Retailer Selected to BusinessWeek’s Annual List of Leading Employers
PLANO, Texas (Jan. 6, 2009) – J. C. Penney Company, Inc. (NYSE:JCP) has been named to Bloomberg BusinessWeek’s 2009 list of the 40 “Best U.S. Companies for Undergraduate Internships,” ranking No. 27 among a cross-section of leading corporations.
Bloomberg BusinessWeek selects the top 40 employers for best internships from survey data derived from 60 career services directors around the country as well as a survey completed by each company. Each employer was evaluated using quantifiable information that includes how many interns are hired each year and any compensation students receive, in addition to weighing numerous qualitative variables to determine the level of real-world experience that a company provides through its internship program.
Through a competitive interview process, JCPenney selects over 100 interns each summer to fulfill 10-week assignments primarily within JCPenney Stores as well as Home Office divisions including merchandising, marketing and information technology. As part of the Store sales team, a JCPenney Sales Manager intern experiences firsthand the daily operations of a retail store by actively participating in sales leadership, inventory flow, event planning and merchandise presentation.
During the course of their internship period, Sales Manager interns undergo considerable training both on-the-job as well as in formal learning environments through self-study materials, online training courses and remote televised classes that engage JCPenney interns in a live Q&A session with executive leadership. After completing the program, interns will have received a robust retail management experience that comprises executing marketing events, setting seasonal merchandise and analyzing customer satisfaction scores. Given their newly acquired business skills, the majority of qualified Sales Manager interns are offered a position in the JCPenney Sales Manager trainee program upon graduating from college.
“Offering a valuable internship experience is one of our most effective recruiting tools for attracting the best talent to our Company,” said Mike Theilmann, chief human resources and administration officer for JCPenney. “Achieving this distinction by BusinessWeek signifies our commitment to making JCPenney the preferred choice for a retail career.”
JCPenney’s leading internship program reflects the Company’s “WINNING TOGETHER” culture of highly engaged Associates by fostering a successful business environment that understands the importance of communication through coaching and feedback in addition to offering diverse training opportunities as a means for building a high-performance organization. Investing in Associates is one of the key pillars to JCPenney’s social responsibility platform known as C.A.R.E.S. -- which embodies the Company’s ongoing commitment to Community, Associates, Responsible Sourcing, Environment and Sustainable Products.
About JCPenney C.A.R.E.S.
JCPenney has built a legacy of operating in an ethical and socially responsible manner. In 2007, the Company launched its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative – C.A.R.E.S. – stemming from the vision that JCPenney cares for its Community, Associates, Responsible Sourcing, Environment and Sustainable Products. The Company’s commitment to social responsibility reflects its philosophy that “Every Day Matters” – for its customers, Associates, communities, investors and suppliers. Additional information on JCPenney’s CSR initiatives can be found at http://www.jcpenney.net/social_resp/
About JCPenney
JCPenney is one of America’s leading retailers, operating 1,109 department stores throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, as well as one of the largest apparel and home furnishing sites on the Internet, www.jcp.com, and the nation’s largest general merchandise catalog business. Through these integrated channels, JCPenney offers a wide array of national, private and exclusive brands which reflect the Company’s commitment to providing customers with style and quality at a smart price. Traded as “JCP” on the New York Stock Exchange, the Company posted revenue of $18.5 billion in 2008 and is executing its strategic plan to be the growth leader in the retail industry. Key to this strategy is JCPenney’s “Every Day Matters” brand positioning, intended to generate deeper, more emotionally driven relationships with customers by fully engaging the Company’s 150,000 Associates to offer encouragement, provide ideas and inspire customers every time they shop with JCPenney.
JCPenney Corporate Communications
Daphne Avila; (972) 431-3400; jcpcorpcomm@jcpenney.com
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