International Paper

Human Resources Intern

June - August 2019 • New Bern, NC

What I liked

They included me in everything that they could. I got to experience meetings, interviews, and what they do everyday first hand. I was given a lot of freedom to do my projects that were assigned to me, but they were always there if I had questions or concerns. My management team was very supportive and always gave me constructive feedback. They really care about their employees and it shows in the everyday culture there. Being on the HR side I was mostly in the administrative building, but my manager gave me a lot of opportunities to go out into the mill and learn about everything.

What I wish was different

Nothing. I fully enjoyed my time at the New Bern Mill.

Advice

Ask questions. Everyone that works for IP is so nice. Never feel like you are bothering anyone, because they love to answer questions and help you. Don't be afraid to ask for more challenging work if you feel like you aren't being challenged. Try to get the full experience depending on what type of location you are at box plant or mill.

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Capital Project Intern

May 2019 • Eastover, SC

What I liked

I really enjoy the friendly, helpful work environment. The company as a whole focuses on continual development and safety for everyone. This is a place for rapid growth and honing on your engineering skills. The managers try to match projects according to individual's interests. Everyday I wake up excited to go to work. This is one of the best companies that I have been able to be apart of.

What I wish was different

Coming in, the first week was a little bumpy. It seemed like some miscommunications occurred between us interns and the members of administration. Plus several individuals took vacation days during that week and the following which made it somewhat difficult to get things situated.

Advice

Do not be afraid to get involved with or leading projects in all areas over the mill. Try to understand the big picture of the paper making process. It is very neat to see how all of the components of the mill coordinate with each other to produce our products. I wish I had taken the opportunity to Co-op instead of Internship. A summer term is too short for a wonderful experience like this.

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HR Intern

May - August 2019 • Memphis, TN

What I liked

IP is an ethical, sustainable company that practices its core values. One of those values, investing in people, permeates the culture to the point of treating the interns like associates. In fact, my job title was "HR Summer Associate" because it was an internship under the HRDP, which is the leadership development program for early-career HR professionals, or associates. The products that IP produces and distributes are useful and people depend on them. It's a model that I felt great about supporting. The work that I participated in was real and valuable. I was able to work on a couple of projects and contribute to the day-to-day. Being located at corporate HQ was a huge plus because I was able to interact with business leaders and gain a big-picture perspective that isn't afforded to all interns. The pay was good and included a housing stipend.

What I wish was different

HR interns don't have much interaction with each other because they are few and far between. I set up a couple of phone calls with other interns and visited one, but that took initiative.

Advice

Apply early and be willing to live anywhere. Recruiting begins early during the fall semester and offers only come if you're willing to relocate. You may end up in a tiny town in the country, but this experience will do wonders for the career.

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REACH Engineering Intern

May - August 2021 • Bogalusa, LA

What I liked

My experience at IP was one I would never trade. I worked with some amazing people and found a love for the paper industry. I loved how committed IP and its employees were to working safely and created an open discussion about working safely daily. Having never worked in a mill before, I had no idea what to expect. I would never have expected to love it so much! My department has made me truly feel like I belong here and has supported me since day one. IP truly believes in investing in their employees at every level and provides many opportunities develop new skills on the job.

What I wish was different

Advice

Take advantage of all the training sessions and intern meetings! Also, don't be afraid to explore and talk to people in other departments.

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Tax Intern

May - August 2019 • Memphis, TN

What I liked

I was given the opportunity to be very independent and work at my own pace. Everyone was eager to help me, but weren't overbearing or condescending.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Corrugated Box Machine Operator

May - August 2019 • Montgomery, IL

What I liked

Money

What I wish was different

More free time

Advice

Stay in school, work sucks

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Reliability Engineer

June - September 2023 • Campti, LA

What I liked

Great people to work with

What I wish was different

Manufacturing environment is unpredictable

Advice

Learn how to work with ambiguity

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Human Resources Intern

June 2020 • Tracy, CA

What I liked

International Paper is an industry leader in innovation and sustainability but they are also dedicated to their employees and they stand by it. They kept their commitments with 200+ interns while several companies were cancelling internships. As a company they are excellent communicators and have guided me through the process smoothly. I am grateful for the opportunity to advance my career during this pandemic. I definitely would recommend them in your career search!

What I wish was different

Advice

Go out and achieve your goals. Don't let the fear of being mobile stop you from working from your top companies. Be open to change and it will benefit you in the long run.

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Fiber Supply Intern

May - August 2019 • Texarkana, TX

What I liked

It gave me the opportunity to see many different aspects of Fiber Supply (one sector of the company) as well as other integral parts of the company.

What I wish was different

I wish that I would have had more duties other than my single project assigned. At school, you probably have 4 times the work so it wasn't very challenging most of the time.

Advice

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Maintenance Reliability

May - August 2018 • Eastover, SC

What I liked

Great projects to work on with great mentors, I learned so much.

What I wish was different

I would have liked to have a REACH mentor as well as my project mentor.

Advice

Ask questions and never let yourself get bored. There is a lot to learn and even more you can do so always learn something new.

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Commercial Sales Intern

June - August 2021 • San Antonio, TX

What I liked

I love the community aspect involved with IP. Moving to a different city for the summer without knowing anyone is hard, but right when I walk into work I feel at home. The employees at International Paper treat me like I am one of them. Everyone listens and values my opinions. Ultimately, this internship has given me real-life business experiences which I will hold onto forever. IP is a great sustainable, ethical, and diverse company, and I am grateful for the opportunity to work here and learn alongside my co-workers.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Finance Intern

May 2021 • Memphis, TN

What I liked

From day 1 I felt like I was apart of the team and everyone was so eager to welcome me and to get to know me. IP really does focus on your career goals and they do all they can to get you where you want to be. Excellent internship

What I wish was different

I thought it was great, no comments here.

Advice

Like most opportunities, you get what you put into it. IP offers so many resources and so many events but unless you dive in, you will only gain a partial benefit from them.

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Reliability Engineer

June - August 2019 • Mansfield, LA

What I liked

So much experience and knowledge gained. I feel like a better engineer at the end of this program. Paid well, and down-to-earth

What I wish was different

A little unprofessional, and I could not find enough work to keep me busy most days.

Advice

In your spare time, just hang out with the machine shop workers and they'll tell you anything and let you work on some cool projects with them.

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Reliability Intern

June - August 2019 • Mansfield, LA

What I liked

I learned a ton about steels, the pulp process, powerhouses, lubrication, pumps, and motors. HUGE beautiful facility. Over 700 workers on a given day. Kevin Driscoll is a great mill manager. Paid well too.

What I wish was different

A tad unprofessional, and team seemed a bit unprepared for our arrival, but still worthwhile. Most people in higher positions are very professional though.

Advice

If you want to enjoy your time, go meet the mechanics in the machine shop or the lubricators that do daily routes and hang out with them. They're friendly and fun. Be patient in the mill's rough times. Everyone can get busy in an instant if a machine goes down.

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IT Support Specialist Intern

June - August 2021 • Baton Rouge, LA

What I liked

Great environment

What I wish was different

more time

Advice

ask anytime you don't understand

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Fibers Intern

May - August 2019 • Prattville, AL

What I liked

Very great atmosphere, loved the people I worked with. The compensation and paid living expenses was great as well.

What I wish was different

Different location, spent the summer in Alabama so it was very warm.

Advice

Even if the internship moves you out of state, take it. International Paper was an excellent company and I made great friends and connections during my time down there .

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Global Supply Chain Intern

December 2018 - June 2019 • Memphis, TN

What I liked

I liked how I was able to learn skills necessary to make me competitive in the workforce and also experience the corporate environment.

What I wish was different

I wish the events scheduled in the programs were more structured.

Advice

My advice would be to do the best that you can in the things that you can control.

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Maintenance Reliability Engineer

May - August 2017 • Eastover, SC

What I liked

This is a great company, and they really put a lot of work into creating a learning and developmental experience for young engineers.

What I wish was different

Advice

Make sure to put yourself out there and try to meet as many new people as you can. The more people you talk to the more you are going to learn and gain from your internships.

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Human Resources Intern

June - August 2020 • Selma, AL

What I liked

This summer, I was an HR intern at the Riverdale Mill in Selma, Alabama. I really enjoyed every aspect of this internship. I was given real-time projects that will make a big impact on my mill. Everyone I worked with throughout the summer, whether hourly, salary, or even lead team members were very nice and I truly felt like I was a part of the team and a valuable asset to Riverdale. The culture at IP is like one big family and anyone is willing to help you if you ask. My feedback was taken seriously by my team which I find very important and something I look for in a company.

What I wish was different

I do not think anything needs to be different. My team gave me valuable projects that helped develop me as an HR professional, and corporate gave us some mock HR projects to work on with other interns which helped me get to know more HR interns going through similar experiences at different mills.

Advice

Be a sponge and absorb as much information you can in your summer with IP. Don't be afraid to ask questions because that will help you understand the business and help you in your career.

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Machine Operator

May - June 2019 • Saint Paul, MN

What I liked

The hourly wage

What I wish was different

The people

Advice

Working at job you're not passionate about gives you insight on how important it is to like your job. Being passionate can change your whole outlook on work.

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