Catching up with our New Grads – how they’ve made their career goals possible
We believe in empowering the next generation of leaders, changemakers and young professionals who are looking to make an impact and reach their full potential.
One of the ways that we do this is through our 12-month rotational New Graduate Leadership Development Program. Here, recent graduates can get involved in meaningful projects, contribute real work, develop key skills and learn from a diverse group of leaders across the business, gaining invaluable work experience that will help them grow their careers.
Applications for the 2022 New Grad Program are currently open and close on October 3rd, with successful candidates starting in May 2022! Learn more here.
We caught up with some of our previous New Grads to hear about the strides they’ve made in their careers since graduating from the New Grad Program, and how Rogers has helped make their next step possible. To learn about what our 2021 New Grads are up to, check out this story.
Nav began his journey at Rogers in 2018 and was initially attracted to the amount of growth opportunities that would come through the New Grad program, especially the “in-depth onboarding experience and continuous professional development workshops.”
As a firm believer in working in an inclusive environment, he shared that it “was evident that Rogers fosters an environment of authenticity, diversity and inclusion and continuously paves the way in the telecom industry.”
For Nav, the New Grad program has helped him make “a job he loves” possible.
While attending university, Nekese began her career in Rogers retail stores as an Assistant Store Manager, interacting with customers and supporting them with their services. “Working in the retail store, I was able to build great connections with customers and colleagues and apply what I learned being a frontline employee into the HR New Grad program,” Nekese shared.
In her current role as a Sr. Talent Acquisition Consultant, she supports in attracting the best talent for our Finance teams by building relationships with current and future potential talent.
In particular, the New Grad program helped her become comfortable with failure. “As a New Grad, I wanted to be perfect! I was afraid of making mistakes. And through that experience, I learned that it’s okay to make mistakes, ask questions and to not be afraid with being uncomfortable. It’s the only way you are ever going to learn and grow.”
What drew Spencer into the New Grad program was the ability to rotate between teams and specialize in his field of interest – Human Resources.
Like Nekese, Spencer joined the New Grad team from the Rogers retail stores and hasn’t looked back since. “The work we do is impactful and challenging, and I learn something new every week,” he said.
Spencer highlights the inclusive culture as a driving force behind every part of the organization. “Our business supports the wide and diverse populations of Canada […] and I’ve found Rogers to be a truly inclusive space to work in. Don’t be afraid to let people know your background and past experiences or fear that you don’t look like the “traditional” candidate for a role. Our diversity drives our success at Rogers.”
For Spencer, the Rogers New Grad Program has helped him “make his dream of transitioning from working in retail roles to corporate” possible!
Working on the Brand Team for more than four years, Gordon’s had the opportunity to launch products, major campaigns, film commercials, design customer journeys and so much more.
One of Gordon’s favourite parts about working at Rogers is seeing the final product of his work come to life. “Seeing a commercial come on during a Jays game or a billboard as you drive down the Gardiner has always been special,” he shared.
With so many roles available at Rogers across the organization in product, media, marketing, finance or otherwise, Gordon says “the diversity of roles available at Rogers makes the company a training ground for anyone looking to explore different roles.”
For Gordon, The New Grad Program has helped him “make his dream of getting the most out of the early years of my career” possible.