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The Pillars of an Award-Winning Program
Warner Bros. Discovery 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
Warner Bros. Discovery’s investment in early career talent is an important cornerstone to WBD’s recruitment strategy. By identifying, recruiting, and retaining top early careers talent through internships, early career programs, and grassroots marketing campaigns, Warner Bros. Discovery is building a strong base for students and recent grads to grow and plant roots at WBD. WBD believes that an investment in early talent is an investment in the success of the company’s overall culture, financial health, and programming. Warner Bros. Discovery is proud of the work that has been done to be a best-in-class internship and early career program and a destination employer for students from all walks of life, and looks forward to what’s to come.
Innovative and Multi-Faceted Approach to University Recruitment
The University Relations team at WBD creates and executes an extensive array of offerings to attract and hire students to the organization. The team hosts exclusive in-person and virtual events for HBCU and HSI campus organizations, partnering directly with the leaders of the student orgs. The team has also created VIEW (Virtual Internship Exploration Week), which is a weeklong offering of virtual sessions for students to hear from industry leaders about their work at WBD, as well as gain exclusive insight into internships. On the technology side, the WBD DTC Tech Internship and Early Careers Program has created a robust Campus Ambassador Program (CAP) that harnesses the experiences of former program participants to tell the story of what it is like to be a part of WBD. WBD also utilizes video interviewing as part of the recruitment process to allow students the opportunity to share why they are passionate about the role beyond what’s written on a resume.
Overarching Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
Diversity and Inclusion is in the makeup of WBD. The University Relations team has created strong partnerships with organizations like the Emma Bowen Foundation, T. Howard Foundation, AnitaB, and others to ensure that students from diverse background are recruited and hired into internships and entry-level roles at WBD. Beyond just recruitment, WBD partners with the organizations to host resume and interview trainings and more. When interns are hired at WBD, one of the first events that is hosted for them is a panel with the Business Resource Groups, whose main goal is to nurture diversity in the organization. BRG members also serve as mentors to interns, as well as participants on various panels. Interns are encouraged to become involved in BRGs during the semester. WBD also hosts exclusive internships for students involved in NABJ, NAHJ, and NAJA.
Impactful Internship Program
Internships at WBD go beyond 12 weeks of work. Students are truly engrained into the culture of WBD. Interns are hired by managers who have been screened to ensure that there are tangible projects and real-world assignments for students to work on. Beyond their day-to-day responsibilities with their managers and teams, interns are offered 12 weeks of programming that includes an executive speaker series (WBD’s CEO speaks in the summer), professional development seminars, mentorship, and networking opportunities, as well as for graduating seniors an exclusive opportunity to interview and be selected for roles with hiring managers. The DTC Tech Program affords interns the opportunity to be asked back into a full-time role at the end of their internship. Throughout the internship, fun is infused through swag giveaways, movie screenings, community events, and more.
Growth and Development of the Next Generation of Talent
Entry-level hires at WBD jump right in and make an impact on the company. All hires begin with orientation and time to learn the ropes of their department. In the tech space, entry-level hires are provided with a mentor and programming for their first 6 months to ensure a smooth transition into the workforce. Continuous feedback is imperative throughout the organization, and entry-level hires are able to have career-mapping conversations with their managers. Many entry-level hires join the Early Careerist Business Resource Group. Many of WBD’s early career programs have exclusive events and programming.