The Home Depot Store Operations: Store of the Future Strategy Externship

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Strategy & Consulting

Work with The Home Depot's Store Operations team to design a unified, whole-store selling experience as THD shifts to mobile point-of-sale.

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Overview

In this externship program, students will learn strategic consulting skills to analyze and evaluate challenges from non-profit organizations using consulting frameworks, in an overall effort to help them solve their important problems. Selected individuals will be paired with a specific non-profit organization and dive into their strategic problems, such as development, impact assessment, process improvements, talent engagement, communication, and strategic positioning. Throughout this externship program, professionals from PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) will provide mentorship and coaching.

The Experience

Learn about the strategy consulting process and how to help create value for a non-profit client based on their vision and mission
Research and develop an understanding of a given field
Analyze complex problems ranging from fundraising and development, stakeholder management, impact measurement, as well as use consulting frameworks to help identify problem areas and propose solutions
Learn to gather, analyze, and visualize data to inform problem areas and possible solutions
Create and deliver a compelling presentation to a non-profit client that incorporates valuable insights, trends, and recommendations

Qualifications

Ambitious undergraduate students with an interest in consulting, strategy, and non-profits. This program is for students who would like to understand the consulting profession while generating ideas to help impact non-profit organizations.

Program Overview

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In this remote 8-week externship, you will work alongside The Home Depot's Store Operations team to understand how a 2,300+ store retailer is moving from today's department-segmented store to a unified, whole-store selling experience as it shifts to mobile point-of-sale (mobile POS) — technology that untethers associates from fixed registers. You will work in one of three lanes: Customer Experience, Technology, or Asset Protection.

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You will benchmark THD's current experience against competitors such as Amazon, Walmart, and Lowe's, pinpoint the friction in today's fragmented customer journey, and select a single scenario worth solving.

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Working from that scenario, you will design a future-state concept, bring it to life as a service blueprint and clickable prototype, and deliver an executive presentation recommending how THD should evolve its in-store experience, operating model, and associate role.

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Who Should Apply

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This externship is a strong fit for students interested in business strategy, product, service design, or retail operations, particularly those curious about how a large retailer redesigns the in-store experience around new technology. You do not need a design or technical background. Students from any field who can synthesize research into a clear concept, enjoy prototyping ideas, and want hands-on experience with consulting-style problem solving are encouraged to apply.

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What You'll Deliver

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A one-page memo on how Home Depot's store is organized today and the unified-experience goal for your lane
A Pain Point & Future-State Concept Brief benchmarking THD against competitors and naming the friction worth solving
A service blueprint / operating-model write-up and a clickable concept prototype
A polished, presentation-ready package of annotated wireframes and journey maps
A Final Presentation Deck with a live demo, delivered to The Home Depot's Store Operations leadership

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Skills You'll Gain

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Business and competitive literacy
Secondary research and source evaluation
Competitive benchmarking and "future of retail" analysis
Service design and journey/blueprint mapping
Organizational and operating-model thinking
Concept prototyping and executive, consulting-style communication

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Why This Externship?

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Work directly with The Home Depot's Store Operations team on a live question about the future of in-store selling
Benchmark real competitors like Amazon, Walmart, and Lowe's to inform a THD-specific concept
Practice service design and prototyping, from blueprint to clickable walkthrough
Develop a consulting-style pitch reviewed by Extern program managers, with top presentations delivered live to THD executives
Gain exposure to one of the largest home improvement brands in the world

Externship Currently Closed
New applications are not currently being accepted.

Apply by August 31, 2026

The application process includes written and interview segments. Spots are limited and students are admitted on a rolling basis. Apply as soon as possible.

Part-time and fully remote

This externship is a 10-hour-per-week fully remote experience.

Starts September 14, 2026

This remote externship will last 8 weeks.

$1000 Stipend

Students who successfully complete their required deliverables will receive their stipends at the end of the program.

Eligibility

Must be undergraduate sophomore, junior or senior attending college or university in the United States.

About

The Home Depot

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Founded in 1978, The Home Depot is the world’s largest home improvement retailer, with 2,300 stores across North America and nearly 500,000 associates. Guided by eight core principles, including taking care of people, doing the right thing, giving back, and delivering excellent service, The Home Depot strives to put customers and associates first, believing that everything else will follow. To learn more about The Home Depot, please visit our about page.

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