I’m back in the office after my time in Milwaukee! Wow! How fast it went!
I had a great experience. I’m very happy I approached my boss early about working in the facility to get a view of the operations side of the company. It was ‘hearing the other side of the phone.’ I am usually in the main office hearing coworkers discussing logistics, accounting, purchasing and customer service issues. In the warehouse, it was inventory control, product development and research, warehouse management and safety precautions.
Seeing multiple departments of a company puts things in perspective. As a CEO I can imagine how difficult it would be to try to oversee each department and ensure it’s running smoothly, especially with such a detailed and extensive product width. I enjoyed talking to coworkers about their role in the company and what their contributions are to getting the product to the customer. It was interesting to hear different perspectives from different levels of management. Sometimes they agreed, sometimes they clashed, but at the end of the day the product was still getting out the door. Areas of improvement are always present, but choosing which one is of top priority is a fine skill.
For me this was one of the best things I was able to do in my internship thus far. I encourage you to ask your employer for these kinds of ‘viewpoints’ in the company you work for. Being exposed to the different departments of a company helps you see how what you learn in class relates to the real business world. It also helps you find opportunities for the company you work for and yourself in your future endeavors. It’s also fun, I got to step away from my computer desk for a few days, meet new people, and stay in a different city! Nothing wrong with that!
Good luck to everyone currently working for a company this summer, make the most out of the last half of summer!
-Courtney
Courtney Cerniglia is a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point majoring in business administration and Spanish.