Kohl’s Internship Program: Investing in Retail’s Future Leaders

By Mari Steinmetz, Kohl’s Chief People Officer

Last week, our hallways and buildings saw hundreds of new smiling faces as we welcomed our 2024 intern class. I had a chance to spend some time with our corporate interns and am inspired by their ambition and appetite to learn and impact the future of retail. 

We have nearly 600 interns representing 46 states and more than 250 universities nationwide across our corporate headquarters, stores, and e-fulfillment and distribution centers. Students get unique business exposure in a number of disciplines including merchandising, inventory, art, design, production, sourcing, technology, real estate, finance, HR, marketing, legal, risk management, store operations, leadership management, and more - truly showcasing the breadth of opportunity a career in retail can provide.

Kohl’s internship program has been around for more than 20 years and offers hands-on business experience. Each intern has a coach and a mentor for the summer, they have opportunities to hear from our executive team in a leadership speaker series, and they participate in development sessions, think tanks, and volunteer projects - all encouraging these students to embrace their internship and prepare them for a future career. In some departments, interns are rotated throughout their summer to expose them to several unique job duties and roles, and in the last few weeks of their internship, interns showcase what they’ve learned by leading store walks, presenting final projects, or  even providing oversight to a department within a distribution or e-fulfillment center. 

To top it off, interns are paid, get to use our associate discount, and have opportunities for future growth. 

From Interns To Associates - Investing in Fulfilling Careers 

We see our internship program as an important talent pipeline, and I am proud of the fact that more than 1,000 of our current associates started as interns. Edward Bonilla and Janell Wise recently shared their internship experiences, giving insight into what they learned and what they would tell today’s interns. 

Edward was a student at the University of California—Riverside when he accepted a Kohl’s internship in the summer of 2012 and was exposed to hands-on experience that inspired his career journey.

After graduation, Edward was hired as an assistant store manager, and today he’s the store manager at Kohl’s in Riverside, Calif. “As a sports-minded individual, I think of it as becoming a head coach and you get to see how your team performs.

You can track your successes daily and adjust as necessary as you would when you play a game,” said Edward. “In my internship, I was part of the executive team and learned how to manage the store business and day-to-day operations. I was able to help impact service and sales by working in a department making merchandising decisions.”

Janell was a store intern in the summer of 2005. Through her internship, she gained exposure to retail's numerous career possibilities. She has worked in stores, technology, HR, and now serves as vice president of supply chain.

“I would tell future interns to make the most of your internship. It's not just about the work we get done, but the relationships we build along the way,” Janell added.

“Kohl’s really invests in the internship experience, ensuring that everyone has exposure to key leaders in the company, meaningful projects and such great opportunities to build your network. The store internship really connected me to the roots of what we are here to do - serve our customers, community and associates.”

Janell and Edward are just two individuals who have utilized an open door and created an opportunity to develop. #BestSummerEver Kohl’s interns have a front-row view of the retail world, but they’re also asked to contribute—conducting research, building out projects and pitching ideas that often come to fruition. With summer underway and a full agenda for our interns, I am excited to see the impact these young minds will have on our business. The future of retail is bright, and interns are already full speed ahead as they learn and grow while contributing to our company's performance, culture, diversity, and values. I’m looking forward to the #BestSummerEver alongside these inspiring students.

Mari Steinmetz