NEW YORK — In an effort to encourage college students to pursue careers in the textile industry, more than 30 mills, converters and fiber producers will participate in two “Textile Career Days” this spring.
The events, sponsored by the Textile Distributors Association, will be held March 22 at Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science, and April 19 at the Fashion Institute of Technology, here.
Senior executives from participating companies will meet with students to discuss prospects within their firms, or to counsel them on opportunities in the textile field.
Firms that will take part include Brookwood Cos., JBJ Fabrics, Lida, Nuance Textiles, Tandler Textiles, United Merchants & Manufacturers, WestPoint Stevens, Yarnell Fabrics, Allied Fibers, Omega Textiles, Stonecutter Mills, Majestic Mills, Ge-Ray Fabrics and Erlanger Blumgart.
“There aren’t that many colleges and universities specializing in this area, so we’re going to work aggressively with those that do, to try and help those students make a career in the textile industry,” said Bruce Roberts, executive director of the TDA, a group comprising chiefly of mills and converters. Roberts said this is the first time the TDA has sponsored such an event.
Roberts said the concept is also being considered at other schools.
“Even though people get good jobs in the textile industry, we haven’t worked together as well as we should,” said Ingrid Johnson, chairwoman of the textile development and marketing department at FIT. Johnson said she expects about 100 students to participate.
Marianne Able, director of career planning and placement at Philadelphia Textile, said the TDA firms will be talking with about 100 students at her school as well.
“We have recruiting year-round from major mills, so we are treating this as a regular day of interviewing, just with many more firms,” she said.