The Experience of an Australian Graduate Intern an Australian Based Designer Company - Research Paper Example

Comparing the experience of an Australian graduate intern an Australian based designer company to the experience of graduate interns in the world wide fashion industry overseas Name Course Institution Date Introduction Excellent fashion internships are available in retail merchandising, design, fashion marketing, textiles, and fashion public relations and many different other areas in the fashion industry (Giacobello, 2003). All Australian fashion internships are unpaid as they are designed for students to focus on learning and graduates to get good experience to kick start their career. One cannot fail to acknowledge that work experience is a major requirement in various job advertisements. Paradoxically, a university graduate who has just cleared college is supposed to have some sort of experience in order for him or her to secure a job position. But then, where does one obtain the experience if organisations are unwilling to accept the graduates without the required experience? Internships thus, provide them with an option of getting this much needed experience. Since the onset of the Global financial crisis, concerns have been raised about internship as a substitute for paid employment and its implications for social cohesion especially on the aspect of equity of access to labour markets around the world (Granger, 2010). Many research endeavours have been carried out to determine the experience benefits of interns in the fashion industry compared to their counterparts overseas. This discussion is focused on of giving insights of a research done on the comparison of intern experience in the fashion industry in Australia and overseas and makes recommendations for the government and fashion organizations to ensure that interns get great experience to the required experience. Aim This study was aimed at finding solutions to the arising questions regarding the level of experience and importance of the practical experience of internship especially to students seeking to be fashion professionals in Australia compared to interns overseas. Research questions What are the experiences gained during internship at the fashion industry in Australia? What are the benefits of internship at a fashion organization in Australia? How do the experiences of a graduate intern in the fashion industry in Australia compare to those of similar interns overseas? Purpose and background The global fashion industry is made up of the production, distribution and adaptation of fashions such as footwear, clothing and fashion accessory all over the globe within the shortest period of time. The fashion industry is divided into raw materials production; manufacture of fashion goods; retail sales and promotion hence the purpose of this research to identify the experiences of interns placed in the different divisions (Institute Of Textile Technology, 1944). The Australian fashion industry has experienced radical transformation in the last two decades. Reduced trade tariffs has seen the production department moving overseas following rapid technological advancement such as computer aided designing process, production and purchasing (Carter, 2005). The apparel sector is characterized by a mixture of many small and few large establishments. The demand for fashion product variety and flexibility has ensured that establishments focus on production of fashion clothing and though vulnerable to rapid change, they do not over indulge in their production runs least they be exposed to stock obsolescence. Success is therefore centered on young and talented designers most of who begin their careers in the fashion industry as interns. The seasonality difference between the southern and northern hemisphere, has seen most designers in Australia design their products based on the world trends arising from promotions in the northern hemisphere and use raw materials mainly cotton and wool from Australia. The promotion of Australian fashion is majorly annually presented at the Mercedes Australian Fashion week event that allows for international exposure of prominent and promising fashion designers in Australia. Literature review Most companies operate internship programs that offer graduates with the work experience they need. Essentially, the intern programs in most organizations have proven to be effective and can thus be termed as the runway to useful experience. For instance, according to Greenhouse (2012), companies that offer internship for fashion graduates appear to be implementing the program effectively. Essentially, internships are a runway to useful experience as they provide one with the relevant skills and know-how of the job market. Interns gain much from their internship in terms of work ethics and experience. Additionally, the internship programs offer numerous opportunities for the intern, as they are involved in the fashion market, and thus, are able to reach out to the available opportunities presented to them (Clancy, 2004). Research methodology The study area involved two fashion industries located in Australia that is David Jones retail shop located on Elizabeth Street, Sydney and Dollface Fashion Agency located on Bouke Street Surry Hills, Sydney. Respondents included identified graduate students that were working as interns and the employees of the fashion company. The sample size out of 24 graduate interns and 100 fashion industry employees consisted of 10 interns and 10 employees hence a total of twenty respondents. The population was chosen using simple random sampling method to increase ones likelihood of being selected. Inclusion of an element was left to normal probability enabling individuals have equal chances of being part of the sample. To select an intern for interviewing, simple random sampling will be used whereby lottery criteria will be sought. For the whole research, 2 representative fashion industry companies were surveyed. The information obtained will be used for subsequent inferences about the population and testing of speculative concepts in real problem situations. The sampling size depended on the population heterogeneity and homogeneity and the strata obtained. No bias was exercised. The target population will generate information for analysis of the experience on graduate interns in the fashion industry in Australia as compared to their counterparts elsewhere in the globe. The target population is the most affected through firsthand experience by the implications of working as an intern or together with interns. They are aware of the of the area situation before and after internship (Gaimster, 2011). The populations’ works in the fashion companies therefore are well aware of the internship experience. They also help in drawing conclusions and enable the research know the social economic relations. Two types of data were used to achieve the objectives of the research namely: primary and secondary data from primary and secondary sources. Secondary material includes books, journals, periodicals, and newspaper articles, materials posted in the internet and policy papers. It is the information collected by others for their specific uses that a researcher required. It involved literature review of published and unpublished works relevant to my research topic (Gaimster, 2011). It provided opportunity for problem identification, understanding and making of recommendations. Qualitative data focused on the perceptions of people in the study area while quantitative data showed preference frequency of varied key variables. Primary sources Refers to the data collected by the researcher from the original source for the specific purpose of study. It included: Conducting interviews This was the chief method of gathering data. It involved face to face interaction with the respondents by asking pertinent questions in line with the objectives of the study. I used semi-structured and key informants interviews. Discussion guide Open discussions were held with the respondents on the study topic. This was used to get qualitative information about the study. Direct observation This involved visiting Dollface fashion agency and David Jones retail store and any observation relevant to the study was recorded. The transect walks also enabled me to carry out participants observation. Administering questionnaires Open ended questions based on the research objectives will be self-administered to the respondents within the study area. Analysis and discussion Analysis refers to the computation of various statistical measures with the view of developing the relationship between the dependent and independent variable for the purposes of drawing meaning of the data collected from the field, interpretation and understanding descriptive statistics was used to analyze data and arrive at comprehensive conclusion and recommendations. The analysis process begun in the field and it involved the organization and transcription of data. Reading through the data aided provided insight on emerging trends, concepts and patterns before beginning the coding process. Emerging themes were further elaborated upon before making generalizations and forming a broad scale interpretation of the meaning of the data. The results represent the opinion of the majority of the respondents unless otherwise indicated. Data gathered from the field will be analyzed quantitatively entailing designs and measures that will produce numerical data. Descriptive techniques were also used. Discussions were presented in form of diagrams, charts and graphs according to the data by help of excel package to help answer the research questions. Findings and discussion Benefits of internship Internship programs are the meeting point for higher education and employment. Students in fashion and design courses are allowed to work in fashion companies for a set period whereby they gain first hand working experience. The internship program can be paid or unpaid but depending on the agreement the benefits arising from completing an internship are wide ranging. During internship, the student stands a chance to make industry contacts that would be vital to help find and secure a job after studies in addition to the knowledge of how to perform the required tasks for a particular job (Knouse & Fontenot, 2008). Internship provides the opportunity to closely work and develop professional working relationships with a selected manager or team within the organization plus meet many people in other departments outside the company whom will be invaluable when searching for a full time job. Internship offers actual industry experience and is a valuable asset to include in the resume as it increases ones chances to stand out from the intense competition. It is with no doubt that the graduate job market is increasingly competitive and when an individual has a number of internship experiences, it shows that he or she is keen to get employment in the industry as well as indicate that you have the right skills and experience to take up a permanent paid job. Internship also offers the student with the opportunity to convert academic knowledge to industry skill (Knouse & Fontenot, 2008). As opposed to the wide spread myth that interns are viewed as minors and therefore assigned mindless errands such as mail delivery and fetching coffee, internship involves many responsibilities as interns are given specific individual tasks and designated roles within teams working on a project. College studies maybe theoretical in nature while internship offers the opportunity to apply this knowledge to the real world. The experience is not only work related but also the opportunity to learn interpersonal skills required to effectively work with others is presented and also increase ones confidence in his abilities. Internship opportunities also enable an individual to narrow down the list of potential careers as they are a win-win situation. This results when one does not enjoy the internship experience as this helps determine that a given direction is not for you. Every experience helps one to define and redirect their career path. Internship is also beneficial as an individual can gain unforgettable life experience because of the opportunity to explore all present possibilities. While it maybe difficult to get a full time job, most fashion organizations are willing to take in interns from where an individual will take a look into the professions and organizations they have desired. One may even choose to look beyond his or her locality and complete an intensive internship program overseas. Advantages and disadvantages for the intern and designer company Internship offers interns with first hand experiences of the market as it is by bringing the graduates close to the work culture and job practices of the fashion market by allowing them to interact with the market as well as make their contributions to its growth. In most cases, this is usually enhanced through the supervision of the work done by the interns by the company’s more experienced workers. This majorly provides the interns with a favourable learning environment as they gain first hand experiences as well as guidance from people who have been in the market for longer than them. Additionally, the interns are also exposed to the real world pressures of the fashion business. For instance, during the occasional preparations for shows, the interns are more often than not involved in the preparations and thus, they are able to experience the whole thing and learn from it. Internships provide the graduates an opportunity to learn new trends as well as gain the experience of assessing the market supply and demand (Knouse & Fontenot, 2008). When on internship, one is able to experience the way the market is performing, to identify what the customers’ desire as well as evaluate the market’s ability to provide for these fashion needs. Internship in a way enhances the practical skills of the graduate, that is, whereas something may seem to be fashionable and considered to be on demand, a firsthand experience in the market through interning may prove this to be untrue. Internships mainly present an intern with the exposure they require and desire for building their careers and professions in fashion. For the employees, they enjoy the assistance provided by interns leading to more work being done and hence greater returns for the organization. Identified negative aspects of internship are instances when other respondents claimed that they do not receive the experiences they expected they would that would help them advance their careers. Scholars like Greenhouse (2012) and Elliot (2010) acknowledge that, there are other fashion companies that considerably take advantage of the interns. This is mostly achieved using the internship program as a means of getting a free workforce. A number of interns report that they have been required to perform duties that are not in line with their career or professional development while others claim to have been overworked with no pay (Corey, Corey & Callanan, 2011). Comparison to the wider fashion industry Similarities Internship programs provide the graduate interns with an opportunity to explore other markets besides their regional market. The Global Experience Internship program is one of the major internship plans that provide the graduates with an all inclusive experience. Global Experiences seek interns from across Europe as well as Australia and offers them work experiences that expose them to the global fashion market (Fashion United 2013). Additionally, the interns also gain experiences in various fields of fashion like designing, marketing as well fashion photography. Differences All internship programs in the fashion industry in Australia are unpaid while similar programs overseas such as in the United Kingdom have got some aspect of reimbursement in order to motivate interns as they go about their different duties. In countries such as Canada, there are legal bills meant to overlook the welfare of intern while Australia is still in the early stages of developing such legal measures (Corey, Corey & Callanan, 2011). Other fashion organizations abroad reimburse interns for their contribution within the organization while internship programs in Australia are completely unpaid. Summary and recommendations The research study revealed that internship programs in the fashion industry results to a wide range of benefits while are disadvantageous at times. The number of benefits and advantages override the negative effects. Comparison of the experiences of interns in Australia and oversees reveal a couple of similarities and differences. Research studies in Australia identified internship in the fashion industry as an emerging issue that warranted attention. A national newspaper article advocated for value to the business of internship. It was clear that further research was required to provide more information on the already so complex legal, economic and social issues. The domestic consumer demand of fashion products in Australia has increased with more that forty percent accounted for by direct imports. For this reason more government support is required to boost international awareness of the industry as well as increase global competitiveness of the parties involved in Australia. This would include initiatives designed to capitalize the expanding success in the international market for Australian designed and manufactured products by targeting market attentiveness, advertising and access. Other initiatives should be aimed at promoting excellent education and training during college and internship (Mckelvey & Munslow, 2009). Investments directed at innovation and technology development should also be developed by the government and private sectors in order to reduce production cost and increase demand for Australian products and man power not only in Australia but also overseas. These cases of exploitation have in the recent past been addressed and the proper action has been taken against the companies which exploit the interns. List of references CARTER, F. (2005). Fashion: Australia. Ultimo, NSW, Career FAQs. CLANCY, L. (2004). Culture and customs of Australia. Westport, Conn. [u.a.], Greenwood Press. COREY, G., COREY, M. S., & CALLANAN, P. (2011). Issues and ethics in the helping professions. Belmont, Calif, Brooks/Cole. ELIOT, G 2010 Fashion Industry Internships: Exploitation or Experience? The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010/jul/24/fashion-industry-interns on 27/5/2013. FASHION UNITED, 2013 Internships in fashion. Retrieved from http://www.fashionunited.co.uk/fashion-news/design/internships-in-fashion-2010111510122 on 27/5/2013. GAIMSTER, J. (2011). Visual research methods in fashion. [S.l.], Berg Publishers. GIACOBELLO, J. (2003). Careers in the fashion industry. New York, Rosen Pub. Group. GRANGER, M. (2010). The fashion intern. New York, Fairchild Books. GREENHOUSE, S 2012, Jobs Few, Grads Flock to Unpaid Internships, The New York Times. 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