CALS Career Expo
On October 29, 2009, I attended the CALS Career Expo in hopes of possibly getting a summer internship. While at the expo I was able to talk to many people about the different job opportunities that they possessed within their company. I thought at first that approaching people about an internship would be difficult, but after doing it a few times I felt more confident and was better able to ask questions that were of importance towards my interests.
I walked into the expo with an open mind about what career fields were there. I have been going back and forth the past couple weeks about what exactly I want to do in the long run of things. I explored many options within the career fair, trying to find something that would give me a little more insight on what is out there. I talked with businesses such as Smithfield Packaging, Wayne Farms, and Helena Chemicals about possible summer internships and what all they require for employment.
I soon learned that 4-year students are more likely to get an internship to work with a company over the summer; however, when it came down to who they hired, it was all a matter of what you wanted to do when it was time to look at degrees. Many companies have a range of degrees throughout their corporation, so it is very likely for both a four-year and a two-year to be working within the same company. At Wayne Farms, the woman said that they had people who worked for them that had degrees in almost every agriculturally related field!
The internship that I was thoroughly intrigued by was the opportunity to work for Helena Chemicals. I talked with a man about what all they do, and what he told me absolutely amazed me. As an intern for Helena, you go out to the field to collect samples of crops that have a certain problem (ie - pests and/or diseases). Once you have collected your samples, you send them in to the lab (the local one for NC is in Georgia). After the lab receives the samples, they test them and diagnose the problem and also tell you what all you can provide the farmer so that his crops will be more productive and healthier. Once you receive the results, you look over them and then you are to try and make a sell with the customers.
Overall the Career Expo turned out to be a wonderful learning experience for me. Whether I decide to stay in the 4-year or transfer into the 2-year, I will still be able to have job opportunities over the summers that I am in school. And now, I also have a better outlook on what all is out there for me. I feel more confident now about what all I want to do with my future after talking with some of the recruiters at the CALS Career Expo.