EXCLUSIVE: What I Did on My Summer Internship
As the curtain drops on summer, peak internship period is also coming to a close. Students and seasonal employees who are back or headed to school and other jobs are likely putting their experience to use as they prepare for potential careers in the grocery, CPG and related industries.
According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the hiring of students for internships was stable this year. Eight out of 10 employers surveyed by NACE said they expected to maintain or increase the number of interns they brought on board in 2024.
Certainly, the internship experience isn’t what it was a generation or two ago. Dave Peacock, CEO of Clayton, Mo.-based sales agency Advantage Solutions, recently met with interns who finished their summer program at the company and later reflected back on his own experience in interview with Progressive Grocer.
“I interned after my junior year of college at D’Arcy Advertising in St. Louis. I started on the Mars business on the team that launched Twix. Back then, we had to mail resumes and call people in an office. I was fortunate that they hinted at a job offer at the end, and I was signed up by February,” he recalled. “We wore suits to work every day and there were 10 or so interns. I loved going to a downtown office and ‘dressing up.’ Ultimately, I learned professionalism from the media director, Jim Porcarelli; the power of relationships from Account VP Jim Palumbo; and attention to detail from Irene Hindman. A very formative experience.”
His colleague, Jill Blanchard, president, enterprise client solutions at Advantage Solutions, said that the internship work culture has definitely shifted in ways that open the door for many, but unfortunately, not all young people. “In my day, the job you got after college graduation was your first professional job of your career. Internships were a rarity, and if they happened, they were most certainly unpaid,” she recalled. “Today, it’s an expectation that college grads come to the table with internship experience, and usually more than just one experience. College grads entering the workforce with no internships – and school internships don’t qualify – are sometimes forced to take an internship to get that experience to then later apply for a full-time position.”
To help Gen Z – and soon, Gen Alpha – people navigate the changed workplace environment, many grocery and grocery-adjacent businesses invest time and resources into internship programs that benefits participants as well as employers. SpartanNash, for example, more than doubled the size of its 12-week internship program from 2022 to 2024 and welcomed dozens of interns from 40 universities and colleges for their program that extended from May 20 to Aug. 8.
“At SpartanNash, we are passionate about discovering the next wave of talent and building up the future leaders of the next generation. With a diverse group of 106 young leaders, we strive to create a space where interns can bring a fresh perspective and innovative problem-solving skills to the company. Through meaningful assignments, team bonding activities and mentorship, our interns are truly able to make both long-lasting memories and an impact on our company throughout the summer,” said Nicole Zube, EVP and chief human resources officer at the Michigan-based food solutions company.
SpartanNash interns gained experience and pay and enjoyed some perks, like an onsite game room and a summer housing stipend for those who didn’t live in the Grand Rapids area near the company’s headquarters. Interns participated in the second annual Intern Field Day, which included a food drive contest and competitive events like blind food tasting, grocery price guessing, tug of war, an inflatable obstacle course and more.
“Spending my summer as a SpartanNash intern has been an invaluable experience that has shaped both my professional and personal growth. I participated in learning seminars, on-boarding events and fun activities such as intern field day, gaining powerful knowledge and skills that will undoubtedly benefit my future career and academic pursuits. In addition to the professional experience, I have formed meaningful friendships with fellow interns and have had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in community service,” reported Piper Young, an intern in the integrated communications function.
Former interns who are now SpartanNash team members shared with Progressive Grocer their thoughts on the experience. "Interning at SpartanNash provided a genuine glimpse into professional life. Unlike some internships with menial tasks, I actively contributed to daily team operations. This experience helped me evaluate my career path and explore related fields, allowing for early pivots if needed. Additionally, I gained valuable exposure to executive leadership through weekly sessions and capstone presentations, with leaders readily available to support interns’ growth,” remembered Riley Newlin, an IT security analyst.
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Added Devin Upton, a SpartanNash marketing specialist: “My internship experience shaped me greatly. The whole point of an internship is to understand the importance of gaining applicable experience in your field of interest. I learned the importance of showing up every day with a great attitude, project management skills, proactiveness and problem-solving. My internship involved coming up with a new way to automate our email communication system. It was very fascinating to see all the dynamic cross collaboration that takes place in order to accomplish each project. The biggest takeaway that I would share is to always be willing to be flexible and pivot. Sometimes things don't go how you planned, but your ability to stay calm, problem solve and handle difficult situations is what separates you."
At Advantage Solutions, leaders are taking an increasingly deeper look at internships. This was the first summer that internships were aligned under a larger program there and the company offered more roles across departments and functions. “The internship program offers a space for collaboration and learning, which we designed to go both ways. Our interns – in their words – gain valuable experience working within the retail industry and benefit from our unique position and vantage point at the nexus of consumer brands and retailers,” Peacock asserted. “These student leaders, meanwhile, provide unique perspectives and challenge our paradigms, helping evolve the way our teams think and execute. Not only that, but the implementation of the program itself provided opportunities for growth for some of our teammates – from the interns’ managers and peers, to our teammates who were given the responsibility to expand and unify this program and ensure a successful and enriching experience for both the interns and our people. “
Blanchard underscored the two-way nature of such initiatives. “Understanding that internships are the table stakes to entering the work force, we also have to solve for the challenge of those with connections and those without connections. It used to be that very few people got their first jobs from connections. I replied to hundreds of ads until I eventually landed job No. 1. It’s different today,” she pointed out. “Most interns and entry-level associates are obtaining these positions via some type of connection – whether via the school or personally. This puts other candidates with little to no connections at a severe disadvantage. Everybody deserves the same rights to employment opportunities. It’s not an easy solve, but it’s one that needs attention, so we don’t further bifurcate our future workforce between the haves and have nots.”
