What do Tom Ford, Oprah, Bill Gates and Steven Spielberg have in common, aside from being top leaders in their respective industries? They all started their careers as interns.
Internships have become a de facto right of passage for undergraduate and graduate students alike. And while pop culture tends to paint the experience as grabbing coffee and making copies for neurotic executives (we’re looking at you, Devil Wears Prada), a solid internship can be an amazing way to get real-world experience.
LS&Co.’s 10-week summer internship program, which is wrapping up this month, aims to do just that. The internship is an ideal way for both undergrad and MBA students to gain work experience within the core of the organization, while learning what a career at LS&Co. can offer.
Aditi Jain, an MBA intern for LS&Co.’s ecommerce business, was attracted to LS&Co.’s internship in part because of the opportunity to work on a project addressing a real business need.
“The internship at LS&Co. has given me the chance to work on something real that is going to be implemented by the business,” she said. “I think oftentimes in an internship you don’t get to do real work, but with this internship I get to see exactly what I would be doing if I were to work here.”
Annice Chen, a design intern, knew spending a summer working with the Levi’s® brand would be the ultimate way to learn more about denim.
“When I received my offer to intern for Levi’s, I knew immediately that this would be the place to go to if I really wanted to learn about denim. The history of the brand and resources available (like the Eureka innovation lab!) were what convinced me,” she said.
Our interns have spent a busy summer at our San Francisco headquarters, immersing themselves in all aspects of our global business (including a day spent giving back to a local nonprofit).
“I’ve been able to gain exposure to various parts of the company, have Q&As with leadership, and learn about Levi’s as an iconic brand and where it’s heading in the future,” Annice said.
Aditi noted that in addition to gaining professional knowledge and skills through activities such as meeting with LS&Co. leaders, brainstorming with her team, and collaborating with other interns, it’s the people that have made the experience a particularly memorable one.
“It’s amazing how supportive everybody is – they’re very approachable, even with senior-level people it’s very open door culture, you can just walk in and ask any question,” she said.
Annice echoed these same sentiments: “No matter how busy people are, they always take the time to help you or answer any questions you may have. Not only are the people here passionate about the brand and its future growth, but your own personal development as an individual.”
Unzipped had the chance to sit down with Annice and Aditi to hear more about their internship experience — stay tuned to this space to read our Q&A with them!
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