Materials intern Review

My role as Materials intern involves assisting the materials team in developing fabrics to be used in the upcoming seasons. We develop fabrics as requested by design, getting these tested for a variety of important factors such as elasticity and sweat-wicking that are essential in sportswear. On a day to day basis, i specialise in developing the all over prints. This involves working with design to develop the prints they have designed onto the requested fabrics.

I have learnt a huge variety of new skills in this job - Everyday, organisational tasks have become second nature for me. Tasks such as responding professionally to emails and organising meetings are now part of my daily job. I have also developed my confidence massively in speaking to stakeholders, whether that be members of the business or external bodies we work with such as suppliers, I am able to discuss issues and confidently explain my work to others. I have also developed my public speaking skills, by being part of several presentations to the wider business and senior members of the design and product management teams.

I was given huge responsibilities during my placement - Within my team, i was solely responsible for an entire section of the business: the all over prints. Of course i has the assistance of my manager if required, but i was held accountable for any issues in this area and was the point of contact for anyone needing information related to this field.

The support from the company in general was very good. The people team at Gymshark were great at checking up on the placement students to see how they were getting on, including setting up an intern mentor scheme which has been massively helpful.

The company culture is one of the things that makes working at Gymshark so great - The atmosphere is incredibly laid back, everyone is extremely friendly and humble. There doesn't feel like there is a hierarchy, with the most senior members of the company mixing amongst all employees on a daily basis, and getting highly involved in small, daily decisions. The perks are extremely generous, and we are treated very well as employees in general.

I have been overwhelmed by how much i have enjoyed my placement - It has been an amazing opportunity to make friends and create some really valuable memories, whilst learning so many new things on the job.

Yes

Be yourself - A huge part of the application process is assessing the type of person you are, especially when you get to the later stages of the application where they will already know you are capable of doing the job. Think outside the box and challenge new ideas - the company loves individuals who can be disruptive and honest about the products and the company.