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At Agrium, support for young employees starts at the top
arely a month into his new job at Calgary-based Agrium Inc. last January, 26-year-old Craig Marchuk didn’t expect to find himself in a boardroom enjoying a heart-to-heart chat with the CEO of the $20-billion agricultural products giant.
President and Chief Executive Officer Chuck Magro was talking with about 20 members of the company’s Young Professionals Network, sharing his thoughts on what it takes to succeed in the corporate world. But he had Marchuk at “hello.” For the new analyst in the company’s Corporate Development and Strategy department, it was proof positive that Agrium values its younger employees.
“If we’re not bringing in young people, then we run some significant risks to the commercial success of our business.” – Mike Webb, Senior Vice-President, Human Resources
“Even though he has a million things to do, he was able to take an hour of his time to talk to us,” says Marchuk. “There is not only a willingness, but a large effort from the senior team here to support young professionals.” Attracting dynamic young talent is fundamental to Agrium’s future competitiveness, says Senior VicePresident, Human Resources, Mike Webb. “There are a lot of things happening in terms of innovation and technology, and the younger generation really gets that,” says Webb. “If we’re not bringing in young people, then we run some significant risks to the commercial success of our business.”
Marchuk, a finance and economics graduate from the University of Calgary, spent the first few years of his career in the Calgary offices of two investment banks. He was attracted to Agrium after hearing from acquaintances about its great corporate culture and its emphasis on learning and professional development. That’s reflected, in part, through Agrium’s tuition reimbursement policy for work-related courses and inhouse seminars on industry issues and aspects of professional development.
The Young Professionals Network (YPN) for employees up to age 35 sets Agrium apart, says Marchuk. In a global firm with more than 15,000 full-time employees worldwide, young recruits can get lost. But YPN, which reports to Agrium’s Diversity Inclusion Council, helps its younger members communicate and collaborate across different business units to build their own networks and knowledge, he says. It organizes seminars and other events of interest to young professionals, some of which feature senior leaders. “It’s a great organization,” says Marchuk, who recently joined YPN’s executive. “You can really come together and bring some good ideas to the table.” In addition, Agrium offers three flagship programs to help new recruits develop state-of-the-art skills. Its fouryear, rotational Engineer-in-Training initiative helps new graduates combine their technical knowledge from university or college with on-the-job exposure to a variety of engineering disciplines, including chemical, mechanical, electrical, process control, and mining and mineral processing. Participants receive mentoring from an experienced engineer for the first two years. The two-to-four-year Marketers-in-Training program also rotates graduates through stints in sales, marketing and logistics – all under the guidance of a personal mentor.
ANALYST CRAIG MARCHUK WAS ATTRACTED BY AGRIUM’S FOCUS ON LEARNING
Paid internships for co-op students and new grads
Two-year rotational program for new graduates
Tuition reimbursement for employees interested in further education
20% of Agrium’s workforce is between the ages of 25 and 34
Finally, Agrium has established a sixmonth management training program in partnership with Purdue University, which boasts one of the world’s top agronomy programs. Participating employees, who will number more than 90 by the end of this year, complete components in financial management, marketing strategies, people management, health and safety, and environmental best practices before graduating with a certificate from Purdue. “We’re really proud of that,” says Webb. “Our young managers love it.” For those in the trades, Agrium manages apprenticeship programs
for instrumentation technicians, millwrights, steamfitters/pipefitters, heavy duty mechanics, industrial mechanics, and welders. The company pays for eight to nine weeks of training per year for up to four years and also provides full pay to employees while they complete their training. The company’s offerings for young professionals, he adds, are part of its overall effort to support and retain employees at every phase of their careers. “We try to put programs in place,” he notes, “that make people feel that this is still the best place for them to work.”
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