46% salary increase after graduating. Accelerate your career in the fast-growing supply chain and logistics sector. Domestic applications close on May 1, 2026. 

Start your application today

At UM, we encourage life-long curiosity while providing tools – inside and outside the classroom – to succeed in a rapidly changing world. Empowering learners is one of the strategic themes you’ll find in MomentUM: Leading change together, the University of Manitoba’s 2024–2029 strategic plan.