Utah companies continue to benefit from the talented students currently enrolled in the Outdoor Product Design and Development (OPDD) program. Shelby McCashland, incoming  OPDD senior, has been interning for Logan-based ICON Health & Fitness for the past year. In her role as designer and developer, she’s gained real world experience by seeing the products she has worked on go to production and be sold in stores.

During her internship, McCashland has been involved in multiple steps of the product creation process. 

“I am a big part of the apparel design and development team,” McCashland said. “I’ve been very involved with the design and development of an apparel line. I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in apparel design, fabric sourcing, industry trade shows, working with manufacturers to bring product to life, and so much more.”

Shelby credits her success to the technical skills gained in her sewing courses.

 “The sewing courses I took in OPDD were crucial in preparing me to design and develop apparel at Icon,” she said. “I love to sew and learned a lot by doing it, but I have to say, it is pretty awesome to have a factory do the sewing instead and have it come back looking like it came off of a store shelf.”

The skills students gain throughout the program, combined with a strong internship, are a powerful combination to help prepare students to be job ready upon graduation.

“I already feel like my experience at ICON has jumpstarted my career, and the skills I have gained there have made me more capable and confident,” McCashland said.