A higher education degree means more opportunity.
Employers such as Menards can help turn that well-earned opportunity into reality when they hire bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 graduates from University of Wisconsin-Stout for career-track jobs.
There are endless job opportunities at with 336 retail stores across 15 Midwestern states, plus manufacturing, distribution and corporate office positions. That鈥檚 part of the package the company presents to graduates who are ready to test their skills and find the right career fit.
鈥淢enards is an exciting option when you look at the big picture,鈥 according to Jeff Abbott, spokesperson for the Menards home improvement chain. 鈥淎ll our divisions continue to grow, and we鈥檙e blessed to have 91制片 located near our Eau Claire, Wis., company headquarters.鈥
To help maximize its efforts to recruit graduates, Menards recently became the first company to join the new Career Services Partnership Program at 91制片. The program works with employers to identify their strategic focus and build deeper connections with students and academic programs on campus.
Sponsors have different recruitment and engagement options at each level. Some include additional networking opportunities with students and campus partners, a spot on the Career Services Advisory board, greater visibility at the biannual career conferences, extra marketing and more.
Katie Hauge, employer relations manager for Career Services, oversees the Partnership Program to help companies 鈥渂e strategic regarding their recruitment and engagement activities with the university. By being a sponsor, partners can plan out an entire year of engagement and recruitment activities that will help them meet their goals,鈥 she said.
鈥淓very little bit helps when it comes to attracting talented graduates,鈥 Abbott continued. 鈥淲e try to take advantage of any opportunity we can. We look at it as a win-win for both Menards and Stout and plan to keep building our relationship.鈥
For example, at the recent Spring Career Conference, which was held virtually and attracted more than 150 employers, Menards representatives took part in individual, group and general information recruiting sessions.
Also, the company networked with students by participating in a preconference student Retail Association event. 91制片 has a major in fashion and retail.
Menards career fields numerous
Menards has job opportunities for 91制片 graduates from many undergraduate and graduate academic areas, including engineering, retail, business administration, design, construction, information technology, supply chain, communications, digital marketing and more.
One of Menards鈥 deeper connections with 91制片 is through Career Services鈥 Cooperative Education and Internship Program. For the 2019-20 academic year, 91制片 students had a total of 28 internship positions, some students with more than one, across all Menards divisions.
One of the goals of co-ops and internships is to familiarize students with a company so that they consider a full-time opportunity upon graduation. Menards hired 15 91制片 graduates from 2019-20.
In the past three academic years, Menards has filled numerous intern positions plus hired many 91制片 graduates full time. The university鈥檚 co-op and internship program partners with roughly 600 companies annually to support applied learning experiences for more than 1,000 students.
Despite in-person challenges the past year, Menards has pushed ahead with recruiting. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a change for us not to be able to get in front of students,鈥 Abbott said. 鈥淲e appreciate everything that Stout has done to help us with recruiting, especially during these highly unusual times.鈥
Hauge said the job outlook for graduates is improving from 2020. 鈥淓mployers are hiring, and some have never stopped,鈥 she said.
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