GENERAL INFORMATION
overview
description
selection
opportunities
registration
criteria
employers' questions
REQUIREMENTS
syllabus
documentation
of hours
supervisor's
evaluation
ASSIGNMENTS
proposal
weekly
reports
interview
final report
RELATED INFORMATION
once you have the
job
QUESTIONS COMMONLY ASKED BY EMPLOYERS
Q1 What is the internship?
The internship is a program that provides qualified university students with supervised experience in sales, promotions, merchandising, human resources, operations, and/or any other aspect of the fashion industry..
Q2 Who sponsors the internship?
The Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at Texas State University.
Q3 What kind of industries do these interns generally enter?
The students primarily enter the retailing, wholesaling, production, or related fashion industries or organizations.
Q4 Does the intern earn college credit for the internship?
Yes. The student will receive three credit hours upon successful completion of the internship. Fashion Merchandising majors are required to complete an internship before graduating.
Q5 What are the objectives of the internship?
The following goals outline the parameter of this unique educational experience:
To provide the student with an opportunity to apply knowledge and skills obtained in the classroom to real life situations.
To permit the student to gain firsthand experience associated with supervisory and/or management roles in operations, human resources, and merchandising.
To provide the student with and orientation to the business/fashion environment, operations, or procedures.
To provide and experience to assist in transition from student to professional status.
To implement, develop, and/or refine skills in operations, management, and human resources matters.
To develop and refine problem-solving techniques.
To refine communications skills with subordinates, peers, and superiors.
To aid student in personal development
Leadership
Self-confidence
Responsibility
Better understanding of career options
Attain a realistic appraisal of strengths weaknesses relative to his/her career choice.
Q6 Where do the students find internships?
Students may serve internships wherever a reasonable experience is available. Because the intern and the on-campus intern supervisor can be contacted by phone or other electronic media, geographical restrictions are of little concern.
Q7 Why should my company get involved in this program?
The Cooperative Education Association lists the following advantages of internship programs to employers:
The students can be thoroughly grounded in established employer practices and organization while the students are still at a formative level.
The infusion of bright, young people, fresh from an education environment, into an organization can provide new ideas and viewpoints which can be refreshing and stimulating.
The students serve as "goodwill ambassadors" for their organizations with faculty and other students upon returning to campus.
The internship program is an excellent source of temporary and potentially permanent employment.
The internship program will provide the company with a low cost training program since the student generally earns a salary which is below the average paid to the graduate. Students more nearly "earn" their salary at the beginning stages of professional employment.
A mutually important industry-college relationship is enhanced.
Q8 What is the work tenure of the internship?
During most internships, the student remains in employment of the same firm for one academic term or a minimum of 4 weeks. The student is also required to work at the site for a minimum of 150 hours. The student who participates in the internship program is not under obligation to seek employment with the sponsoring firm or agency. Likewise, the sponsoring firm is not required, as a result of participation in the internship program, to provide employment for the intern upon completion of his/her internship.
Q9 What kind of compensation should the intern receive?
The essential factor of the internship is the education and experience a student receives from the opportunity an employer affords him/her, upon this no monetary value can be placed. The intern's compensations is a personal matter between the student and his/her employer, however, some compensation is recommended.
Q10 What makes the internship program different from just another part-time job?
The educational nature of the work experience makes the difference. The participating firm will formulate, in cooperation with the intern and the internship coordinator, a training schedule. This schedule gives a summary of the intern's responsibility with the company. The intern will be expected to complete this schedule during the internship period.
Q11 What kind of paper work will our company be expected to do?
The participating firms are required to provide the following:
Assistance in completing the training schedule.
An employee to serve as the company supervisor of the intern.
Approval of the intern's weekly report before the intern sends the report to the Internship Coordinator.
A final evaluation of the intern.
Documentation of the number of hours completed.