PCAStudent Life

Career Services

Preparing the Next Generation of Creative Industry Leaders

At Paris College of Art internships and professional projects are an integral part of our arts, design and design management education and through which students further their creative capabilities, are introduced to the professional aspects of their chosen areas of study, and develop into leaders in the creative industries.

Students begin preparing for their careers the day they select a professional college of art and design, and the Career Services office works in coordination with the school’s academic leaders to help all students fine-tune the skills needed to prosper in today’s most challenging markets.

Professional Projects

PCA stresses the value of professional experiences while in school as well as the development of networking skills and job search techniques in preparing students to start their careers.
We develop relationships in the creative industries to create internship opportunities and develop corporate projects for students.

Such opportunities can lead to job offers and help students expand their professional contacts. We also connect alumni to current students and organize guest lectures with professionals from the art and design industries.

Mauboussin

Mauboussin launched their first jewelry design contest, Mauboussin Young Talent, with PCA. Students from all departments worked on this contest during one semester and created a unique piece of jewelry.

Hermès

Hermès invited the students of Paris College of Art to use their imagination and creativity to design the fifteen windows of the Hermès store on avenue George V in Paris to herald the opening of the Saut Hermès at the Grand Palais.

Compagnons du Devoir

PCA Fashion Design Seniors worked together with the leather specialist apprentices from Les Compagnons du Devoir, to produce outstanding accessories as part of their capsule collection.

Taiping Carpet Design

PCA students worked with Taiping, the Chinese carpet company that largely serves the luxury, B to B market, develop new carpet designs and analyze their in-store marketing.

Takasago - Perfume Project

Takasago challenges PCA Fashion Seniors to design a scent to compliment their thesis collections.

Le Laboratoire

Le Laboratoire organized the International Workshop, in which four PCA students participated alongside students from renowned institutions worldwide.

Fabrica

Fabrica, Benetton’s communication research center, invited Communication Design Juniors & Seniors to create animations for their Live Window Project.

Who's Next

Who’s Next Prêt-à-Porter, the meeting point for fashion professionals, invited students from PCA participate in their Scarecrow project.

Partnership with Compagnons du Devoirs

Partnership with Compagnons du Devoirs

Teaming up the Compagnons du Devoirs apprentices, PCA students learn the steps it takes to go from prototype to accessories manufacture.
Hermès Window Display

Hermès Window Display

Hermès invited our students to use their imagination and creativity to design the fifteen windows of the Hermès store on avenue George V in Paris.

Job Search Skills

With workshops on resume writing, cover letter writing and interviewing skills as well as individual meetings, we guide students through their internship and job searches while they are still in school and beyond graduation.

Internships

The Career Services office and faculty in each department develop relationships in the industry to create internship opportunities and develop corporate projects for students.

Students Talk about their Internship Experiences

Nathaly Stern, Intern for Paris Design Week

During my Paris design week internship, I was given a lot of responsibility, such as guiding a group of 10 very international visitors through many different art and furniture galleries in the 6th and 7th arrondissement in Paris. The final stop of the tour was a beautiful exhibition at the headquarters of Baccarat, including a cocktail get-together in the garden of the villa. I was lucky to meet very interesting and friendly people that week, as well as become familiar with beautiful art and design places throughout Paris.

Assunta Waldburg, Intern, Koch Gallery at Paris Photo

My Internship at Koch Gallery during Paris Photo was an amazing experience as I learned a lot about the photo industry. I had the opportunity to meet most of the living artists that the Koch Gallery represents and look through the different art books. At the end, my supervisor suggested I apply for a longer term internship at their gallery.

Courtney Leverette, Intern, Nathalie Garçon

The internship at Nathalie Garçon was a unique opportunity for a first experience. I learned of the internship through a PCA staff member who personally knew Nathalie Garçon. Paris College of Art is amazing at connecting students with industry professionals, connections which are invaluable later on. At the Nathalie Garçon studio, I was working with an incredibly small design team, which meant that I got to learn about and participate in every part of creating the collection, from the very beginning research through to production. As an intern, to have an opportunity like that in a city like Paris is just incredible.

Karen Shea, Intern, Muzéo

I found an internship at the agency Muzéo when I visited their studio on a Paris Inside/Out class visit lead by Stéphanie Lagarde. I was part of the creative team where I worked on a variety of projects. I learned how the real world of creative work happens by seeing the balance between the client briefs, financial factors and project management-and of course deadlines. In addition to the work, I also attended vernissages, team meetings and office dinners. I improved my French and I got to be part of a delightful professional family.

Emilia Petrarca, Intern, Melissa Unger Gallery

I was the editorial assistant for Melissa Unger at Seymour Projects – an online initiative and magazine dedicated to helping artists/creative types, “nurture their imaginations and explore their subconscious minds.” I helped Melissa organize two interactive projects: a booth at the Cutlog Art Fair and the Mindsurf gallery event. They were both really exciting projects to work on because she let me help her with everything: explanatory texts, invitations, the catalog, curating, etc. As her editorial assistant, I also did interviews for the online magazine and copy-editing.

More companies where students have recently done internships

Alexander Wang | American Retro | Andrew GN | Anne Valérie Hash | Antik Batik | Aquent | Aesthete | Assouline Media | Aubade | Bibliothèque Kandinsky | Balmain | BETC Design | Bismarck Phillips | Communication Media | Boucheron | Carré Noir | Carven | Céline | Celio | Cerruti 1881 | Centre Pompidou | Centre de Recherche du Château de Versailles | Chloé | Christian Dior | Christian Lacroix | Christian Louboutin | Christie’s | Colors | Condé Nast Publications | Delphine Murat | Des Petits Hauts | Devi Kroell | Dice Kayek | Dim | Diane von Furstenberg | Dior Homme | DM Media | Emanuel Ungaro | Elixir | Euro RSCG | Fred & Farid | Galerie Hussenot | Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac | Giambattista Valli | Girault Totem | Givenchy | Groupe Idoine | Hachette Filipacchi | Hans de Foer | Hermès | Hervé Leger | Hao-Qui | IMG World | Jacques Fath | Jed Root Europe | John Ribbe | La Chambre Claire | Lehman Brothers | Lagerfeld Gallery | Lancôme | Lanvin | Libération | L’Oréal | LVMH | Kenzo | Kaeido | Magnum Photos | Martin Grant | Martine Sitbon | Musée des Arts Décoratifs | Natalys |Nina Ricci | Oscar De La Renta| Ogilvy | Paco Rabanne | Pfeiffer Consulting | Philip Lim | Quicksand | Ralph Kemp | Red Dragon | Reed Krakoff | Rick Owens | Rochas | Rue Du Mail | Shigeru Ban | Smart Design | Sonia Rykiel | Sutton Lane | Sotheby’s | Swarovski | Terra Foundation for American Art | Tod’s | Torrente | Tissus Malhia Kent | Tom van Lingen | Ubik / Starck Network | Van Cleef & Arpels | Viktor & Rolf | Versace | Victoria and Albert Museum | Vogue | Voulelle | Wilmotte et Associés |Woman’s Wear Daily | Young & Rubicam

Alumni

Alumni Association

The Alumni Association at Paris College of Art represents a worldwide network of artists, designers, and creative professionals spanning from Tokyo to Bogota. Our alumni network connects members with each other, and facilitates the exchange with other alumni in a certain professional field or in a certain region of the world. Members of the PCA alumni group stay connected with their alma mater by attending guest lectures, vernissages, end of year activities at PCA as well as specific alumni events and dinners.

Notable Alumni

Tom Ford | Patrick Robinson | Lazaro Hernandez | Nicky Hoberman | Dimitar Lukonov | Ryan Mendoza | Hanna Ulvegarde Bak | Erin Fetherston | Bennu Gerede | Georgia Hardinge | Calla Haynes | David Peck | Margot Warre

Paris Playground
 
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