A View of the Future: Internships

Nancy B. Powell, Associate Professor

Internship participation can be a creative and valuable experience for a student. The industry and government agencies offer internships in various sectors at large and small organizations located across the country. Most students return to campus from internships with new perspectives on their future goals. Many companies provide internships as an effective way to evaluate candidates for employment after graduation!

NCSU's College of Textile students from various programs may arrange placements through several avenues including student services, webpage listings, student competitions and direct contacts. The following students are representative of the many success stories of intern experiences during the Summer of 2006.

College of Textiles’ students bring unique skills to fabric sourcing and color development. Typical assignments during an internship in an apparel company might include organizing fabric and color libraries. Esther Chang interned at Michael Kors in New York. “As a design and development intern, I saw first hand the importance of understanding your customer and matching available resources, not only from the design aspects, but also the marketing and management side of textiles as well.”

Having “real world” experience can enhance not only a student’s understanding of the integrated team process but also shape the flexibility needed for the constant changes that occur within a global supply chain. Liz Dickinson and Rachel Randall, COT juniors and Young Menswear Association student design competition winners, interned in the design department at Calvin Klein Better Sportswear, a Division of the Kellwood Corporation on Fifth Avenue in New York City. As members of the design team, Rachel and Liz worked directly with the Vice President of Design, Director of Wovens, Director of Knits, and two colorists. Their roles included creating storyboards for color approvals in each fabric quality and preparing color cards and approval sheets. Their internship in fashion development included modifying silhouettes for the summer 2007 collection. Gaining this training contributes not only to their portfolio and resume, but also to their preparation for a professional career. “ I learned the value of being consistent, having a positive attitude, and working hard--I had a wonderful experience at Calvin Klein and look forward to becoming a knit designer after graduation” said Liz Dickinson. Rachel worked in textile research, assisting in the sourcing of many different types of fabric for each season and making sample books to send all over the world for production. Rachel also attended a Premiere Vision fabric show where sales contracts are negotiated with textile manufacturers.

Adrienne Fehr worked for Juicy Couture, a division of Liz Claiborne, Inc. in New York City as a sales intern for the men's division of Juicy. Adrienne analyzed sales and stock data from the major accounts of Juicy which included Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, and Saks Fifth Avenue. By completing a competitive analysis of other men's contemporary brands including Diesel, Theory, Hugo Boss, G Star, and Chrome Hearts, Adrienne’s work reflected the position of the brand according to its competitor’s products, prices, placement, and positioning: “My internship allowed me to see how a large apparel company operates on a daily basis”.

Not all internships take students far a field. Jenna Eason, Anni Albers Scholar, interned at Patsy Aiken Designs, Childrenswear Designer in the north Raleigh area. The Chez Ami and Chez Bella Childrenswear collections are mainly sold through catalogs and trunk shows. Jenna gained experience in every department including fabrication, design, shipping and retail.

Brittany Blair, a TAM major, held an internship position in Public Relations at French/West/Vaughn in Raleigh, N.C. on the VF & Wrangler WesternWear accounts.
“ I assisted in organizing a product launch for a new line for Lee Jeans, implemented a nationwide radio promotion for Wrangler WesternWear, and even wrote a press release for the new Wrangler Premium Patch collection. I integrated my interpersonal and business skills with my Brand Management and Marketing concentration. I learned a great deal about promotions and branding and feel that I gained invaluable experience that will help me in the future”.

The College of Textiles encourages students to apply the knowledge they have gained in their degree programs through internships as a great preparation for future career choices. An internship demands investment in time and hard work but experience in the fast paced, global textile and apparel industries can be rewarding.

How do companies or students find out more about internships? Contact Kent Hester and Terry Braiser, NCSU College of Textiles Student Services.

College of Textiles
P.O. Box 8301
Raleigh, NC 27695-8301
Telephone: (919) 515-6646
FAX: (919) 515-3733
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Last Site Revision:
February 2, 2006