Exploring VF Corporation internships: Insights from the interns

An internship is the first step on a career path, and it is crucial for students and recent graduates to enter the working environment on the right foot. For VF Corporation, it is particularly important that their interns have the best experience possible. Through this interview series, different aspects of the company will be showcased, with the intention of demonstrating to young people what it means to be an intern at VF Corporation.

What are your current responsibilities in your role?

I am currently working on icebreaker’s website, defining with my team what to promote and show on it. We analyze the previous year to decide what to keep and what to change, evaluating all the new ideas. – Karolina, E-Commerce Intern at icebreaker.

Sustainability is the focus of my current role. I’m involved in the action plan related to shipments without the utilization of plastics. Timberland in particular, but also VF, is putting a particular effort on decarbonization. I organize volunteering events and various initiatives and donations. – Valeria, CSR & Volunteering Intern at Timberland.

How is your internship going so far?

I am happy in my current position. I joined the E-commerce department at The North Face in September, and every three months, I have the possibility to rotate in my job responsibilities, change teams, and see different aspects of the platform. My manager is always open to answering all my questions. I feel lucky to work for a major brand where people are close-knit, supportive, and friendly. – Alexia, E-Commerce Intern at The North Face.

So far, I am very satisfied with the experience I am having. I appreciate that most of the brands are located in the same building, as this allows me to see the bigger picture and feel part of a community. I also value the international environment and the opportunity to engage in conversations with people from all over the world, discovering various ways of working and different mindsets. – Valeria, CSR & Volunteering Intern at Timberland.

Do you feel part of the community?

There are many occasions and spaces at VF to meet other people and build both a network and strong relationships. The office is composed of open spaces where employees have their own desks but can also easily reach out to colleagues. There’s a nice coffee area where you can have a drink, a bistro, and a nice canteen where you can meet teammates for lunch. – Sergiu, Web Analyst Intern, working for Corporate Functions.

I feel part of VF and the team, which is composed of five people. From the very first day, I felt integrated and essential. It didn’t matter that my experience was not as broad as theirs. Regarding VF, I am proud to work for this company. I started in September with thirty other interns and was able to build strong friendships in a new environment, far from home. It’s nice to organize dinners, aperitivi after work, or weekends in the mountains. – Virginia, Product Merchandising Intern at Vans.

What are the benefits of working in VF?

The hierarchy at VF is not as pronounced as in other workplaces. People make you feel part of the team from the very first day. For example, I was invited by our director to have breakfast with him and others who joined Vans at the same time as me. My teammates teach me new things every day without making me feel overwhelmed. They are good listeners and are open to discussing my ideas on various topics. The strength of VF is its international environment. My team is composed of five people: a Canadian, a Greek, a Brazilian, and two Italians. VF offers flexible working hours, which makes you feel responsible for managing your priorities and workload. – Virginia, Product Merchandising Intern at Vans.

Your opinion matters. At VF, you are treated as an equal by people of varying seniorities. Nobody cares if you are an intern; you are adding value to the company. If you have a good idea, it is considered a good idea. – Nicholas, Countries Marketing Intern at The North Face.

Why do you recommend VF Corporation to other students or recent graduates?

I would warmly recommend the VF Internship Program to others. Opportunities like this come rarely, and you’ll gain insights into well-known brands. Your manager and co-workers want you to achieve your goals and will help you along the journey. VF offers the opportunity to see how the industry works. Another strength of VF is the international workplace. It has been an opportunity to learn more about the company and the people behind the brands, as well as to get to know individuals from different backgrounds and learn about their journeys at VF. This has been especially interesting and inspiring. I have never worked in a company as large as VF, so I was able to learn more about how the company operates in different regions and globally. – Elina, Product Development Intern at The North Face.

At VF, people are open to teaching you as much as possible but also encourage you to learn independently. Colleagues are nice, welcoming, and friendly. We always have lunch together as a team, and I always feel free to ask questions. We also often organize activities with other interns. We all started on the same day and spent a few introductory days together. I have never felt lonely. I appreciate the non-hierarchical structure of VF, which is still highly professional. I share VF’s culture, and even though I work for one brand, it still feels like one big family. – Karolina, E-Commerce Intern at icebreaker.

Curious about what your journey could look like at VF Corporation? Click and apply here.