I am super excited for our latest blog interview guest. For the last few years, GradLeaders has had the honor of partnering with Molson Coors in support of their internship programs. I recently had the pleasure to interview Molson Coors’ Early Talent Program Manager, Yuliana (Yuli) Garcia Jasso.
A: Hey Yuli, thanks so much for agreeing to sit down with me today. I know our followers will benefit from your insights and experience. To start off, please tell me about your role and what it entails.
Y: I work closely with the VP of DEI, Leadership teams and other internal stakeholders to define and deliver our DEI vision, roadmap, goals, and priorities across the business and build a culture of inclusion. A big part of my role is to manage Molson Coors’ centralized, cross-functional internship program across the US and Canada. The Early Talent Program is our organization’s primary entry-level talent pipeline.
A: How long have you been in this role?
Y: I’ve been in the role for a little over a year. But have been in early talent/campus recruiting for 8+ years.
A: What do you like best about your work?
Y: The best aspect of my role is to be able to help young professionals decide on their career path and being that resource for them. It’s a rewarding role for sure.
A: What is the most challenging aspect?
Y: In recent years, the challenging aspects have been the increase in reneges from students and finding unique ways to overcome that. Continuing to come up with ways to improve and make the program better year over year.
A: Where did you work prior to your current company and what was your role?
Y: Previous to my current role I was a Senior Campus Recruiter for Discover Financial Services where I recruited for a various internship program.
A: Can you share the key components that make up Molson Coors’ internship program, and how these components contribute to a meaningful and impactful experience for interns?
Y: The mission of the Early Talent Program is to provide undergraduate students with valuable, real-world experience in the CPG (consumer packaged goods) and Beverage Industry while strengthening their business acumen and personal leadership skills. Interns experience professional development, career planning, mentorship/coaching, and support through performance check-ins. They get the opportunity to present to C-suite executives, attend social activities, and network across the whole MCBC organization.
A: Could you elaborate on the key stakeholders involved in the internship program, both internally and externally? How do you collaborate with them to ensure a successful program?
Y: Molson Coors Beverage Company’s Early Talent Program was created to increase representation of professionals of color and female employees by building a diverse pipeline of early talent. Molson Coors has continued its commitment to diversity via national partnerships such as being a founding partner of Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Coors Light is a founding partner of the HBCU Legacy Bowl. Miller Lites partnership with The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities awarding students with scholarships and leadership development opportunities through its leadership institute. Molson Coors Beverage Company invests in its interns’ development by providing them with the necessary professional soft skills, leadership training, and career exploration to set them up for long-term success in their careers.
A: As the Intern Program Manager, what specific goals have you set for the internship program, and how do these align with the broader objectives of Molson Coors?
Y: My goals are around the overall program and the number of interns we convert to full time roles via rotational programs or direct hire roles. We aim to hire 50% of our intern cohort eligible for a full-time role. Our Early Talent Program was created to increase representation of professionals of color and female employees by building a diverse pipeline of early talent. Molson Coors has continued its commitment to diversity which is why we work hard to bring diverse candidate slates into our roles.
A: Can you walk me through the overall structure and framework of the internship program, highlighting any unique features or strategies that set it apart from other programs in the industry?
Y: Molson Coors Early Talent Program (ETP) provides students with valuable, real-world experiences via meaningful summer projects that impact the overall business. ETP interns also participate in workshops throughout the summer on topics such as Growth Mindset, Teamwork & Collaboration, Self-Discovery, Gallup StrengthsFinder, and more! The entire intern class also comes together at the historic Miller Brewery for a weeklong intern challenge called “Shark Tank.” Shark Tank is an innovation competition that allows interns to collaborate on an innovative idea, and the week of the hackathon includes workshops in Ideation, Production, Pitching, and Presentation skills, as well as meetings with their assigned mentors. On the final day, interns pitch their ideas to the C-suite leadership team and are judged on creativity, feasibility, and presentation.
A: Internship experiences vary widely. How does Molson Coors tailor the program to accommodate the diverse skills and interests of interns, ensuring a customized and enriching experience for each participant?
Y: Each intern’s summer project is unique to them. During the interview process we discuss the potential projects and the candidate’s interest to narrow down the selections closer to the interns’ start date. Projects are based on business need each year. During their time with us, if they express interest in other areas, they are encouraged to speak to their manager and work closely with them to try and find an assignment within that area or shadow someone in that specific role.
A: How does Molson Coors foster a culture of continuous learning within the internship program, encouraging interns to develop new skills and gain valuable insights into the beverage industry?
Y: Interns are encouraged to take advantage of the free resources they receive as Molson Coors employees including LinkedIn Learning and GetAbstract which have numerous free certificates/courses. We encourage intern managers to include these types of certificates as part of their interns’ summer goals to complete a few during their time with us.
A: How does the internship program contribute to Molson Coors’ talent pipeline, and how is this aspect measured and evaluated over time?
Y: The Early Talent Program was created to increase representation of professionals of color and female employees by building a diverse pipeline of early talent. We keep track of the number of interns converted into full-time roles and each program evaluates their cohort year over year.
A: How do you ensure that the program remains adaptive to the evolving needs of both the interns and Molson Coors? Are there mechanisms in place to gather feedback and make data-driven improvements?
Y: As the program manager I host intern 1:1s during the summer to talk through the intern’s experience. At the end of the internship all interns receive a feedback survey which we’ve had 100% completion rate. This allows us to complete an after-action review of our summer program, see what worked, what needs improvement and what interns would have liked to experience during their summer program. To remain adaptive, NACE has been a great resource to gauge what trends are up and coming and what others are doing from an early talent perspective.
A: Molson Coors utilizes GradLeaders’ Intern Management System (IMS). How is the intern program team using IMS to optimize program execution, streamline workflows, and enhance communication with participants?
Y: We leverage this system by allowing interns to interact with each other and their summer manager months prior to their start date. They can get to know each other and learn a bit about the organization. We also utilize the system to add intern projects and goals prior to their start date. This has allowed interns to feel more prepared during day one and have a sense of what they will be working on during the summer.
A: What role does mentorship play in the internship program, and how is it facilitated through GradLeaders’ Intern Management System?
Y: We’re currently in the process of developing an internship mentoring program. It will be launched this February in partnership with our ERGs (employee resource groups).
A: Can you share examples of how Molson Coors has used data and insights from the GradLeaders’ Intern Management System to make informed decisions and improvements to the internship program?
Y: Intern managers must complete goals and a final recommendation for their summer interns. We capture this information and utilize it as part of our evaluation process when making return offers to interns. Managers are also able to provide our team with feedback on the system and share thoughts on things they would like to see or make suggestions on improvement or current utilization.
A: Looking ahead, what innovations or improvements are on the horizon for Molson Coors’ internship program, and how will GradLeaders’ Intern Management System be instrumental in realizing these initiatives?
Y: We are still a very new program. This will be our fourth year and there are still improvements to be made. We’re excited to continue to develop and make the program better year over year. We’re looking to continue to leverage the system and get interns better prepared for their first day as a Molson Coors employee. We are also continuing to find ways to make their onboarding more interactive and memorable.
A: What else would you like us to know about Molson Coors’ internship program history, highlights, or future?
Y:
- We’ve increased our NPS by 12 points in 2023
- 51% of our interns were students of color for 2023
- 52% of our interns were women for 2023
A: Amazing stuff, Yuli! Thanks so much for your time, transparency, and expertise. It’s been a ton of fun getting to know you better and understand Molson Coors’ evolving internship program. The GradLeaders team has enjoyed collaborating with you and your team as you implemented and optimized Intern Management System. We look forward to continuing our work together and customizing IMS to best serve your interns and program stakeholders.
Interested in exploring Molson Coors’ careers? Visit the Molson Coors Career Portal
Learn about Intern Management System
Watch a quick IMS overview view
Or request a demo at demo@gradleaders.com
If you are open to an interview or have recommendations for interview topics or suggestions for future interviewees, please contact me at aking@gradleaders.com.
Thank you,
Amy King
GradLeaders
VP Strategic Partnerships and Marketing