Kmart® Launches Latina Smart(SM) Internship Program

USA - English

• Latin America - español

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Oct. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- As the celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month draws to a close, Kmart has announced the launch of the inaugural Latina Smart internship program. Five retail-minded Latina Smart interns will be selected to participate in a 10-week paid summer internship at Sears Holdings corporate headquarters in Hoffman Estates, Ill. Interns will gain on-the-job experience, develop industry connections and receive mentorship and career development counseling throughout the program.

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According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) 2011 student survey, paid internships correlate to job-search success; and, new college graduates who participated in internships did far better in the job market than their peers without experience.

Latina Smart interns will document their journey in real time via Latina Smart social media channels as they shadow a series of departments and job functions to gain an understanding of the retail process from business strategy and merchandising to store execution and customer experience. During the 10-week program, interns will be given the opportunity to contribute to vendor negotiations, participate in advertising and promotional planning, work on public relations and marketing activations and perform financial analysis.

"Kmart embraces the opportunity to support the ambitions of our diverse community," said Andrew Stein, interim chief marketing officer, Kmart. "Through the Latina Smart internship program, we aim to empower young Hispanic women looking to enter the competitive workforce by providing professional advancement opportunities that will bridge the gap between education and experience."

Between Oct. 17 and Dec. 31, candidates can submit a resume and 200-word essay via Kmart.com/LatinaSmart. Selected candidates will be notified of their acceptance in April of 2013 and the internship program will begin on May 20, 2013.

Established in 2011, the Latina Smart initiative was designed to serve as an online community dedicated to empowering Hispanic women. In its introductory year, the program created a scholarship fund that awarded $25,000 in tuition assistance to graduating high school seniors and post-secondary students. Building from this momentum, the Latina Smart program works to continue providing unique opportunities for Kmart's diverse customer.

For more information about internship requirements, qualifications and the application process, please visit www.kmart.com/LatinaSmart.         

About Kmart
Kmart, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD), is a mass merchandising company and part of ShopYourWay, a social shopping experience where members have the ability to earn points and receive benefits across a wide variety of physical and digital formats through ShopYourWay.com.  Kmart offers customers quality products through a portfolio of exclusive brands that include Sofia by Sofia Vergara, Jaclyn Smith, Joe Boxer, Route 66 and Smart Sense. For more information visit the company's website at www.kmart.com |Sears Holdings Corporation website at www.searsholdings.com.| Facebook: www.facebook.com/kmart

SOURCE Kmart