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The Pillars of an Award-Winning Program
Kohler Co 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
Kohler Co. believes that today’s students are tomorrow’s future leaders, and its early career programs are designed to support the next generation of talent through impactful internships and entry-level programs. The company enriched its students; experiences through on-the-job training, coaching, mentoring opportunities, learning programs, and networking — all focused on helping students reach their full potential. Kohler Co. recently announced a new Community Partnership Program starting with 13 organizations across the country, including Howard University, Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund, Boys & Girls Clubs, College Possible, and several other community-based programs, to help provide educational and workforce preparedness opportunities to students. The goal is to increase access to opportunities and support students from an early age through post-secondary school and as they consider joining the workforce.
Innovative and Multi-Faceted Approach to University Recruitment
Early talent recruiting grows increasingly complex every year, and the Kohler Co. team is proud to innovate and adapt to changing conditions and student preferences. This most recent recruiting season has included a wide variety of strategies, such as in-person events, career fairs, virtual fairs, workshops, and local and national conferences. The early talent recruiting team at Kohler Co. is passionate about diversity recruiting, activating HBCU strategies, scholarships & internships with Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and engaging representatives from its diverse Business Resource Groups to attend student events. Early talent recruiting at Kohler Co. takes a “One Kohler” approach, with representatives across their many businesses involved in events and career fairs. Business leaders, former interns & co-ops, and BRG representatives are honored to spend time telling stories and discussing career exploration with students interested in Kohler Co.
Overarching Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
Kohler Co. is committed to embracing diversity, celebrating inclusion, and upholding equity for all. The Kohler Co. early talent recruiting team is proud to partner with Kohler Co.’s DEI organization and Stewardship teams to build and activate diversity recruiting initiatives. Most recently, that work included the launch of Kohler Co.’s Community Partnership Program. The partnerships cover high school and college scholarships, college and workforce readiness support, mentorship and internship opportunities, skills training, and financial literacy for people of all backgrounds and financial needs. Organizations in the program include HBCUs, College Possible, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Boys and Girls Club, and several others, ultimately aiming to impact over 7,000 students annually. And a number of these partnerships offer students internship opportunities with Kohler Co. Outside of the Community Partnership Program, Kohler Co. has partnerships with organizations such as Society of Women Engineers and Women in Manufacturing.
Impactful Internship Program
A student experience with Kohler Co. is anything but boring. Students use what they’ve learned in the classroom and apply it on real and impactful business projects. In the process, they expand their knowledge, challenge their thinking, and ignite the passion for their field of study. In addition to their day-to-day projects, Kohler’s interns and co-ops participate in the Kohler Bold Beginnings Program, a special program for students that provides additional professional development and career readiness. One week that might mean a session on personal branding, the next week it could be leading a food drive and giving back to the community, and the week after that could be a fireside chat with a Kohler executive leader. The student experience is enriched by coaching and mentoring, LinkedIn learning, learning programs, and networking. This well-rounded program is designed to offer Kohler Co’s interns and co-ops with a comprehensive developmental experience that prepares participants for the next step in their journey.
Growth and Development of the Next Generation of Talent
Kohler Co. invests in entry-level, student-centric rotational programs across departments and around the world. An entry-level rotational program is an exciting way to start a career, and Kohler Co. relishes the new ideas and fresh perspectives from recent graduates. Kohler Co’s rotational programs are designed to give new associates the opportunity to hone their skills and showcase their talent, while learning from some of the best. Kohler Co. offers a comprehensive onboarding program, formal learning programs, immediate access to diverse Business Resource Groups, coaching and mentorship, and so much more to get off to the right start.