Posts Tagged ‘apprenticeship’

As I was just about to email all our 2011 summer interns and host companies, when I received this wonderful letter from Sarah Jo Mosbeck, an apprentice from PiPN 2010.  I felt I had to share it with you.  It’s great to know PiPN is making a real impact.

Sarah Jo Mosbeck modeling original knit skirt

Hi Sherry,
I was in the PiPN program last year, as an apprentice, and you were a tremendous help to me in the application process, and while I was in Columbus for TNNA. You had me give a talk on how adding the apprenticeship option had helped me, and as a result I was approached by Trisha Malcolm the next day, and she gave me a copy of Vogue Knitting’s Lace Stitchtionary to aid my designing dream.

My summer with Shannon Okey was amazing – informative and fun, and I came away having learned a lot and made a great friend. She wrote me a glowing reference letter for the job I have now.

I am currently filling Renee Lorion’s place as yarn editor here at SOHO Publishing in New York City while she’s on maternity leave for 3 months, and I feel that my participation in the PiPN program is responsible for me having the job I’ve wanted since I learned to knit. I’m also doing a couple of designs for them (one for Knit Simple Winter and one for Vogue Knitting Winter), which has been a long-held desire of mine.

So, thank you – the PiPN program, the addition of the apprenticeship option, and all of your kind council and advice has helped me to achieve my dream.

Sincerely-
Sarah Jo Mosbeck

This year, we placed the second largest group of interns in the history of the PiPN program.  From California to Peru, the new recruits have already begun their on-site stints.  If you’ve been watching, we’ve posted several blogs from a few of them already, and hope to have more as the summer wears on.

PiPN’s Pathways Open Up Even further

We are continually receiving applications from both host companies and potential interns, so we’ve decided to open our process to matching students with hosts throughout the year.

We’ll still focus our student recruitment efforts towards positions in the summer months, but will maintain an active matching process for fall, winter and spring placements.

If you’re a TNNA host company who did not match with an intern this summer, we’ll be contacting you soon to see if you would like to keep your position active.  If you’re thinking about having an intern in the future, feel free to go to the Host Application and send it in now.  We will be updating the opportunities available on a quarterly basis.

PiPN 2011 interns and apprentices to date

Sophia Adodo
Texas Woman’s University, Denton
The Handwork Studios, Narberth, PA

Dania Carter
Mississippi State University
The Handwork Studios, Narberth, PA

Leah Chapman
RISD
KnitWhits, Emeryville, CA

Necol Dattilo
Kent State University
Stitchgrrl, Akron, OH

Sarah Ellison
Kent State University
Acorn Street, Seattle, WA

Kimberly Esasky
U of Akron
SoHo Publishing, NY, NY

Alice Faye Huff-Idom
U of Akron
Business Directions inc, Columbus, OH

Kelly Kleiden
apprentice
Helen Hamann, Tennessee

Alice Koelsch
U of Akron
Craft Akron, Akron, OH

Kelsey Leib
Kent State University
Stitchgrrl, Akron, OH

Mary Markeshewski
University of Alabama
Tanglewood Fiber Creations, Seattle, WA

Elli McHugh
Eastern Washington University
BeSweet, Sausalito, CA

Christina Musich
Carnegie Mellon University
Colonial Needle, White Plains, NY

Crystal Spann
Mississippi State University
TNNA, Columbus, OH

Heather Stanco
Carnegie Mellon University
Misti International Alpaca Yarns, Arequipa, Peru

Brigitte Tijerina
SCAD
Misti International Alpaca Yarns
Arequipa, Peru

Rylee Tomlinson
Mississippi State University
TNNA, Columbus, OH

Kelsey Tucker
U of Akron
Stitch, Piece ‘N Purl, Cuyahoga Falls, OH

Hi everyone! I’m Kelly Kleidon, and I’m apprenticing for Helen Hamann. I’m telecommuting while I help with her marketing, build a social media presence for her company, and work on the website.
I was lucky enough to get to come to the TNNA June show and help out in her booth. I had an amazing time while I was there, I learned so much more than I could have expected. I had the opportunity to network with many awesome industry folks and Helen had me working on everything from customer service, processing invoices, to fetching coffee like a good intern.
The accommodations at Sherry’s house were cozy and stocked with good company. I enjoyed my fellow interns immensely and I left with an impression that all of the people involved in TNNA, as well as the general public of Columbus, are all incredibly nice.
Before the show I was actually honest-to-god, bored. So much so that now I find myself referring to things in a before-and-after sense. Like, “before I went to Ohio I would have done xyz, but now I’m doing zyx.” Since I got home I have had plenty of tasks to keep me busy and I am greatly enjoying working with Helen. Before TNNA I had barely spoken with her yet, so it felt as if I was on the outside looking in. Since I was able to help out in Helen’s booth, she has put her trust in me, and my internship duties have exploded. She has been cramming my brain with requests for marketing and administrative help, and ideas for finding inspiration and building skills to become a designer.
I am ecstatic to have an apprenticeship with potential for a more permanent position, as well as being an amazing learning opportunity. I’m also looking forward to my future with the organization; I hope to take advantage of all the opportunities that PiPN has to offer, like attending TNNA shows in the future!

Although we’re still adding a few internship positions, and getting more information from others, recruitment for TNNA’s Pathways into Professional Needlearts 2011 is officially underway.

Rebecca Cross teaching fiber techniques at Kent State University

In the past few weeks, we’ve visited the University of Akron, our first hub for the PiPN Summer Scholar Program, as well as Kent State University where our hands-on needlearts class originated.  Over 50 students attended our presentations, and we’ve already heard from quite a few interested in internships.

Recently, PiPN hosted a group of award winning student designers in Nashville at TNNA’s Needlecraft Market.  The Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association sponsors a fiber arts design competition yearly.  This year, AOBA staff and volunteers got a peek at how a  TNNA hotel show works, the world of stitching, as well as the PiPN program.

In the coming months, PiPN will be at career days at the Savannah College of Art & Design, Carnegie Mellon University,  and the Fashion Group International in Dallas, where we will be awarding a Best of Show in Needlearts to one of the student participants.

We’re also making plans to visit several of the Art Institutes of America in California, and hoping to work more closely with them in the coming year.

If you know of colleges offering programs in arts, textiles, fiber arts, crafts, fashion design & merchandising, marketing or entrepreneurship (or others). . . or a student who simply loves to create, let them know about PiPN.

With the addition of Mississippi State University as a second hub, we anticipate many more applications this year, so positions will fill rapidly.

Deadline for applications is March 30, 2011.  After matching all applicants at that time, we will continue to accept applications for any other open placements.

PiPN is happy to announce our new, exciting opportunities for internships or apprenticeships for the coming year.

Host companies include retailers, wholesalers, designers, retailers and manufacturers of products for the needlearts and crafts industries.  Many of these companies are open to having someone either this fall yet, or during the winter months, as well as during the summer.

Download a pdf document with each company’s information and requirements by clicking on their names below.

Then, just fill out the intern/apprentice application on this site.

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Anzula

Be Sweet, Inc

Barbara Bergsten Designs

Colonial Needle

Craft Akron

French Knot

Knots – Knitting on the Square

Lovelyarns

Stitchgrrl/Knitgrrl Studio

The National NeedleArts Association

The Stitcher’s Muse

The Yarn Shop