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The Pillars of an Award-Winning Program
NFI Industries 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
Students that are graduating from college or about to graduate are some of the most eager and motivated individuals to walk into an office on any given day. They take advantage of opportunities to further their development as they are entering the workforce, and offer their unique perspectives as a younger generation. NFI recognizes the diversity of thought and experience that this early career talent has and this is why NFI continues to invest in intern programs, post-graduate programs, and even high school co-ops. NFI provides these individuals with growth opportunities to ensure they are poised for success as future leaders.
Innovative and Multi-Faceted Approach to University Recruitment
NFI’s Talent Pipeline team recruits through multiple channels. Through RippleMatch, NFI is able to connect with a wide audience of candidates that are interested in supply chain. The company hosts unique info sessions that are not only about NFI, but also come with an added bonus, whether it is talking about acing resumes and interviews or engaging in Q&A with a leader in the company about their business line specifically, or hearing from past interns and trainees about their experiences having gone through the program in the past. This provides NFI an opportunity to make that early impression on the students and to make connections with them as the recruiting process continues. Additionally, NFI participates in job fairs, both virtual and in-person, to engage with prospective interns and early talent for the company.
Overarching Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
NFI’s D&I initiatives stretch far beyond a typical full-time employee. As it relates to early career talent, NFI partners heavily with RippleMatch to ensure it is reaching a diverse candidate pool for entry-level talent. Additionally, NFI connects with a number of vocational/technical and work-study curriculum schools to provide younger students with opportunities to engage in the supply chain industry early in their careers, partnering with leaders in the company to gain mentorship and learn professional skills. Lastly, throughout the year, the young talent has had the opportunity to engage in monthly D&I initiatives, such as Pride Month, to celebrate the diversity that is alive within the company. As it has begun to launch employee resource groups, NFI is hopeful that a group on the horizon will have a central focus toward connecting and growing young professionals.
Impactful Internship Program
One of the most common sentiments of feedback from NFI’s interns year after year is that they were ecstatic to have been able to gain hands-on experience in the real-world supply chain industry. The interns are treated like full-time employees, hitting the ground running on the floor or in the office learning the day-to-day professional skills and systems they need to be successful. The interns get to show off their projects through a final presentation at the end of the summer. Throughout the internship, they have full access to all learning & development opportunities that are offered during the duration of their internship, in addition to specifically catered opportunities for their cohort including guest speakers, training, LinkedIn Learning, and networking. Lastly, the interns not only have their local leadership as a resource, but have the Talent Pipeline team as a resource for development or making connections.
Growth and Development of the Next Generation of Talent
Many of NFI’s entry-level opportunities have a funnel of talent through Trainee programs in operations (Transportation and Distribution) or shared services (Sales, IT, and Engineering). The operations programs have a structure built to ensure the trainees are getting foundational supply chain experience and shadowing. They provide accelerated leadership learning opportunities to prepare the trainees for the supervisory roles they are likely to be promoted into. The shared services roles provide cross-functional rotations within their department so their trainees are educated on the different ways they support each business line. The programs also clearly define the career path of the role or roles they get promoted into upon completion of their program. These programs have gained traction at NFI and are continuing to grow within the programs that already exist and across other departments.