Written by: Phil Sealy – The Pro Forum Community of Practice

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From Pay to Pathways: Building Australia’s Procurement Workforce for the Future

In my recent article, Procurement is the Strategic Engine: Why Australia Must Match Global Pay Standards, I argued that competitive remuneration is essential if we are to attract and retain high-performing procurement talent. Pay, however, is only one part of the solution. The next challenge is ensuring that procurement is no longer a profession people simply “fall into,” but one that offers structured career pathways, recognised qualifications, and the professional standing enjoyed by peers in finance, law, and engineering.

If Australia is to build a sustainable procurement workforce, we must focus on both sides of the equation: Pay + Pathways. Competitive remuneration attracts talent, but structured education and certification are what turn that talent into capability.

Current Challenges: A Profession of Chance, Not Choice

Despite growing recognition of its strategic importance, procurement remains a profession without a single coherent pathway in Australia. Many professionals enter from finance, logistics, or administration roles, developing skills on the job rather than through planned education.
The result is a workforce rich in adaptability, but lacking the consistency, visibility, and recognition that come with established career frameworks. Unlike the UK and US, which have national commercial career structures, Australia’s approach remains fragmented across jurisdictions and sectors.

The Education Stack: What’s Available Now

Vocational Education and Training (VET)
Australia already has a strong procurement-specific training pathway within the Public Sector Training Package. Delivered by providers such as Pro Leaders Academy, this pathway provides a clear learning progression:

  • Certificate IV in Procurement and Contracting (PSP40616) – entry to practitioner roles.
  • Diploma of Procurement and Contracting (PSP50616) – contract and category management with team responsibility.
  • Advanced Diploma of Procurement and Contracting (PSP60616) – for complex, high-value portfolios and leadership.
  • Graduate Certificate in Strategic Procurement (PSP80116) – strategic and executive-level focus.

University Programs
Although few universities offer standalone procurement degrees, several embed procurement and sourcing into business, law, or supply chain majors. Examples include:

  • Master of Procurement and Supply Chain Management (University of Adelaide)
  • Master of Business (Strategic Procurement) (UNSW Canberra)
  • Undergraduate majors at RMIT, Curtin, and UOW.

Professional Certifications
Global certifications strengthen procurement’s standing and provide clear signals to employers:

  • CIPS (MCIPS): the global benchmark. The CIPS 2025 Salary Guide shows MCIPS professionals earn significantly more in Australia and New Zealand.
  • WorldCC Contract and Commercial Management (CCM): increasingly vital as contract complexity rises.
  • ISM CPSM and ASCM CSCP (USA): internationally recognised certifications valued in supply chain and procurement roles.

Career Pathways: Moving from Chance to Choice

Public Sector
Frameworks in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, and the Australian Public Service are beginning to define procurement as a profession with role descriptions, certification levels, and structured learning pathways. For example, Queensland’s Procurement Certification Program and the APS Procurement and Contract Management Profession are mapping skills to role progression from officer through to Chief Procurement Officer.

Private Sector
Career structures are more market-driven but broadly follow:

Procurement-pathway

 

Employers increasingly align progression to CIPS levels, with WorldCC providing depth for contract-heavy portfolios.

Not-for-Profit Sector
NFPs face the challenge of managing contracts and grants with limited resources. Adopting scalable frameworks such as Certificate IV or CIPS Level 4 can deliver significant improvements in efficiency and transparency without overburdening staff.

International Models: Lessons for Australia

United Kingdom
The UK Government Commercial Function has established People Standards, a Commercial Career Framework, and the Commercial Fast Stream, which pays for CIPS qualifications on the pathway to MCIPS. This ensures consistency across departments and elevates procurement to a recognised profession.

United States
The modernised FAC-C (Professional) standard now sets a single tier for civilian agencies, aligned with the Defence DAWIA Back-to-Basics model. This has created a coherent and portable contracting certification system across government.

Both examples demonstrate the value of nationally coherent frameworks that combine role standards, mandated learning, and transparent pay bands.

Building the Pipeline: Attracting the Next Generation

If procurement is to thrive, we must attract Millennials and Gen Z into the profession by:

  • Highlighting purpose: procurement enables sustainability, social outcomes, and innovation.
  • Offering multiple entry routes: graduate programs, VET qualifications, career-changer pathways, and apprenticeships.
  • Funding learning: organisations must underwrite qualifications, just as the UK Fast Stream does with CIPS.
  • Fostering communities of practice: initiatives like The Pro Forum Community help retain early-career professionals by connecting them to networks and shared learning.

Australia cannot afford to treat procurement as an afterthought. Competitive pay is the starting point, but without structured education and recognised career pathways, the profession will continue to struggle with visibility, consistency, and retention.
The formula is simple:

  • Pay competitively to match global benchmarks.
  • Build pathways through VET, university programs, and professional certification.
  • Support communities to ensure ongoing development and retention.

If we want procurement to be the strategic engine that drives Australia’s success, we must ensure it is both a profession of choice and one that offers a clear, rewarding career path.

What do you think? Are pay and pathways the key to strengthening procurement in Australia? Share your thoughts below.

 

NOTE: The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter, and specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances. The content must not be relied upon as legal, technical, financial or other professional advice.