Early Talent Programs
Challenge
With an aging workforce, Albemarle recognized the need to recruit young professionals to fill our talent pipelines as experienced workers retire. We also saw our Early Talent Programs as an effective way to recruit diverse young professionals.
Actions
Albemarle has established three Early Talent Programs with the goal of transitioning students from these programs into full-time roles. An Early Talent Recruiter, who is focused on strategically placing students to both grow Albemarle’s talent pipeline and attract diverse talent, manages these programs.
Annually, we have summer interns and engineering co-ops working at Albemarle sites across the U.S., where they gain hands-on experience and build valuable relationships while contributing to Albemarle's initiatives.
In 2018, LAUNCH was created as an internal rotational program inviting select previous intern/co-ops to accelerate their development through unique experiences. These recent graduates commit to three assignments over the course of two years, one being international. With assignments tailored to fit each participant’s interests and skillsets, this program makes Albemarle more competitive by enticing top talent to begin their careers here.
Students are recruited into the Early Talent Programs through our annual campus tour, carried out by the Talent Acquisition team. The team typically visits about 10 campuses a year, including two historically black universities.
The team also attends national conferences, designed to connect companies with minority candidates, to find students. These conferences are typically run by organizations that also have student groups on campuses, so Albemarle collaborates with those groups to offer sponsorships and provide speakers for events.
Outcomes
Our early Talent Programs are proving effective in recruiting a young, diverse workforce. An average of 55 students/early graduates participate in the Early Talent Programs annually. In 2019, 18 graduating seniors were offered full-time positions. Of those offered positions, 53% were female and 32% were an ethnic minority.
Contact
Timitra Hildebrand-Jones
Quote
We are committed to a culture where our values are clear, all are welcome to collaborate and contribute, and our differences are celebrated as a competitive advantage. We know that great change comes with great commitment. Through this pledge and our collective commitment to our values and our action plan, we will use the power of diversity and inclusion to strengthen Albemarle and our communities.