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The Pillars of an Award-Winning Program
Cargill was selected as a 2023 Campus Forward Award Winner for their unwavering commitment to seeking out and hiring early career talent, their emphasis on diversity & inclusion, and investments in nurturing and retaining the next generation of talent. Please see below for the highlights of their approach to early career recruitment.
Demonstrated Investment in Early Career Hiring
Cargill is redefining the way the world sees agriculture. This requires the best and brightest new talent to innovate and push the boundaries of what’s possible. Early career talent can disrupt industries through innovative, positive, and productive change. Cargill’s early career programs encourage just that. Driven by the desire for global progress, Cargill invests deeply in early talent. This investment is much more than a summer or post-grad job. Cargill’s early career programs cultivate meaningful careers that promise rich connections, extensive training, and comprehensive benefits and rewards. As a result, interns, co-ops, and associates are well equipped to take on the task of nourishing the world.
Innovative and Multi-Faceted Approach to University Recruitment
Cargill values deep partnerships, innovative technologies, and data-backed strategies to recruit tomorrow’s talent. Through intentional relationships with HBCUs, HSIs, national organizations, and partner institutions, Cargill invests in developing students far before they are ready to apply to open roles. By hosting development sessions, attending virtual and on-campus career fairs, bringing top-level executives to campus, sponsoring student-led events, and connecting with career services offices, Cargill representatives take a grassroots approach. To achieve this reach, Cargill utilizes trained representatives from the business that can speak directly to their field. But Cargill isn’t just on campus — this recruitment team has a digital footprint. Through innovative sourcing technologies, Cargill connects virtually with prospective students through strategic campaigns promoting events, sharing roles, and educating students on Cargill and the industry. Whether on campus or online, Cargill relies on data to guide key messages, recruitment platforms, and engagement techniques for successful recruitment of early career professionals.
Overarching Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
Cargill believes that we all need more diverse perspectives at the table — from executives to entry-level professionals. To build a more diverse workforce for early career talent, Cargill develops strong partnerships with HBCUs, HSIs, partner institutions, and professional organizations. Development sessions, sourcing campaigns, networking, and scholarship programs encourage a meaningful relationship between students and Cargill. It is pertinent that all candidates know that they can thrive in their workplace, which is why the early career team is intentional about integrating DEI into all programming. This involves forming diverse hiring panels, educating applicants on Cargill’s employee resource groups, investing in DEI development sessions, and connecting early talent to company executives in DEI. To further advance early talent, the company committed $6 million to the Cargill University thrive Program, funding scholarship and career readiness initiatives for historically underserved agriculture and STEM students.
Impactful Internship Program
Cargill’s university programs are designed to help the best and brightest early talent maximize their skills and learn the business from the inside. At Cargill, interns and co-ops work on real business problems across a large portfolio of projects. From labs to farms and desks to production plants, early talent is at the center of the action. They not only gain valuable experience in their daily work, but they learn from industry professionals and leaders through strategic programming. Interns/co-ops are invited into Cargill’s community through monthly newsletters, engagement events, and regular touchpoints with recruiters. To begin their experience, interns/co-ops are provided robust onboarding, including personalized learning plans and comprehensive orientation. Regular virtual development classes and networking sessions provide early talent with additional skills and larger networks. To complete their experience, interns/co-ops participate in a 3-day professional forum in Minneapolis with award-winning speakers, Cargill executives, and experiential learning opportunities.
Growth and Development of the Next Generation of Talent
Entry-level hires need adequate resources and support to build their career. With Cargill, early career professionals are given comprehensive benefits packages, mental health resources, development classes on benefit offerings, housing assistance, access to digital learning, and an invitation to join the company’s global young professional network. Each resource is provided with the intent of supporting entry-level hires in all aspects of their lives: professional, personal, and otherwise. Through their journey, they will also have a network of support. Cargill’s Young Professional Network strategically matches early career professionals with mentors that guide, encourage, and challenge them to achieve their higher purpose. Not only do mentors help entry level professionals along, but Cargill leaders foster a culture of learning and development through job shadowing experiences and temporary development assignments. Some of Cargill’s programs even have formal immersive job experiences, like the Supply Chain and Finance rotational programs.