SEct. 1 5-12-1.qxp:Layout 1 5/7/15 11:43 AM Page 1 Academics by the acre – internships ready students for the workforce By Philip McNew ward root cause analysis of a wry grin appeared as he meant travel to Australia in For many University de- variety of quality topics, noted more than one 90-plus November for that conti- gree programs, practical ex- even something as simple as hour work week, to go along nent’s wheat harvest and re- perience is built into the cur- decals.” For Kurzweil, one with the over 20,000 miles liability analysis studies of riculum. Nursing majors of the few in the group to be he traveled during his tenure various “next generation” have “clinicals” in which involved in a family farming with CNHi. components. 100 degree they must participate, plac- operation, the experience For several of these stu- days in November were in- ing them in regional health had days where the magni- dents this internship pro- teresting to say the least for care facilities to work along- tude just had to be relished. gram has provided a worldly the Seneca resident but more side experienced profession- “My family runs a single experience both figuratively surprising were field “condi- als. Education majors must machine with a 20-foot as well as physically. For tions.” complete their student teach- ing semester, giving them first hand exposure to the de- mands of preparing the classroom for the day’s lec- ture. For Automotive and Engineering Technology ma- jors enrolled in Pittsburg State University’s (PSU) Pittsburg College of Tech- nology (COT) this practical experience, by way of in- Intern Tyler Yahnig checking the CNHi technical data- ternships, may not be specif- base while on the phone with factory personnel in ically mandated but is highly Grand Island, during a visit to Straub International, encouraged. Larned. Photo by Philip McNew One issue in making this ing interns, cumulating with and this intangible is diffi- type of educational experi- offers of employment. cult to replicate in the class- ence mandatory is having an For interns allocated to room, a great learning by- industry partnership in place, the company’s Harvesting product of this internship.” to facilitate this unique op- Line Final Assembly Plant Students beginning their portunity. For PSU, such a located in Grand Island, Ne- internships after spring se- partnership exists with CNH For PSU student and family farm partner Jason Kurzweil, there were times where the braska, their experience is mester classes, commonly sheer size of the operations had to be admired. Here Johnson Harvesting tackles Industrial (CNHi), makers of facilitated by CNHi’s New travel from Grand Island to ripened wheat in South Dakota. Photo by Jason Kurzweil popular equipment brands Product Quality Specialist, Texas and become an inte- such as Case, Case IH, and Kelly Burgess. gral part of CNHi’s harvest header on our farm in west- New Holland. “When interns arrive we support, for the wheat har- ern Missouri, shares “We have been very for- assign them a mentor for vest as it migrates north to Kurzweil. “On several occa- tunate to have successful which they will be working, Canada. It should be noted sions I was working on proj- Alumni working for CNHi,” but more importantly the that these internships are ects where there were eight stated Tim Thomas, chair of mentor is their key resource generally six-seven months and ten combines in the the Engineering Technology for any issue they may en- in length providing an ex- same field, pretty amazing,” department at PSU “and counter during their mem- panded learning experience he said, shaking his head these professionals have bership on our team.” In- versus the typical “summer” with a grin. been key in fostering this terns are then involved in ap- opportunity. Checking For Automotive Technol- program.” The process be- proximately a week of orien- benchmark performance, ogy major Bryan Bell, his in- gins at the College of Tech- tation discussing company collecting operator observa- ternship was unique as he nology’s Fall or Spring Ca- policies, safety, day-to-day tions, reviewing software up- was assigned to CNHi’s Har- reer Fair with over 150 com- duties and expectations of dates, ride-alongs with “cus- vesting Marketing group out panies commonly in atten- the experience. “Major tom cutters,” as well as inter- of Racine, Wisc. “I was on dance. As students visit the components of these stu- action at the local dealership the Pro Demo team which CNHi booth, company rep- dent’s internship will be vis- are all compiled in daily re- traveled from dealer to deal- resentatives collect student iting customers in the field, ports and sent back to Grand er during the course of the resumes and make initial in- interaction with dealership Island. “We have a standard country's wheat harvest, quiries regarding the stu- personnel, data collection, as reporting format our interns demonstrating new machines dent’s goals and aspirations. well as projects here in use, which includes digital to potential customers. We After preliminary review, the Grand Island,” Burgess clari- photos, spreadsheet files and were there to run the com- company will then progress fies. “As with any piece of any other relevant informa- bines with the customers and from on-campus interviews agricultural technology we tion,” informs Burgess. En- show them the ins and outs to final selection of qualify- are constantly upgrading and gineering Technology major of a Case IH combine and For PSU student-intern David Deters seeing deer, rab- improving the quality, per- and CNHi intern Tyler Yah- answer any sort of questions bits or pheasant dart between rows was expected, but formance and advanced fea- nig adds, “Several of my re- they would have. We would the random kangaroo seen in Australia took a while to tures of our product line ports were the center of at- also visit customers with re- get used to. Photo by David Deters thus, we want our interns to tention during company on- cently purchased machines operate with the attitude that line meetings, so you sure that might have questions on PSU’s Stephanie Hen- “In northeast Kansas see- they are the eyes and ears of need to have double-checked how to maximize the tech- ningsen, Matt Deters, Jason ing rabbits or pheasant dart the factory, so to say.” your data and be ready for nology of the unit, as a Kurzweil, and Matt Horne out at end rows are common- “We do make sure our in- some technical questions whole.” this meant travel to Grand Is- place but for Australians the terns realize we will treat when called on.” Southeast Kansas farmer land’s sister facility located random kangaroo was the them as “full-time” employ- Recent activities for in- Mike Coosman surmised, near Sao Paulo, Brazil. Their norm,” he laughed. ees and impress upon them terns has included data ac- “From my point-of-view as a objective was to assist the Providing this kind of they are to be professional quisition of engine perform- consumer, I can equate sev- resident CNHi team with the “real-world” experience is a representatives of our com- ance, during the Environ- eral advantages of this edu- launch of new harvester major educational objective pany,” he continued. “Our mental Protection Agency’s cational experience for these models dedicated to that re- for Pittsburg State Universi- interns are obviously in sup- mandated diesel engine young people. They see gion. “We helped establish ty’s, College of Technology. port of, or in addition to, our “Tier” evolution and even first-hand the challenges quality audit procedures, However, when the ups and full-time team members. Re- analysis of the Diesel Ex- today’s agribusiness opera- continuous improvement downs of specific business gardless, we have the same haust Fluid (DEF) tank, for tor faces regarding the ratio plans as well as manufactur- sectors affect internship expectations of their activi- its structural integrity . of machine efficiency to ing cycle times during the budgeting and staffing, this ties as any of our CNHi fam- “CNHi employs World cost, potential issues with final assembly for these can be a challenge. Thus, ily.” Class Manufacturing as their manufacturing quality and South American combines,” the type of educational part- Mr. Thomas injected, quality methodology,” shares individually the simple real- Horne provided. For David nership highlighted, remains “For many of our students PSU’s Jason Kurzweil, “so ization that in this business, Deters, one of the first PSU critical to the viability of this this is their first experience this mandated that some of there is no such thing as nine students to intern with CNHi learning experience. in the corporate environment my projects be focused to- to five.” For Matt Deters a and brother to Matt, this SEct. 1 5-12-1.qxp:Layout 1 5/7/15 11:44 AM Page 2 Page 2 Grass & Grain, May 12, 2015 diet soda premiered – years Orbison released new al- before the diet soda craze bums. Talk about classic took over the national land- rock, there’s not a thing like scape. it today. Never will be ei- We shopped at five and ther. dime stores where you As Dylan wrote about the could buy a candy bar for a times changin’ — most of my nickel and a soda for a dime. contemporaries married Boomin’ times You could call someone for first and then lived together. a dime and mail a letter for Manners meant, “Yes A week or so ago I met self-centered uses for their By John Schlageck, We stood in a long line four cents.