With a major in agricultural studies and minors in animal science and food science, I thought working at Kemps would give me the ability to utilize everything I was learning in class. Kemps processes fluid milk products such as milk, heavy whipping cream, half and half, and fruit drinks. I was made aware of this Operations internship through a bulletin board announcement posted near the CAFES Internship Office and I worked with the Food Science professors to help me accelerate in this position. During my internship, I had the opportunity to learn about quality assurance, lab testing, production operations, pasteurization, cooler operations, dispatch/loadout procedures, and raw product intake.
My special project focused on water savings through the implementation of solenoid valves and timer delays on the water bath systems at the end of every filler. With the help of the maintenance engineer, we were able to save the plant almost 750,000 gallons of water a year, which turned into about a $4,000 cost savings for the plant. The part I enjoyed most was getting to know everyone in the plant and developing relationships with co-workers. This is a very important part of the Food Industry if your goal is to become a Production Supervisor or Manager. I would highly suggest that students interested in interning, start searching for positions in the fall. The bigger companies tend to start looking early for the best interns, and typically those companies provide the best experiences. If you feel like you aren't qualified to work for a particular company, interview anyway. You have nothing to lose! Plus, it is great practice for future interviews.