MERCER COUNTY

Students get real-life lessons

Young faces that popped up in offices throughout Mercer County this summer will soon disappear as college interns’ preview of the "real world" ends and they head back to school with knowledge that couldn’t be taught in the classroom.

University of Pittsburgh sophomore Shabren Harvey of Farrell learned what she does not want to do for a living from her internship at Wheatland Tube Co.

"It (the internship) showed me that I don’t want to do labor relations," she said.

Slippery Rock University graduate Jeremy Coxe had an opposite lesson at his Mercer County Regional Planning Commission internship two summers ago.

He found exactly where he wanted to be. Coxe began a career as a planner for the commission a month after his internship ended.

And internships with state Rep. Rod Wilt, Sugar Grove Township, R-17th District, taught Washington-Jefferson University student Brandon Cooper and Penn State’s Sarah Lewis, both of Greenville, about many political and law career options.

Internships are a popular and important marketing tool for both students and employers, said Penny Farmery, assistant director of Clarion University Career Services.

Students take internships to apply classroom skills in a practical way in addition to polishing their resume, she said.

"It (an internship) helps students obviously learn more about their chosen field or industry," Ms. Farmery said.

Employers benefit by being able to bring new skills into the workplace, she added.

"We get an awful lot of work out of interns," said Dennis Puko, director of the Mercer County Planning Commission. "We don’t have them just filling coffee pots or running errands. They do the same work as our planners."

Coxe said he didn’t expect his summer internship to blossom into a full-time job. But his interactions with the staff and ability to perform tasks showed him he would be happy there.

"I had a good feeling when I left," Coxe said.

When a position opened up shortly after Coxe’s internship, Puko said his familiarity with the company gave him an edge.

"We didn’t take him Johnny on the spot," Puko said. "But because of his experience, he shined brighter than the other applicants."

Unlike many companies, Wheatland Tube internships don’t often result in a post-graduation career because of the company’s few openings, Ms. Metzgar said.

"If we have an opening, we’d definitely give them first consideration," she added.

Miss Harvey said she hasn’t found a future career in Wheatland Tube, but the experiences and people made it a rewarding summer.

"I wanted to see exactly where I wanted to be at when I graduated," Miss Harvey said. "And this isn’t it."

Cooper said interacting with constituents in Wilt’s office was sometimes stressful, but the political science major said helping people reinforced his desire to have a career in politics. Some day he might even have Wilt’s job, he said.

He also expects the experience to help him do well in his senior year courses.

"I’m learning a lot of skills I am going to use in class," he said.

Miss Harvey said her internship will act as a stepping stone toward other careers.

"The references are excellent. I’ve made a lot of great connections," Miss Harvey said. "I really just appreciate the experience the most."

Because of the "real world" experience students obtain through their internships, they are not restricted to just the company they work for. Having internship experience listed on a resume attracts other employers as well, Ms. Farmery said.

Some companies actually look for experience from internships and extracurricular activities more than solid grades when selecting a graduate to hire, she added.

"You can have a 4.0 (grade point average), but if you haven’t done anything outside of the classroom to develop professional and social skills, you may be less attractive than Mr. Campus who has a 3.0," she said.

Internships also look good when applying to graduate or law schools, which is where Miss Lewis plans to be after she graduates from Penn State in three years.

Her work with Wilt’s Greenville office familiarized her with municipal and state laws. She also had a chance to visit the state Capitol and meet other lawmakers, all of which has piqued her interest in becoming a lawyer.

"I think it (my internship) definitely persuaded me positively to maybe pursue law school," Miss Lewis said.

Because employers have high expectations for interns, Miss Harvey suggests interns be open-minded and ready to take responsibility.

Miss Harvey said her duties included tracking employee absenteeism. If she messed up, that meant an employee could be wrongly reprimanded, she said.

"They don’t treat you like a college student," Miss Harvey said. "They treat you like a regular employee."