SAN FRANCISCO, 2015-1-22 — /EPR Retail News/ — Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) today announced the launch of a new yearlong management-training program for high-potential sales associates to develop the skills necessary for success as a store manager while still earning a paycheck.
President Obama today highlighted Gap Inc.’s enhanced career advancement initiative in a fact sheet, as one of the best-in-class examples of a companyC committed to investing in America’s workforce.
The new initiative will integrate and ramp up the company’s existing career advancement and management programs, creating opportunities for hundreds of emerging leaders this year, and thousands in the years ahead.
These efforts complement Gap Inc.’s continued commitment to support the development of job and life skills for thousands of students of diverse backgrounds to get hired and succeed in the job market. Company-driven programs include This Way Ahead, which provides job readiness training and paid internships for underserved youth in New York City, Boston, Houston and San Francisco, and Gap Inc. for Community Colleges, which helps community college students across 25 U.S. metro areas prepare for jobs and succeed once they are employed, while developing a pipeline of qualified candidates for the company.
“In today’s global economy, we recognize the importance of teaching job and life skills to help hard-working people get and succeed in a job. Our company’s values and legacy drive us to do more than just sell clothes, and we’re proud of our heritage of investing in the future of people in economically hard-hit communities across the country—and around the world. With this new integrated management program, we’ll be able to turbo-charge our talent pipeline and create immediate opportunities for hundreds of motivated emerging leaders to build and further their careers with us,” said Eric Severson, senior vice president of global talent solutions for Gap Inc. Severson was recently appointed by U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker to serve on the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE).
This enhanced commitment to workforce development builds on the company’s decision in February 2014 to invest in our frontline employees by increasing the minimum hourly rate to $9 in July 2014 and to $10 in July 2015. In total, approximately 65,000 employees in the U.S. will receive a raise as a result of the decision. In recognition of the company’s 45th birthday, in August 2014, Gap Inc. reaffirmed our commitment to equal pay for equal work, translating to gender pay equality across our major geographies, whether dollar for dollar, pound for pound, yen for yen, or euro for euro.
About Gap Inc.
Gap Inc. is a leading global retailer offering clothing, accessories, and personal care products for men, women, and children under the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime, Athleta, and Intermix brands. Fiscal year 2013 net sales were $16.1 billion. Gap Inc. products are available for purchase in more than 90 countries worldwide through about 3,200 company-operated stores, over 400 franchise stores, and e-commerce sites. For more information, please visit www.gapinc.com.