International Paper

Process Engineer Intern

May - August 2023 • Selma, AL

What I liked

All of the people I worked with were really helpful, knowledgeable, and kind. I also really enjoyed the projects I got to work on. All of my projects were important projects that were value-added to the mill. I never felt like I was doing things for no reason. Overall, really enjoyed it and would suggest.

What I wish was different

Location could be better, but overall pretty great internship.

Advice

Don't be afraid to ask questions! Stay engaged and stay positive. Also, make sure you get out and meet people.

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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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REACH Co-Op

January 2022 • Pensacola, FL

What I liked

I really enjoyed getting hands on experience related to my major. I learned a lot about working in a heavy manufacturing environment, good safety practices, working professionally in an office setting, and working in the pulp and paper industry.

What I wish was different

I wouldn’t change a thing! The people were especially kind and helpful, and I loved working here.

Advice

I would ask others questions when you get stuck and try to learn as much about the manufacturing process and business as you can.

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Safeguard

July - August 2023 • Laredo, TX

What I liked

The environment and the responsibility they gave me

What I wish was different

I wished I had been more prepared for the job

Advice

You will have to work with a team and push yourself

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Human Resources Intern

February 2021 • Modesto, CA

What I liked

I really enjoyed the work environment and the people. Everyone is nice and welcoming. International Paper in Modesto cares a lot for there employees and pushes for safety. Currently we have life month going on which is a month long event where employees can win prizes, while learning about the importance of safety in the work place.

What I wish was different

There's nothing that I wish had been different. I have definitely asked a lot of questions and still continue to learn more each day.

Advice

Make strong connections. Assist in other departments as much as you can it will help you gain more experience, and learn more.It also shows employers that your eager and willing to learn. Don't be afraid to ask question.

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Manufacturing Excellence Engineer Intern

May - August 2022 • Orange, TX

What I liked

The employees at the mill were very helpful/friendly. Projects assigned were real and meaningful. Lots of learning and networking opportunities.

What I wish was different

Geographical location wasn't ideal.

Advice

Put in the effort to build relationships. Become familiar with the intro-level engineering positions to see if it's something you want to do after graduation.

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Process Engineer Intern

May - August 2022 • Riegelwood, NC

What I liked

I liked being able to work with both the Manufacturing Excellence and operations teams. Both teams at the mill want to support the interns and are willing to help when asked. I was also able to interact with the other interns at and outside of work. Being a fully integrated paper mill, I was able to explore a lot of different processes and visit the other departments.

What I wish was different

It was difficult to find short-term housing in the Wilmington area. One of the engineers sent a list of apartments other interns has previously lived in, but some were no longer offering a 3-month lease. I also wish that my desk location was different. The interns shared offices in one of the buildings far away from the departments. While it was good to be able to interact with other interns, there was a slight disconnect when working with our departments.

Advice

I would advise other interns to ask to shadow the full time engineers. A lot of the intern work is project-based. By shadowing, interns can get a better understanding of what a job after graduation would look like. The initiative also shows the department engineers that they can ask the interns for help.

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Process Engineering Intern

May - August 2021 • Eastover, SC

What I liked

I liked the people I worked with. They were always friendly and willing to help.

What I wish was different

I wish there had been more hands-on experience or a chance to work with other departments within the same internship.

Advice

Be prepared to work overtime. They expect you to work over 40 hours a week and won’t like it if you leave early.

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Mechanical Engineering Intern

May - August 2021 • Ticonderoga, NY

What I liked

Plenty of learning opportunities through intern assemblies, Meaningful projects and tasks, Friendly Employees

What I wish was different

More available work for interns, more intradepartmental communication.

Advice

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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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Manufacturing Excellence Front End Intern

May - July 2021 • Cantonment, FL

What I liked

I really liked how welcoming the team was to the interns. The first week was dedicated to training and introductions to engineers we'd spend the internship working with.

What I wish was different

I wish the company offered corporate housing options.

Advice

Take advantage of the first week of training to meet everyone and then spend some time getting to know the other employees you'll be working with. A lot of the work I had depended on communicating with others in the company so getting to know them on a personal and professional level before depending on each other makes it a bit easier.

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Financial Analyst Intern

May - August 2021 • Memphis, TN

What I liked

I had multiple trainings when working in the credit department that helped me succeed and complete assignments that a typical credit analyst would do which allowed me to gain skills that jobs would love. Also when I had gotten sick or had an emergency doctor schedule they were concerned and allowed me to take the rest of the day off to look after my health. Despite hearing what typical corporate jobs were like when it came to the life of the workers, International Paper seems dedicated to the health and livelihood of both the workers and the interns.

What I wish was different

More projects and assignments coming from the department I was working in instead of majority of the work coming from HR.

Advice

Don't be too shy when talking to your managers, internal peers or fellow interns. The more people you get to know, the better!

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Paper and Pulp reliability Co-op

May - August 2019 • Port Wentworth, GA

What I liked

I like my coworkers and the freedom to choose my day to day activities. I also enjoy the flexibility of my schedule.

What I wish was different

I wish I had linked my work email to my cell phone.

Advice

I would recommend students do what they want when working a co-op. It is good to have direction, but more important to be independent.

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Manufacturing Excellence Intern

January - August 2021 • Port Wentworth, GA

What I liked

The environment was extremely welcoming and everyone was willing to teach. There wasn't a day when I didn't learn something new. I also loved the location of the PW mill; located just outside of Savannah, Ga, it was a good mix of city/rural area.

What I wish was different

I wish that I would've been able to visit the other mill here. The company has two mills and it would've been great to see both the container board and fluff mills in action. I think having two mills in one location is something we should take advantage of!

Advice

I would tell anyone pursuing an internship to not be afraid to get out of their comfort zone and get involved in a project not assigned to them. This shows initiative and also gives you the chance to get involved in something you otherwise wouldn't. Who knows, it may end up being the best part of your internship.

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REACH intern

June - August 2021 • Port Wentworth, GA

What I liked

I was given as little or as much responsibility as I wanted. The projects that I worked on were entirely mine, which was important to me because it felt like I was actually making an impact for the company. The people were always approachable and willing to help me with projects when I needed. IP PW is super close to Savannah, GA so I liked being close to a bigger city and everything it has to offer. The other IP interns I got close with and we became great friends while we all worked, lived, and hung out together.

What I wish was different

The on boarding process, especially with my offer letter not stating everything I would be given was frustrating. Especially since I knew that interns at other mills received everything in their offer letter.

Advice

Network with people at the mill. Whether they are management, operators, vendors, or co-workers, network with as many people as possible because they can be super useful for jobs later on down the line.

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Mechanical Reliability Engineer Intern

May - August 2021 • Eastover, SC

What I liked

I love the people at the Eastover Mill. Everyone was so welcoming and willing to help, which makes the transition much easier. Additionally, I really appreciated being given meaningful projects that positively impacted the mill.

What I wish was different

Honestly, I would not change much about my experience. I really enjoyed my time at the Eastover Mill. I only wish possible opportunities were not hindered by the pandemic. However, I made the most of it and learned more that I thought possible in a three month span.

Advice

I have a few pieces of advice for anyone looking to work at International Paper. First, never be afraid to ask for help. Chances are if you have a question, someone else has had the same question at one point. Everyone wants to help you learn and succeed. Next, make friends with the other interns, engineers, operators, and technicians. They often have years of experience, and as a result, they often know the answers to questions you have not even thought of yet. Lastly, have fun and be safe! Interning for International Paper is truly an opportunity of lifetime, so enjoy the experience.

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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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Process Engineer Intern

January - August 2021 • Selma, AL

What I liked

International Paper has a lot of upward mobility- especially for engineers. They have mills all over the country (and globe), and their headquarters are in Memphis. As an engineering intern, I liked how I was spending equal time in the office, analyzing data, and equal time in the field, supporting operations on the paper machines. I gained a lot of skills that I can apply to any career- communication, initiative, dealing with ambiguity, creative problem solving, planning... Overall, I see IP as a good company to work for full time in terms of opportunity, salary, diversity, and benefits. #IPIntern

What I wish was different

I wish I had gotten more hands on experience. Some of this was due to covid, but I really wish someone had taught me some mechanical & technical knowledge. My supervisors expected me to come in having way more excel knowledge than any college student should- and this is coming from someone who took a basic class on computer applications, and uses excel for chemical engineering classes. In general, there needs to be more formal classes for all interns so they can succeed and learn optimally. I also feel like a lot of my potential was not seen and was therefore wasted. I had a lot of free time in the first few months. Even though I have been here for 7 months and learned a lot, I feel like I would have been more successful with an official mentor, being trusted with projects more but not being expected to go it alone, and being kept in the loop better. I really like IP's corporate culture, but my particular mill has a very unprofessional and laidback culture. It seemed nice at first, but I started to see inappropriate/unsafe actions slide. I think that at least at my mill, safety is preached more than practiced.

Advice

I was not prepared for a manufacturing job in the slightest- waking up at the crack of dawn, long commutes, working lots of overtime, overwhelming sounds and smells, and navigating unsafe conditions. This is something to consider for any manufacturing job before you jump right in. I would tell anyone who is about to work the same internship to be curious, cautious, ask lots of questions, be a good listener, and be a go-getter. Also, place a value on professional/transferable skills, not just all the technical knowledge about the process.

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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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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.