Dive Brief:
- FedEx Logistics will launch an employment and talent development program aimed at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HCBUs), starting with Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU) in August 2019, the 3PL announced Wednesday.
- FedEx Logistics will open a satellite office on the MVSU campus in Itta Bena, Mississippi, where students will be hired to work part-time in customs and trade-focused roles, with opportunities for full-time employment with the company after graduation.
- "Connecting people and possibilities and developing diverse talent in the communities where we live and work are priorities for FedEx Logistics," Thanh Anderson, vice president of Global Support Services at FedEx Logistics, said in a press release.
Dive Insight:
FedEx has a history of investing in community outreach and development programs like the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, its own Junior Business Challenge for young entrepreneurs and its Purple Runway Program aimed at recruiting new cargo pilots. Likewise, the company's latest effort to reach out to HCBUs follows a similar trend.
As concerns about a growing digital skills gap emerge in the logistics and supply chain fields, firms like FedEx are opening more avenues to get young, tech-savvy talent into their recruitment pipelines. Hiring skilled workers for supply chain careers has been listed as a top challenge for the last four years in the MHI Industry Report.
HCBUs are historically underrepresented in major companies' campus recruiting efforts, despite statistics showing their graduates are consistent top-performers, making them an untapped resource for firms that value talent and increasing the diversity of their talent pools.
"Our students’ response to joining the FedEx Logistics team during their matriculation at MVSU has been tremendous. We envision a long-lasting relationship with FedEx Logistics that will be beneficial to both organizations," Jerryl Briggs, president of MVSU, said in a press release.
