AgEcon Junior Expands Career Prospects through Human Resources Internship
Last summer, Gabbi Paxson (Sales & Marketing; Pennville, IN) completed her first internship experience with Cooper Farms. Having enjoyed the experience, Gabbi knew she wanted to pursue another internship experience but wanted to expand her horizons within agriculture. “Having a summer internship opens many doors and gives your life skills that you can use daily, so I wanted to continue growing those skills while learning new ones.”
>Gabbi began exploring new opportunities through Purdue’s career fair where she was able to speak with several companies about openings. While at the career fair, Gabbi learned about internship positions Bane-Welker offered for students. Gabbi initially applied for their Sales and Marketing internship but did not receive an offer. In the weeks following, Bane-Welker reached out, asking if she would be interested in serving as a Human Resources intern, a position she gladly accepted.
This summer Gabbi has spent her internship with Bane-Welker Equipment at their Crawfordsville location. Her internship has kept her engaged through several projects and programming. “I have been busy with filling out Case IH’s Pinnacle Program Application, creating a forklift training program, helping increase engagement with their tech sponsorship program, assisting in trainings, and having different adventures every day.”
Interning with Bane-Welker has impacted Gabbi in many ways, including future career opportunities and industry interests. “This experience has opened my eyes to possibly having a career with Bane-Welker in the future. The company culture and values line up with my own, and they make me feel like family. I have enjoyed learning more about the company specifics, especially with them being employee owned, and has made me realize what I would like to see in a company when I apply for jobs in the future.”
In addition to expanding her career horizon, Gabbi has grown personally and professionally through her internship. I have learned the importance of being confident in myself and being open to new ideas. “I have been on various trips with the other interns and HR department, which I have enjoyed. Saying yes to these opportunities allows me to have these experiences that I would not have otherwise. Some other take-aways include knowing the importance of communication, computer skills, recruitment skills, and other valuable life skills. These skills and opportunities will help me in the future.”
When asked to share the most memorable parts of her internship, Gabbi shares, “My favorite memory so far is of a recent trip the ESOP committee and other employees took to Springfield, Missouri to tour SRC and CNH Reman. SRC has been an employee-owned company for over 30 years, so listening to how they have been adapting to change and keeping employees engaged with the business was helpful to take back to work. They stressed the importance of being transparent and vulnerable with their employees, which stuck out to me because it is something you do not usually see or hear in a company.”
In looking towards the future, Gabbi hopes to pursue future positions with Bane-Welker or a similar company. For Gabbi, the position has provided ample opportunities to learn and grow while exploring her options. For other students considering an internship, Gabbi offers some key advice, “Do not be afraid to get outside of your comfort zone when looking at internships. This was my first summer staying away from home and I am grateful for the experience. I always tell myself that I will not grow in my comfort zone. This saying has allowed me to take new experiences because I want to grow and flourish in my life and that could not be done in my comfort zone.”