Student Internships - Impact on Industrial Distribution Program Revisions - University of Nebraska at Kearney Dr. Stanley L. Lightner Dr. Richard A. Meznarich January 2006 University of Nebraska at Kearney

Introduction – ID Program Established – 1991, NAIT Accredited 2002 Second largest ID program in country (~180) Hybrid degree – Technical, Business, Sales Program Focus & Objective – Technical Sales 90% - Outside Sales 10% - Inside Sales 10% - Branch Management, Procurement, Buyers, Operations Electrical/Electronics, Building Supplies, MRO Graduates Relocate Nationwide University of Nebraska at Kearney

Coursework Engineering Design Graphics Industrial Products – Electrical / Electronic, Machine Tools, MRO Electricity/ Electronics Marketing / Accounting / Selling / Business Communications / Effective Presentations Industrial Management / Leadership in Business and Technology Occupational Safety & Health Manufacturer & Distributor Relationships Industrial Distribution Branch Operations Internship Program University of Nebraska at Kearney

Internship Program Twelve (12) credit hour internship required. 40 clock hours work for each credit hour (480 hours). Student responsible to locate internship location. Internship location requires departmental approval. Internship Program Involves: Student (Intern), Internship Director, ID Program Coordinator, Employer University of Nebraska at Kearney

Requirements for Internship Application form and resume Overall GPA 2.0, Department GPA 2.5 or above Complete Industrial Management and/or Leadership in Business and Technology Junior standing (> 58 hours completed) Attend Orientation Meetings University of Nebraska at Kearney

Internship Experience Goals Customer Service Distributor Operations and / or Sales Manufacturer sales, Marketing, or Operations functions Product Management Introduction to Business Procedures and Workflow Product Training Introduction to Administrative and Management Procedures University of Nebraska at Kearney

SMART Guidelines Internship Goals Must be SMART S – Specific – Clearly Stated M – Measurable – Appraise Success A – Attainable - Realistic R – Relevant – Applicable T – Trackable – Assess progress University of Nebraska at Kearney

Internship Benefits Student - Transition from school to work Employer – source of eager (known quantity) new employees University – networking, industry partnerships University of Nebraska at Kearney

Student Responsibilities Complete all University required documentation Locate internship opportunity and apply for position Develop internship training plan with employer Complete daily journal (submit to Blackboard weekly) Complete mid-term & final self evaluation Complete Internship Summary Paper University of Nebraska at Kearney

Employer Responsibilities Commit to UNK internship agreement Interview and select students Develop Internship Training Plan together with student Provide a “Mentor” – a single point of contact Provide adequate supervision, guidance & training University of Nebraska at Kearney

Employer Responsibilities Provide a safe nondiscriminatory workplace Host Internship Director for site visits Provide daily oral evaluations to Intern as necessary Provide written feedback (from mid-term and final evaluations) to the Internship Director University of Nebraska at Kearney

University Responsibilities ID Program Coordinator & Academic Advisor “Assist” in locating internship sites Approve internship locations Review & approve Intern’s Training Plan Provide guidance and advice during internship University of Nebraska at Kearney

University Responsibilities Internship Director Provide student orientation “Assist” in locating internship sites Work with the companies / supervisors, Site visits Assess internship assignments, assign credit Maintain internship records University of Nebraska at Kearney

Intern Evaluation Briefly list each objective from the training plan and rate your performance. Keep in mind you may not have obtained the level you desire at this point in your internship. Outstanding (5), Good (4), Average (3), Fair (2), Unsatisfactory (1), No Experience (0) 1. ____________________________ Comments 2. ____________________________ Comments 3. ____________________________ Comments 4. ____________________________ Comments 5. ____________________________ Comments University of Nebraska at Kearney

Intern Evaluation Performance Evaluation- Productivity Volume of work Quality of work Steadiness Knowledge of work Interest in work Attention to detail Organizing efficiently University of Nebraska at Kearney

Intern Evaluation Performance Evaluation- Business Techniques Meeting People Working harmoniously with others Telephone techniques Following instructions Accepting criticism Oral communication Written communication Listening Relationship to Supervisor Relationship with Co-workers University of Nebraska at Kearney

Intern Evaluation Performance Evaluation - Personal Appearance/Dress Initiative Tact Accuracy Judgment Patience Creativity Self-Confidence Cooperation Flexibility Dependability Leadership Motivation Tolerance for stress Independence Willingness to work University of Nebraska at Kearney

Intern Final Reports Provide background of the business Review of training plan goals and objectives Review of employer evaluations Reflection on value of internship experience Contributes to Internship Program and Industrial Distribution Program assessment and improvement University of Nebraska at Kearney

ID Program Improvements Negotiation Skills Presentation Skills Telephone Skills – Sales Calls Cold Calling - Prospecting Time Management & Organization Skills University of Nebraska at Kearney

ID Program Improvement Hands on Products Report Writing Attitude Adjustments Interest in Work (IDO) Career Fairs Dress and Presentation University of Nebraska at Kearney

ID Program Improvements In-Person Sales Calls Dealing with Difficult People Purchasing Classes Sales Experience – Retail, Wholesale IDO – Leadership…. University of Nebraska at Kearney

ID Program Improvements Introductions – “Elevator Speeches” Teamwork Meeting New People Dealing with the Public Running a Business – Finance Industry Partnerships - Scholarships University of Nebraska at Kearney

ID Program Improvements Leadership Skills Psychology – Personality Types Business Software (MS Office, Access) CRM Software (ACT, GoldMine) ERP Software (SAP, Profit 21, INforce) Role Playing – Real Life University of Nebraska at Kearney

ID Program Improvements Customer Expectations Attention to Detail Meeting Requirements Initiative New Electrical / Electronics Equip New Machining Equip – Rapid Prototyping Equip University of Nebraska at Kearney

Conclusions Valuable Tool for Program Improvement Keep Abreast of Industry Trends / Requirements Part of Overall Program Assessment Plan NAIT Accreditation Data Driven – not just Kitty Litter (POM) University of Nebraska at Kearney

Recommendations Assignments – Projects - Activities Challenging, Meaningful – Student & Employer Accomplished During Intern Period Representative of Company’s Operations Rotation through Various Positions Provide Interaction with Full Time Employees University of Nebraska at Kearney

Recommendations Assignments - Projects - Activities Profitability Studies Sales Calls & Prospecting Asset Management Market Research & Analysis Customer / Supplier Surveys Advertising & Promotion University of Nebraska at Kearney

Want to Learn More? Dr. Stanley L. Lightner, CSIT Dr. Richard A. Meznarich Department of Industrial Technology University of Nebraska at Kearney University of Nebraska at Kearney