Learning through Performance Audits
Working with the Provincial Auditor of Saskatchewan proved to be a great learning experience for JSGS MPA student, Arisha Ahmad, as she saw her classroom lessons come to life to life in the real world. Follow along as she shares her more about her internship story.
By Arisha Ahmad, MPA Student and executive internFresh out of business school, I began my Master of Public Administration at the University of Saskatchewan with the aspirations of learning how governments create value and to complement this knowledge with practical experience.
The classroom learning at JSGS was exciting, but I often asked myself: How would all this theory work in practice?
My curiosity about this question led me to the Office of the Provincial Auditor of Saskatchewan.
As an Executive Intern at this office, my work focuses on performance audits. For those unfamiliar with the term, these are slightly different from a typical financial audit.
Performance audits look at how government programs, activities, and systems operate. Are the programs achieving what they were set out to achieve? Are they efficient? And, most importantly, how can they be improved? The work is all about analyzing the performance and providing recommendations that help the government deliver better services to the people of Saskatchewan.
When I started at the auditor’s office, I soon realized that this work was going to be challenging but also incredibly rewarding. So far, I have worked on performance audits with the Public Service Commission, Water Security Agency, and Saskatchewan Health Authority.
Every audit has been a unique experience, demonstrating how government programs function from ideation to implementation. My next performance audits will be with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Trade and Export Development, Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety, and Saskatchewan Polytechnic.
The most fulfilling aspect of my job is knowing that I make a difference, even as an intern. Our performance audits are not merely a formality—they have the potential to bring improvements to government operations. Contributing to tangible improvements in public services gives me a sense of responsibility, unlike anything I have felt before.
Along the way, I have learned the value of teamwork, professional skepticism, and the importance of keeping a balanced perspective. Analyzing complex issues is not always straightforward, but the magic happens when you step back, challenge assumptions, and deliver solutions.
My work as an Executive Intern has not only deepened my understanding of governance and accountability, but also given me confidence, improved my attention to detail, and strengthened my belief in the transformative power of public service. This experience has been a valuable steppingstone, guiding me as I explore a career path focused on making a difference.