A procurement assistant is a person who is responsible for purchasing inventory such as supplies and equipment for a company. He or she may also be required to contact suppliers regarding orders and provide bookkeeping services as needed. To become a procurement assistant, you will need to obtain a high school diploma or a similar degree. Although you may obtain this position without a college education, it may be wise to obtain at least an associate’s degree in accounting or business. After several years of experience, there are opportunities to advance in this field as well.
Obtaining a high school diploma or its equivalent should be one of your first tasks to complete in order to become a procurement assistant. This job requires you to work with a range of different people such as suppliers and have good math skills, so you should try to take courses in language, math, communication, and writing while in high school. Courses in bookkeeping, business, and management would also be beneficial if they are offered.
Although companies may hire employees with only a high school education, some look for employees with degrees or who have had previous procurement or bookkeeping experience. It may be wise, therefore, to obtain an associate degree in accounting or business to better your chances of obtaining a procurement assistant position. Courses in this type of program will provide you the basic knowledge needed to perform accounting procedures such as accounts payable and financial reports, and you may also learn about using different computer software and equipment.
Employers in several types of industries seek to hire procurement assistants to work in mostly an office setting. Once you become a procurement assistant, you may be required to work on a full-time basis, but some positions may be part-time. In addition to have a high school or college education, employers try to hire employees who have good communication and organizational skills.
The job duties of a procurement assistant may vary based on the need of the employer. After you become a procurement assistant, you may be responsible for obtain bids for office supplies, paying for invoices, and working directly with suppliers on special orders. Although many procurement assistants work under the direction of a procurement supervisor or director, he or she has to have the ability to make purchasing decisions based on their employer’s purchasing guidelines.
After you gain at least two or three years of experience, there may be advancement opportunities available. One of the most common steps made at this point is to procurement supervisor. If you wish to move into the management field of procurement, employers often require their management team to have higher level degrees such as a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a business related field.