Blayne Douglass, a business major at Northern Oklahoma College from Perry, recently had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in his chosen career field.
Participating in an internship with Ditch Witch, an international machinery supplier with its only factory in his hometown of Perry, Douglass’ internship focused on the Continuous Improvement Department whose goal is to fix problems before they ever start.
The key component of his internship was uploading video of work processes for the team and then answering questions after they reviewed the film, working together to make the processes safer and more efficient. He also gained experience working with inventory and learning about shipping and receiving, which increased his knowledge of Excel and other software programs.
One of the main concepts that Douglass left the internship with is how important feedback is to employees, stating, “If I were to supervise someone in my current position, I would remind them how crucial the part they are playing is, even though they may not realize it then.”
He gained this insight because his supervisor recognized his merit daily and made sure to let him know when he did a good job and how he could improve to make it better the next time.
Douglass found his internship extremely beneficial and further explained, “To be able to see the side of life after college and see where my degree path is taking me was a great insight and let me know I chose the right degree for me to succeed.”
Kathleen Swain, Coordinator of Student Academic Success Services at Northern, helps NOC students obtain and complete internships.
“Internships help students gain valuable experience in their chosen field of study,” she said. “Companies look for graduates who have experience and NOC helps provide that opportunity.”
For additional information on providing an internship opportunity for NOC students, contact Swain at 580.628.6258.
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