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Intern Spotlight Brandon Howart, Ag Valley Co-op
McCOOK, Neb. — One of the main goals of any community is to cultivate its youth so that they can be successful throughout their lives. A few businesses in McCook and the surrounding area have taken that message to heart, providing unique opportunities for students before they enter the “real” workplace. As internships increase in the area, people fresh out of high school or in the early years of their college careers are given chances to prove themselves in their field of choice while simultaneously gaining real-world experience. Those interns will provide their own view of their experiences in the below column.
Brandon Horwart - Ag Valley Co-Op Cambridge
Brandon Howart is a junior at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln pursuing a degree in agricultural education with a minor in animal science. He’s currently employed as an agronomy sales summer intern at Ag Valley Co-Op in Cambridge, his hometown. Brandon says his internship has already exposed him to all facets of agronomy, including planting, spraying, scouting, and harvesting. Some of his day-to-day tasks include delivering seed and fertilizer to producers, as well as scouting their fields for weeds, pests, and diseases in their crops. “The most rewarding part of this experience is playing a direct role in production agriculture and interacting with a plethora of local producers,” he says.
Brandon hopes to someday become a high school agriculture instructor. He feels his internship has been incredibly useful already, saying, “Ag Valley has provided me with the tools necessary for me to deliver high-quality agronomy and plant science instruction in my future classroom.”
Haley Ehrke, the Public Relations Director for Ag Valley Co-Op, highlighted the Co-Op’s role in shaping young, aspiring workers such as Brandon.
“Through our internship program, Ag Valley Co-op believes in investing in our future workforce. Our internship program allows college-aged students to study hands-on during a 12-week internship. The internship gives students real-world experience and critical skills that will help them in their future careers.”
If you are an intern working in the area, or if you are a business that has hired a summer intern, and would like to be featured, please call or text Isaac at the Gazette (308)340-5707 to be included in the series.