The Importance of Internships

By: Sarah Howard

The Importance of Internships

It is spring semester, which means summer internships will be approaching fast and the time to start applying is now. There are few things as important and valuable as an internship for a college student. It is an opportunity for students to network with industry leaders and gain crucial knowledge and experience to sharpen their skills before entering the workforce after graduation. It can play a significant role in student’s professional and career development and is a great way for students to figure out their passion.

An internship should not be looked at as a “required course” for graduation, but rather an invaluable opportunity and experience that will prepare students for their career post-graduation. There are many leading companies in the agriculture industry - locally and far, who are willing to take on student interns and equip them with hands-on experience. It is an opportunity to be a “sponge” and soak up as much information as possible about the company, how they work in the industry and what you can take into your future career choice.

It is ultimately the one way to get in-depth hands-on knowledge and experience in your career field of interest. It is customary for new hires to get on-the-job training post-hiring; however, employers will still rely heavily on resumes that demonstrate relevant work experience, whether it is from an actual job, volunteer work or interning at a company. This makes an applicant more employable and competitive in the hiring process.

It will give you the opportunity to see if you are truly interested in that specific career field and if it is the right job for you long-term after graduation. There are good and bad days in every real-world environment, but the more you explore it and discover the depths of the field, it will help you determine if it is a career you wish to pursue in the future.

It will also help you learn more about yourself and your capabilities and encourage you to understand your strengths and weaknesses and improve upon them to better your skills in the workplace. This will help prepare you for critical situations in the future when you are tasked with a difficult situation and must handle them in a timely manner.

It is additionally important to try and achieve multiple internships. It is typical to complete an internship during the summer term of junior and senior year, but do not be against taking part in short internships that may pop up during the spring and fall terms for large events that require extra hands. These are great ways to get additional experience, networking connections and add to a resume.

This will give a student the opportunity to build crucial relationships within an industry and will allow you to grow on a professional level to make a smoother transition after graduation. This being a way to network with people within the industry, but it will allow you to get to see how they perform their job. You will get to see how they work, and how they tackle a variety of situations and work environments.

Personal Internship Experience

The College of Agriculture at Auburn University has a strong reputation that lands students jobs after graduation, but an internship can lead to a full-time job opportunity within an organization.

I was able to intern for Godfrey’s Feed in Madison, Georgia this past summer, where it gave me the opportunity to gain more knowledge and experience about the livestock feed industry, which was incredibly valuable as I have wanted to pursue a career as Feed Sales Representative. I got to work directly with the Bagged and Bulk Feed Sales Representatives and see what they do every day and how they tackle difficult situations, which I can later use those strategies and reinvent if needed in the future. I learned ways to not only enhance a feed company's brand image, but also how to better benefit livestock producers and their feed programs. It was also an incredible opportunity to see how a feed mill operates and see how a finished livestock feed is produced and delivered to customers. It additionally was an experience that finished with a full-time job offer to start immediately after graduation.