Securing that first job after college can seem like a catch-22. To get hired, you need experience…but to get experience, you need that first job. That\u2019s where internships come in — where opportunity meets real world experience.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAn internship is an experiential opportunity that allows students to gain real-world experience in a field that interests them,\u201d said <\/span>Jeff Sackaroff<\/span><\/a>, director of <\/span>Career Services<\/span><\/a> at the <\/span>Wilson College of Textiles<\/span><\/a> at <\/span>NC State<\/span><\/a>. \u201cInternships are one of the best ways for students to learn about potential career paths, gain valuable industry experience, grow their professional network and strengthen their career-readiness skills. Additionally, internships allow students to take the concepts learned in the classroom and apply them in a work-place setting, which can be a huge benefit when it comes time to search for a full-time job.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Our students recently completed internships at a range of well-known clothing brands, the United States government and even the happiest place on Earth. They helped streamline the supply chain at Ralph Lauren, smooth out production at SPANX, make children\u2019s sleepwear safer at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, improve sustainability at Patagonia, dress Mickey and Minnie at Disney and so much more. We asked students from both the Department of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management<\/a> (TATM) and the Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science<\/a> (TECS) to share their experience and advice for those seeking similar opportunities. Read on for their internship insights.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n <\/a> Major:<\/b> Fashion and Textile Design<\/span><\/a> with a concentration in <\/span>Fashion Design<\/span><\/a> and Minor in Nonprofit Studies<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hometown:<\/b> Rocky Mount, North Carolina<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Position: <\/b>Costumer intern, Disney<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tell us about your internship.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n After graduating, I accepted a 6-month professional internship with The Walt Disney Company’s Creative Costuming team based in Orlando, Florida.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n So far my experience has been great with <\/span>Disney<\/span><\/a>. My leaders are absolutely amazing, I love my team and I’ve gotten to experience so many things while being here so far. A few of the things I get to do from day to day consist of photographing new costumes, editing costume photos in Photoshop, designing textile prints for future costumes, and assisting with fittings and design meetings. My favorite project so far that I was able to be involved with from start to finish were the new Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Daisy Halloween costumes that they wear for this year\u2019s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade that will run from now until Halloween at Magic Kingdom. I was in the very first design meeting for these new costumes (my leader manages all Magic Kingdom parades), saw the prototypes that were made along with the designers\u2019 call outs and changes, assisted with the first fittings, and finally attended rehearsals along with the very first showing of the parade this year. As an intern here, I feel that I’m treated like a normal employee — which I love — and if I ever see another job position, department or experience that I would like to shadow for a day or learn more about, my leaders are always willing to connect me to those.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n How did you find out about your internship?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n I found this internship on Disney’s career website! They upload new internships all the time and they let you apply to as many or as few as you would like.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n What is your favorite part of the job?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n My favorite part of the job is getting to see all of the new projects and costumes that each team in Creative Costuming are working on. Between the stitchers, cutters, costume assistants, 3D CAD team, production support and managers, everyone seems to be working together and also working on different projects all of the time. Another one of my favorite parts of my job is that I get to go to the parks occasionally to help with fittings on location and take photos on location.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Can you describe a typical day on the job?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n Typically, I come into the office and have a specific project I start working on as soon as I come in, or my leaders give me a project to work on for the day. We always have costume photos to edit, so I do a lot of work in Photoshop along with a lot of taking photos, working on textile prints and working on other little things that come up.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n What is your advice for fellow internship seekers?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n I would recommend applying to as many internships as you can! Of course, only apply to internships you’re interested in, but try and make connections with as many people as you can and get your name out there. Even if you don’t think you have a chance at getting a specific internship, it doesn’t hurt to apply! I never thought I would get an internship with Disney because of how many applicants they have, but here I am!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n What did you learn from your experience?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n I learned a lot about time management, working with a team, handling having projects that are completely my responsibility to complete, and how to communicate what I want out of my experience to my leader. I feel in any internship, it\u2019s important to be honest with your leaders about what you’re hoping to get out of your internship and what your interests are. Thankfully, my leaders here have been so easy to talk to and communicate with, so they’ve been able to set me up to experience a lot of cool things while I’ve been here.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n How did you use your education in your internship? What will you take from your internship as you approach life after college?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n My CAD skills were a big thing that I took from college and was able to apply at my internship and that I use almost everyday. Disney uses software like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Clo 3D, Gerber Accumark, body scanning, and electronic cutters all like we have back at school, so definitely take advantage of all the software and machinery you have access to while in school.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n <\/a> Major: <\/b>Textile Technology<\/span><\/a> with a concentration in <\/span>Textile Supply Chain Operations<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hometown:<\/b> New Delhi, India<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Position: <\/b>Production intern at <\/span>SPANX<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tell us about your experience.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n My role required me to work with the production team on ad hoc projects supporting sourcing,<\/span>such as creating a vendor matrix, creating a vendor sample library and a fabric costing matrix. I<\/span>was also assigned to find and contact new factories and manufacturers around the world to<\/span>produce SPANX apparel. I also supported inventory planning with purchase orders to factories<\/span>and ad hoc analysis and visited the SPANX warehouse once a week to record inventory<\/span>changes. All these projects and tasks were challenging yet very interesting and fun and what<\/span>meant the most was that all my input into these projects was actually meaningful and was<\/span>helping the production team in their daily tasks.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n I made some amazing friends and mentors. I took people out for coffee — especially the vice<\/span>presidents and managers who were doing exactly what I am potentially interested in doing down<\/span>the line. It was so inspiring to hear about their career paths and how they shaped their careers<\/span>to get to where they are. These are a few lifelong mentors I look up to and can reach out to<\/span>when I need them. All the interns are like my family now, who I can meet anytime and expand<\/span>my network.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n How did you find out about your internship?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n I always knew I wanted to intern at SPANX. I found the application on their website and reached<\/span>out to the recruiting manager, expressing my love and enthusiasm for the company.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n What is your favorite part of the job?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n My favorite part of the job was to attend cross-functional meetings with different teams in the<\/span>company such as product development, merchandising and production and observe how all the<\/span>teams collaborate with each other to bring a product to life.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Can you describe a typical day on the job?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n My day would typically start by checking all my emails and reading current textile news since I<\/span>was responsible for sharing all the latest trends and information with my team. This was<\/span>followed by attending any cross-functional meetings or intern project meetings that I have<\/span>scheduled for that day. Between attending meetings, I would work on all the weekly projects that<\/span>my manager assigned me, as well as work with all the other interns on our summer project.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n What is your advice for fellow internship seekers?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n Reach out to as many people as you can on Linkedln and don\u2019t be afraid to message or email<\/span>them. Try to message the recruiter if you can get their contact information. Remember to be<\/span>passionate and to love that company more than anyone.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n What did you learn from your experience?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n This was my first corporate internship and it was an experience of a lifetime. I learned how to<\/span>prioritize time management, to not be afraid to fail, how to network and make connections with<\/span>the people in the company, how to work with other departments to achieve your goal and lastly<\/span>to not be afraid to ask for help. You are there to learn and grow!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n How did you use your education in your internship? What will you take from your internship as you approach a new school year and life after college?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n Since my concentration is in supply chain operations, some of my classes really helped me<\/span>better understand what the production job demanded. My textile technology classes were<\/span>extremely useful in understanding more technical conversations about fabrics and yarns and<\/span>they also came in handy when I was talking to factories and manufacturers around the world<\/span>about SPANX products.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Approaching my junior year as of now and eventually senior year, I am more aware of how to<\/span>manage my time better to be more efficient. I am more confident about making professional<\/span>conversations with industry leaders, my peers and professors. Work smart, not hard!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Anything I didn\u2019t ask that you want to add?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n I MET SARA BLAKELY (my dream come true <\/span>\ud83d\ude0a<\/span>)!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n <\/a> Julia Sheridan \u201821<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n Major: <\/b>Fashion and Textile Management<\/span><\/a>, concentration in <\/span>Textile Brand Management and Marketing<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hometown: <\/b>Charlotte, North Carolina<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Position:<\/b> Marketing and Communications intern at Implus LLC.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tell us about your experience.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n My role as the marketing intern was to communicate with every team at <\/span>Implus<\/span><\/a> to help findvarious ways to attract customers to all 20-plus brands Implus has acquired. Additionally, byworking with all teams, I was able to help create fluid communication by creating campaigns,organizational updates and team building events. My area was interactive and sectioned off,with each team having their own group of cubicles. My mentors included my boss, RyanCruthirds, the executive vice president and chief digital officer of Implus, as well as Ali FauntLeRoy, the corporate communications manager.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n How did you find out about your internship?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Wilson College of Textiles Career Fair!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n What was your favorite part of the job?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n Getting to work with other teams within Implus, such as the digital marketing, product <\/span>development and hosiery department employees.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Can you describe a typical day on the job?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n Implus is a consumer goods packaging company that owns over 20 brands which specialize in<\/span>fitness, outdoor sporting goods and foot care products. At Implus, I was able to research all 20<\/span>brands and focused on three specific brands for my final project. My internship was very<\/span>interactive! Throughout the day, I would work with brand managers, the VP of marketing, our<\/span>communications manager and fellow interns. All these people helped me obtain more<\/span>knowledge on the brands chosen for my final project.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n After I talked to employees, my projects focused on the three brands I found most interesting<\/span>and wanted to learn about. In the brand plans, I included all upcoming products for the next year<\/span>and a half, financial projections and statements, campaigns, merchandising projects, marketing<\/span>plans and much more. I also helped in rebranding the Implus LinkedIn page, along with other social <\/span>media platforms.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Lastly, I worked with the communications manager to send out organizational updates to the<\/span>entire company. The locations range from Durham, North Carolina, all the way to Hong Kong,<\/span>Paris, Melbourne and everywhere in between!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n What is your advice for fellow internship seekers?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n Go to the career fair! Even if you are a freshman or sophomore, it is a great way to make connections and see what you may like to look into in the future. Talk to the companies you like as a trial for when you are actively applying for internships and full-time jobs in the future. Also, create a LinkedIn account and search for people that have your dream job. See what activities they participated in and how they obtained their current position.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n What did you learn from your experience?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n Through my experience at Implus, I was exposed to the different aspects that a worldwide<\/span>company has to offer. By working with all the teams, I learned the importance of communication,<\/span>teamwork and commitment to your duties. I enjoyed seeing all employees work together to find<\/span>resolutions to problems and getting to meet people of all ages, job types and past experiences. I<\/span>also learned to ask for help when I did not understand how to do something or where to find<\/span>information. Bosses and mentors at every internship are excited when you want to learn more<\/span>and want to help you in any way possible!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n How did you use your education in your internship? What will you take from your internship as you approach your next year in school — and life after college?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n I was able to use past knowledge from my Fashion and Textile Management classes to aid me<\/span>in making progress in my final project. All my former classes also helped when coming up with<\/span>marketing campaign ideas and when figuring out what materials were used in certain products.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Those are just two examples, but throughout my entire experience I saw my schoolwork come<\/span>into play every day! I will be a rising junior this year, so as I approach my junior year I am<\/span>confident that I have better communication skills with people in the workforce. I have learned to<\/span>talk to people in positions I want and have also learned what my strengths are in certain <\/span>positions. I truly believe everything I learned will help me going into junior year, senior year and<\/span>life after college!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Anything I didn\u2019t ask that you want to add?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n Regardless if you are a first semester freshman or a transferring senior, go to the career fair. It<\/span>truly helps and you get to see only a portion of the great companies that target the Wilson<\/span>College of Textiles students!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n <\/a> Major<\/b>: <\/span>Textile Engineering<\/span><\/a> (minor in Materials Science and Engineering)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hometown<\/b>: Annapolis, Maryland<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Position<\/b>: Textile Engineering intern at HP Inc. in San Diego, California<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tell us about your experience.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n I designed an experiment to make a previously wasteful process more efficient. The ink jet printed textile inks must be cured and fixated. The current process is using a heat press for three minutes which is a waste of time and energy. I was trying to achieve similar results in seconds using an LED lamp.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n The work environment itself was super relaxed and not stressful. All of my coworkers were very nice and helpful. I made a lot of intern friends and I got close with one in particular. I am actually going to visit her at Purdue in September. I also had two amazing mentors.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n How did you find out about the internship?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n ePack<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n What did you enjoy most about your internship?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n My favorite part of the job was that I was given my project and was allowed to go where I wanted with it. No one was micromanaging. Of course people would give their suggestions, but ultimately I made all of the decisions myself during the course of the internship.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Describe your workday.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n A typical day was getting in at 6 a.m. and leaving at 2 p.m. I would get in, check emails and then get some coffee. Usually in the mornings, I would go down to the test bed and run my experiment and in the afternoon, I would work on my reports. If it was a Wednesday or Friday, I would go get bagels and donuts at 9 a.m. I also had two or three meetings every day. Some were in person and others were on Skype with the <\/span>HP<\/span><\/a> office in Barcelona.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n What is your advice for those seeking an internship?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n Apply to as many as you can and EARLY.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n What did you learn from your internship?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n I learned how to function as a working human being for 40 hours a week. I have always been a shy person, and I think having to constantly give presentations and talk in big meetings has taught me to be less shy.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n How did you use your education in your internship? What will you take from your internship as you approach your senior year and life after college?<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s crazy to me how directly my classes applied to my job. I wrote macros in VBA to pull the important data from huge data sheets. I analyzed fabric construction and determined which inks would work best depending on the fiber. I also helped a lot of my coworkers statistically analyze data in JMP. After having that internship, I have more of a feel of what I enjoy doing in industry. I like experimenting, so that will be good to know going into senior year.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n <\/a>![\"Marisa](\"https:\/\/tex-cloud-cdn.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/textiles-ncsu\/20231108101311\/67752311_2989620927775602_8643094557568794624_n.jpg\")
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Marisa Pridgen \u201819<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Gunikka](\"https:\/\/tex-cloud-cdn.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/textiles-ncsu\/20231108101311\/Gunnika-and-Sarah-Blakely-652x1024-1.jpg\")
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Gunikka Ahuja \u201821<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Julia](\"https:\/\/tex-cloud-cdn.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/textiles-ncsu\/20231108101311\/IMG_6348-683x1024-1.jpg\")
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<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Emily](\"https:\/\/tex-cloud-cdn.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/textiles-ncsu\/20231108101311\/San-Diego-2019-97-1024x683-1.jpg\")
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Emily Stolarczyk \u201820<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Julia](\"https:\/\/tex-cloud-cdn.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/textiles-ncsu\/20231108101310\/Julia-Koehler-Patagonia.jpg\")
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Julia Koehler \u201820<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n