internship – Groupe Dynamite

Being an Intern at Groupe Dynamite

What’s it like to be an intern? It’s joining a new company and becoming part of a new team with the goal of acquiring a unique work experience over the course of the summer! At Groupe Dynamite, we’re happy to welcome new talent in order for them to put their knowledge to the test, and to provide them with the necessary tools to advance and evolve in the workplace.

Many of our interns were enthusiastic to answer some of our questions and to share their experience so far with Groupe Dynamite. Here are some comments that caught our attention:

How would you describe the work environment at Groupe Dynamite?

“It’s very fast-paced, but it’s definitely a place where, as interns, we feel included, useful, and important.”
“Friendly. At GD, there are lots of meetings and team work is strongly encouraged, which maximizes the exchange of ideas and discussions. It’s what makes the work feel less like a routine, and the day goes by so quickly.”
“Pleasant, friendly, open-minded, collaborative… you are given responsibilities and it is definitely not redundant.”

Tell us about a funny moment or an anecdote from your experience so far:

“During a meeting for an overview of styles for the new collection, I was used as a fitting model for the team since I wear the sizes that were used as samples.”
“Showing my VP how to make a bun!”
“After a week of preparing for a presentation, our Manager organized a breakfast for our department! It’s not a particularly funny moment, but it was a nice gesture and a fun experience to have with everyone.”

What are your tips for having a good first day on an internship?

“Be yourself and don’t be afraid to ask questions.”
“You don’t have to be nervous. We are given excellent explanations in order to properly carry out our tasks and to become confident in our work.”
“It sounds simple enough, but just starting out with a smile and saying hello to people (especially other interns, we’re all new and nervous on our first day!).”
“Everyone is really welcoming. Try to learn as much as you can about your team, it will be useful in future tasks!”

Young talent. Big impact.

Remember that article about hiring 50 young talents over the spring? They’re finally here! Our new recruits are being on-boarded into 12 different departments as we speak. From Marketing to Continuous Improvement, they’re pretty much everywhere.

Whereas our Grads have permanent positions, our interns will be spending a total of twelve weeks with us. Members of both programs have quite the summer ahead of them!

On the schedule:

A lunch with their leaders
Another one with Andrew, our President and CEO
A tour of our Distribution Centre
Store visits
And more!

Throughout their Internship and Grad Program, these young professionals will be guided and provided with meaningful work experience through different tasks and projects specially designed for them. We’re thrilled to have them here to grow with us and shape their careers, like many of our employees who started out as summer interns!

Good luck to all Interns and Grads!

Springing into recruitment

Although the holiday season is most likely the retail industry’s busiest time of year, our recruitment team actually has to hustle most in spring.

We have two programs for what we like to call “emerging talent”, which comprises students and recent graduates: our Summer Internship Program and our Graduate Rotational Program. We actually take on graduates two or three times a year for the GRP, but when spring comes around and we’re hiring for both programs at once, it’s like the perfect storm… Case in point: we’re adding 50 young talents to the GD team this summer (and we couldn’t be more excited!).

You might be asking yourself where we find all of these talented individuals. Our recruitment team is very active in student life; you’ll find our people at career fairs, retail conferences, on judging panels for various fashion competitions, etc. We even host two recruitment cocktails at our Head Office every year! You simply cannot miss us.

If you’re interested in working for Groupe Dynamite one day, don’t hesitate to ask your school’s career advisors when GD is planning on coming to your college or university. If you’re studying in a business or fashion-related program, odds are we’ll cross paths!

At Groupe Dynamite, we are proud to support young talent and it warms our hearts to see the number of applicants grow year after year. Thank you to all who applied to our Summer Internship and Graduate Rotational programs. Although this recruitment season is almost over, we’re around all year. So come say hi because we can’t wait to meet you.

See you soon!

From Intern to Designer

Marjorie St-Jean was part of Groupe Dynamite’s intern cohort in June 2016. Now, one year later, she works within the Dynamite team as a Technical Designer for the denim category.

This spring, Marjorie spoke with students at the recruitment cocktail about her experience at Groupe Dynamite, including some of the following highlights:

Q1: Can you briefly describe your academic background?

My academic career began with the Katimavik program, where I was able to travel and learn about different cultures, as well as learn my second language, English. Then, I studied Fashion Design with a masculine specialization at Cégep Marie-Victorin. In order to deepen my knowledge, I pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design and Management at l’École supérieure de mode de Montréal.

Q2: How did you find yourself at Groupe Dynamite?

Following the presentation of the final collections from my university’s end-of-year projects, the recruitment Manager from Groupe Dynamite invited me to present my portfolio at one of the company’s recruitment cocktail events. Following this event, I was accepted to the Design internship program!

Q3: What are the 3 highlights from your internship?

Stepping out of my comfort zone. During my internship, my mentor let me work independently. This allowed me to quickly learn the tasks that the Design team needed to complete in order to produce the expected results.
Realizing that my opinion counts! Groupe Dynamite values everyone’s input, no matter their hierarchical status. I was quickly encouraged to share my opinions and learnt to bring my ideas forward with confidence.
Participating in the company’s creation process. As Designers, we have a concrete influence on the creative process at Groupe Dynamite. It’s extremely inspiring!

Q4: What role do you currently occupy at Groupe Dynamite and what does it entail?

I’m currently a Technical Designer for the denim category at Dynamite. My role consists of assisting the Senior Designer in the steps leading up to the creation of different collections. I participate in researching different materials and washes in order to get the ball rolling in the creative process of new denim models.

Q5: As a young grad, how do you feel supported at Groupe Dynamite? What opportunities does the company have to offer to the youngest generation?

We are surrounded by passionate mentors who include us in different projects. This pushes us to want to learn more in order to gain more experience and to bring something new to the table.

Q6: What advice would you give a young grad who’d like to work at GD?

Go for it! It’s an extraordinary opportunity to gain and develop an exceptional array of knowledge in a company filled with passionate people who are open to new ideas.

Q7: In your opinion, what sets Groupe Dynamite apart from other retailers?

It’s a company that constantly wants to surpass itself, that takes risks and is very open.

Mini Survey:

The mentor or person who inspires you:My parents, without a doubt!
Your favourite clothing item/accessory: Trench coat that I bought at Zara
A place in Montreal where we’d run into you: Met gym
Your style icon: Victoria Beckham
Your favourite trend right now:Pink, pink everywhere!
Your dream destination: Skellig Islands
The word you use most often: Oh my god!
In high school, you dreamt of becoming:A fashion designer
To take your mind off of things, you… go for a run by the water
Your guilty pleasure:Sewing

Click here to learn more about our Internship Program.

MY SUMMER PROJECT!

We asked our interns what kept them busy this summer! Here’s what some of them had to say:

The Back-to-School/Fall 2016 campaigns for both Garage and Dynamite kept me very busy. I was heavily involved in deploying the communication strategy for all store employees. From content creation to developing communication tools, I helped make sure that the teams were aligned. I also got to be involved in a new initiative called R.I.S.E. which aims to increase store efficiency. All very interesting!

—

ANA CRUZ

Intern, Sales & Operations

I spent my summer looking for inspiration and letting my creativity loose! I surfed the web, flipped through books and magazines, and searched for current worldly exhibitions, all in preparation for the upcoming Holiday 2016 campaign. Once everyone’s inspirations came together, I was in charge of creating mood boards and presenting them to Executives. I truly felt like I was a part of what will be our next Holiday campaign and it amazes me how everyone’s contributions came together.

—

CAMILA ACOSTA

Intern, Visual | Dynamite

We got to develop and fit our own garments! From the styles provided by a designer, we had to develop the patterns and have them printed and sewed. Once the samples were made, we worked with the designer, our supervisors and a Fit Model to make the proper corrections for the perfect fit. This helped us realize that millions of little steps are involved in the process!

We’re so proud of the finished result and even prouder to have been able to be involved in every part of the process. We were able to take all the knowledge we learned in school and apply it in a context closer to the reality of the industry.

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NICOLE ARSENAULT & CAMILLE BOISVERT

Interns, Sourcing

My summer internship took me out of my comfort zone! I got to learn a completely different approach to design which made me grow as a graphic designer. This experience made me realize the difference between school and work force. That being said, having my work included in Dynamite’s February print selection was definitely my biggest accomplishment.

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MICAH RODNEY

Intern, Graphic Design | Dynamite

I spent the summer doing what I love… design! I was given the task of designing various promotional accessories, like makeup cases and portable coffee cups! I also had the chance to participate in the production of the Concept Book; what an amazing opportunity! This was such a rewarding experience, and I’m so proud that several of my prints will be in our upcoming collections!

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ALEX FULHAM

Intern, Graphic Design | Dynamite

I had the chance to work on the planning and execution of the Dynamite booth for the Festival Mode & Design. This project was so inspiring because it allowed me to participate concretely to the outreach of the brand during one of Montreal’s must-see fashion events. In addition to coordinating all of the activities surrounding the Festival, from the fashion show to the installation of the booth, I also helped in the organization of the on-site VIP media event. Since day one of my internship, the team welcomed me like as if I was part of the family. What makes me most proud about this project was that I was able to see it take shape from beginning to end!

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ALEXANDRA THÉODORE

Intern, Marketing | Dynamite