POET

Merchandising Intern

June - October 2020 • Sioux Falls, SD

What I liked

Everyone in the office was so kind and welcoming. There was never a day I dreaded to see my co-workers. I enjoyed talking to my customers every week and I was given responsibilities to take care of their needs. I learned so much about myself and gained several new skills.

What I wish was different

I wish I would have gotten to know my customers better and perhaps even face to face. COVID-19 altered my internship in length of employment and no out in the country visits.

Advice

Don't ever be afraid to try something new and set out of your comfort zone, there are people out their who have so much to teach us younger people.

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Analytical Research Intern

May - August 2019 • Sioux Falls, SD

What I liked

I was given a lot of freedom to plan my days and how I was going to complete my research project. It was also cool to work for a private company and feel the excitement they had for the ethanol industry and commercializing products. My project was also not arbitrary and was producing value for the company.

What I wish was different

I was given a lot of opportunities to test out different experiences within the company, but I ended up being too busy with my project to shadow someone in the yeast/enzyme lab, which really interested me. It was my choice not to do that so I could complete other things, but it was still a bummer.

Advice

Communicate as openly as possibly with your bosses and coworkers. Try to form relationships. If you feel like some days there is no measurable progress or end goal, just continue working hard and make sure that at the end of your short time you know you put your best foot forward.

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Railroad Logistics Intern

May - August 2019 • Sioux Falls, SD

What I liked

I learned about a whole new area of business I had never considered. I had never thought about a career in Logistics, especially not the railroad. I was able to track shipments across the United States and North America

What I wish was different

I wish my employer had kept me busier in the last half of the internship. The first half of the internship flew by as I was learning new things and had to learn how to do different tasks. However, as the internship went on I was able to handle my workload and could have used more to stay busy actually.

Advice

POET is a great place to work. They have a clear mindset and will help you with anything that you ask. Everyone working there wants the best for the company has a very unique, team orientated atmosphere.

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Structural Engineering Intern

December 2018 - August 2019 • Sioux Falls, SD

What I liked

What I wish was different

Advice

Don’t be afraid to try something out of your comfort zone or what you “think” you want. You may find you are good at and enjoy something you never thought of.

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Grain Buyer Intern

May - August 2018 • Chancellor, SD

What I liked

The hands on experience.

What I wish was different

More to do throughout the day.

Advice

How beneficial it is to get the hands on experience.

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Safety intern

May - August 2018 • Caro, MI

What I liked

Co workers were great and I definitely learned a lot

What I wish was different

I wish they would have had an opening for me to fill after the internship ended

Advice

Push companies to see if they have openings before taking the offer

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Public policy intern

May - August 2017 • Washington, DC

What I liked

I met with congressmen, staffers, and third-party consultants to learn more about the politics of ethanol fuels.

What I wish was different

Advice

Take a lot of notes throughout your internship: on overall experience and specific things you learned. Keep business cards, connect with people on LinkedIn, take your boss/coworkers on informational interviews. Learn as much as you can.

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