Wendy Webster has been talking to Howard County public school officials. She’s visited the local school districts. She’s set up booths at 20 high school job fairs. Webster
(pictured below), store manager of the recently opened Wegmans in Columbia, is looking for students who are interested in working at the grocery chain. But there’s an incentive beyond their salary. Working at Wegmans makes them eligible for its nationwide scholarship program. In Maryland, where the first Wegmans opened seven years ago, so far the chain has awarded $221,000 for college tuition.
“It wasn’t unusual for the Hunt Valley Wegmans to give out 15 scholarships per school year,” says Webster, who was its first store manager.
The scholarship program is open to full- and part-time employees. The criteria are mainly academic and work performance. Because the Columbia store hasn’t been open a full year, another criteria, which requires being a Wegmans employee for at least a year, is being waived.
Students who were hired at the Columbia store by June 17 may apply in January 2013 for the academic year 2013-2014. Part-time workers can receive up to $1,500 per year; full-time workers, up to $2,200 per year.
According to Kevin Stickles, vice president of operations at the Wegmans corporate headquarters, Rochester, N.Y., the scholarship program helps the chain attract employees.
Stickles says many students work part time at Wegmans while they attend college. “At the same time,” he says, “we also get single moms and dads who want to go to college and work part time.”
