In turn with Matthew Ball

In turn is a series that highlights the student interns and internship opportunities found within the College of Business (COB). For more information, contact Melissa Parks at parksr19@ecu.edu. 

If Matthew Ball was looking for an internship opportunity centered around the supply chain, then he got it with Amazon.

“Interning for one of the largest e-commerce companies in the world gave me a great insight into the supply chain management field and has helped shape my future career path,” said Ball.

The Charlotte, North Carolina senior tells us about his experiences with Amazon and the College of Business.

“I learned about this opportunity by using LinkedIn, as well as the Amazon student jobs website,” said Ball. “I started with a virtual internship for the first few weeks. Then, I transitioned to on-site experience.”

What were your responsibilities?

I was an area manager in the outbound pack singles department of Amazon’s CLT4 fulfillment center located in Charlotte, North Carolina. I began my first week by completing every associate role in the fulfillment center. After that, I managed the department on my shift, leading approximately 200 associates. My responsibilities included monitoring associate and department productivity and safety metrics, as well as coaching and managing my associates. I also worked with my fulfillment center’s Senior Operations to improve overall efficiency by working on various process improvement projects.

 Why did you choose to do an internship?

I chose to do an internship to explore different areas and fields within supply chain management. I also wanted to gain valuable real-life work experience.

How did the COB prepare you to be the chosen candidate?

ECU’s COB taught me many of the skills and the business knowledge needed to succeed in this role. However, the most important thing I have learned was soft skills. I learned how to communicate and be a successful leader.

How are you better prepared for your career with this internship under your belt?

My internship allowed me to develop and grow as a leader. I was put into a role with little previous management experience and was expected to run a department of 200 associates. This management experience was great insight into what to expect and what it takes to be a workplace manager.

Why would you recommend a business student take advantage of an internship opportunity?

It will help you to have a strong competitive advantage after graduation. However, the most important part of an internship is getting that real-world experience.

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