What excites you most about fashion?

Maybe it's the thrill of watching the collections roll out each spring and fall. Maybe it's tracking the influence of trends. Perhaps it's styling yourself and your friends with a mix of fancy pieces and thrift shop scores. Do you obsessively watch YouTube tutorials, write your own blog and/or voraciously consume issues of W, V, WWD (we could go on)?

If you're a fashion addict and a high school junior or senior interested in working in the fashion industry, Nordstrom has an opening for you.

The Nordstrom Fashion Ambassador program gets you involved in aspects of advertising, marketing, buying, merchandising, public relations, selling and visual display, giving you a dapper leg up as you think about career options. Because knowledge-and style-is power.

The 2017 application period is now open and will close April 4, 2016. Read on to hear what former ambassadors, now Nordstrom employees, have to say about their experiences!

Nikki Grab, Marketing Strategy Manager, Fashion Ambassador 2008 What did you enjoy most about the program?

The guest speakers were my favorite part. I was lucky enough to be a part of the Downtown Seattle program, so there were always employees from headquarters available to come chat with us. It was my senior year of high school, and the insight provided from this program helped me decide what I wanted to pursue in my undergraduate studies.

Why do you think this program is beneficial to high school students?

If you're interested in working with a fashion retailer, understanding the career paths necessary to help you reach your goal prior to graduating high school is a huge advantage when taking your next steps.

Did it help you achieve any goals?

It more so helped me set my goals. I knew I ultimately wanted to work for Nordstrom, so this experience led me to apply to work in the store as the start of my path here at Nordstrom, to reach my ultimate goal of being on the Marketing team.

What was your path after the program, and what's your role at Nordstrom now?

After the Fashion Ambassador program, I went to college to study business marketing and always had Nordstrom in my mind as where I wanted to be. My senior year of college I worked at the Downtown Seattle store in the BP. department as a sales associate. From there I was fortunate enough to be hired on as an intern in the Marketing Strategy department for the summer after graduation. Ultimately that internship led to a full-time position on the Marketing Strategy team for Designer Apparel, Handbags, Shoes, SPACE,and Weddings, where I started as a planner. I am currently the Marketing Manager on the same Designer Apparel, Handbags, Shoes, SPACE and Weddings team. And who knows what my next step will be?

Kaitlin Kenny, Product Copy Proofreader, Fashion Ambassador June 2006-2007 Tell us about your experience with the program.

I joined when it was called BP. Fashion Board. I loved getting a taste of what it's like to work in fashion, from working stock on the sales floor to learning about the BP. NPG brands to modeling in a fashion show. When you're 17 and trying to figure out what you want to do, it's helpful to learn about the different careers you can have in fashion and hear from people who worked their way up (or down the inverted pyramid).

What did you gain from the program?

I learned a lot more about the behind-the-scenes aspect of the fashion industry, like merchandising and planning. I also thought it was really interesting to learn about the types of customers who shop different brands, which makes sense with my interest in the marketing and advertising side of fashion. After this program, I had clearer career goals and I knew Nordstrom was a company I'd want to work for after college.

What was your path after the program, and what's your role at Nordstrom now?

After college, I came to Store 1 as a seasonal web fulfiller, then a salesperson. Now I'm at Nordstrom.com as a Product Copy Proofreader.

Why do you think this program is beneficial to high school students?

The program is a great look at all aspects of the fashion industry, and you learn about careers you never knew existed. For high school students figuring out what path to take, it's beneficial to learn about the opportunities, hear industry knowledge from insiders and develop career goals or decide on a college major.

APPLY ONLINE for the Nordstrom Fashion Ambassador program

-Rachel Shimp