Tractor Supply Company announced that it has been included on Forbes’ 2020 America’s Best Employers for New Graduates list. This is Tractor Supply’s first time to be named to the annual list. While this is no surprise to those of us who have watched the company put so much time and effort into the future generations of agriculture with organizations such as the National FFA Organization, it is nice to see the recognition.
“At Tractor Supply, our Mission and Values are deeply rooted in our culture, and how we treat our Team Members is key to everything we do,” said Melissa Kersey, Tractor Supply’s Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer. “We continually look for ways to live up to our Mission and Values while advancing our culture and providing new opportunities for our Team Members. It’s an honor to be recognized by Forbes for our efforts to make Tractor Supply a great place to work for young professionals. We look forward to the way our new graduates will continue to positively influence and drive our business forward.”
Tractor Supply offers a wide range of programs and development opportunities across all stages of its Team Members’ careers.
Summer Internship Program: Since 2015 Tractor Supply has offered a summer internship program at the Company’s Store Support Center, giving college and recently graduated students the opportunity to gain work experience in their field of study.
Merchandising Development Program: The Company also offers a biannual Merchandising Development Program where new graduates can enter the 12-week rotational program to gain an understanding of the relationship between key merchandising functions such as buying, marketing, pricing, supply chain, and more. Both the internship program and MDP have served as a pipeline for full-time positions.
Team Member Engagement Groups: This year the Company launched a Young Professionals resource group for the Store Support Center with plans to expand its reach over time. This Team Member Engagement Group is in addition to existing resource groups: African Americans on the R.I.S.E., Veterans Group, and Women Out Here. The Company is currently in the process of expanding its Team Member Engagement Groups to include the LGBTQ+ and Hispanic communities.
Continuing Education and Professional Development: Tractor Supply offers dozens of continuing education courses and leadership development opportunities, including a mentoring program. The Company also offers tuition reimbursement for approved degree programs.
Diversity and Inclusion Commitment: The Company launched a Diversity and Inclusion Council at the beginning of the year to promote programs focused on Team Members, welcoming environments, customers, and communities. Tractor Supply is committed to providing a diverse and inclusive culture where different perspectives, ideas and innovative thinking are fostered.
The list for the “America’s Best Employers for New Graduates 2020” was conducted through an independent survey by Statista. Over 20,000 Americans with less than 10 years of professional experience working for businesses with at least 1,000 employees were surveyed and asked via an online access panel to rate their own employer by giving their likelihood of recommendation. They were also asked to recommend other employers within their industry. The survey included questions on relevant topics such as safety of work environment, competitiveness of compensation, opportunities for advancement, effectiveness of diversity and inclusion efforts and openness to telecommuting.
