North Florida Sewing Center offers a robust internship program.  We can accept up to 30 new interns three times per year.  The start dates follow the University of Florida semesters with mandatory training and orientation on the first Friday and Saturday of each term.   Interns are expected to complete a minimum of 60 hours of service including training hours over approximately 14 weeks.  Most do a lot more than 60 hours.

Interns can be students in high school or college, but we also welcome adults and senior retirees.  We welcome people with varying abilities and all races, religions, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientation.   College students may be getting credit for their hours and high school students accrue Bright Futures hours. 

To apply for a spot in the next intern cohort, simply send a resume and cover letter to nfsewingcenter@gmail.com.  We will send you a list of questions to answer and videos to watch before the training.  The deadline to apply is the Wednesday before the weekend training but we recommend applying early as sometimes we reach capacity early. 

The training includes the beginner sewing machine class and learning most of the non-sewing jobs.  Interns are also trained to do outreach, public speaking, advocacy, and teaching others to do various tasks at the sewing center.  As they develop confidence and competency, interns may help to run events and classes at the center, and may even become lead teachers of some of the classes.  No prior sewing experience is required but those coming in with sewing machine competency will be trained as instructors.  

Interning with North Florida Sewing Center is a wonderful experience and very “user-friendly.”  Since many interns are attending school and/or working, the flexible scheduling for volunteering at the sewing center makes this a very comfortable situation.  Once interns show competency, they are welcome to do some work at home or come in outside of our regular open hours.  We encourage interns to participate in outreach events and to try all the different tasks.  Interns can also take our classes in quilting skills, crocheting, bag-making, etc.  We even have a quilting machine with 9 foot frame that interns can learn to work.  We also have a need for some “behind the scenes” work doing data entry and/or translation work.  And if an intern is going overseas, we encourage her/him to take our washable pads to distribute in other countries to low-income groups in schools, clinics, shelters, etc. 

Some of the relevant University of Florida majors/minors that give credit for internships with North Florida Sewing Center include:  FYCS (Family Youth Community Science), Health Disparities, Public Health, Women’s Studies, Sustainability, and more.   Students need to discuss with their advisors how to receive credit for their work with us well in advance of the start of their internship.