Michelin has been ranked No. 7 by Forbes magazine among “America’s Best Employers for New Graduates” in 2018. This latest honor comes just five months after Forbes named Michelin the nation’s top large employer.
“At Michelin, people come for a job but stay for a career,” said Dave Stafford, chief human resources officer for Michelin North America. “In a historically competitive job market, we are honored to be named as the top automotive employer and in the top 10 among all companies that made the list.”
Among the reasons for the recognition is the tiremaker’s internship program. Michelin created its internship and co-op programs in 2015 to attract college students. Over time, both programs have evolved to create a pipeline for full-time positions. Michelin provides a full-time, 40-hour per week schedule with hands-on experience in a project that is assigned to each student, in addition to participation in community service and networking programs.
In addition to immersive training programs that offer employees hands-on experience across the company, Michelin provides formal and informal mentoring opportunities that pair employees with senior managers for coaching and leadership training. Through the “Bib Buddy” program, Michelin interns are paired with Michelin employees in a different department to provide a friendly face throughout the internship.
“As Forbes’ No. 1 Large Employer in 2018, we truly care about creating a purpose-driven culture where all employees feel empowered by their individual contributions and their impact on the company,” Stafford said. “The Michelin New Hire Network helps connect young professionals with their peers and with other leaders to foster an engaged workforce where new graduates can make meaningful contributions soon after they arrive.”
With more than 20,000 employees and 19 major manufacturing plants in the United States and Canada, Michelin engages young professionals through a wide range of opportunities to use paid volunteer hours at organizations of their choice in addition to scheduled service events with Habitat for Humanity and the United Way.
Michelin also focuses on innovative recruiting strategies for manufacturing roles. Michelin works to attract high school students who are interested in mechatronics and electronics with hands-on learning experience through its Youth Apprenticeship program. Participants receive a minimum of 2,000 hours of on-the-job training with a Michelin mentor, in addition to 240 hours of related instruction at a career center.
Michelin’s Technical Scholars program provides high school graduates who are enrolled at a skilled technical program at a community college with hands-on experience through a part-time job at a Michelin plant. Michelin covers all tuition, fees and books, providing students with an opportunity to graduate without student loans. Upon graduation, participants are eligible for entry-level employment with salary projections beginning at $54,000.
Forbes’ inaugural “America’s Best Employers for New Graduates” ranking is based on an independent survey from a sample of more than 40,000 U.S. employees working for companies with at least 1,000 people.
Click here to see the complete report from Forbes.
