UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For senior agricultural science major Luke Salter, the College of Agricultural Sciences' Ag Career Day last year was a window to the multiple job and internship opportunities the field has to offer. The result was an internship at Wenger Feeds.
"Internships are one of the best things you can do with your time to set yourself up for success," he said. "The career fair is a great place to meet with potential employers and to learn more about different companies in one's field of interest."
At Ag Career Day, students can meet with as many as 200 representatives from more than 130 government and industry employers and higher education institutions from across the country.
"The career fair gave me the first face-to-face interaction with the people at Wenger Feeds," Salter said. "I had heard about the company previously and knew about its great reputation and far-reaching business."
Although Salter, a native of Mars, in Butler County, had internships in the past, he found it beneficial to experience and learn a different side to the poultry industry.
"My past internships were mostly production," he said. "Working in the sales and marketing department, I was exposed to more facets of the state's agriculture industry."
Salter said that during his time working in a sales role, he learned a great deal about the business side, in addition to building relationships with members of the poultry and swine industries in southeastern Pennsylvania.
"I came into the sales and marketing world relatively green, and I truly enjoyed spending time with the different account leaders and learning about the markets they serve," he said. "Going out and discussing deals and managing relationships is key to any business, and the feed business is no different."
Salter offered a final word of advice to students considering attending the Ag Career Day this year: "When thinking about what portion of the industry you might think you fit into, it is important to give other areas a shot as well. You never know where you might like it the best or find the best opportunities. Above all, try to get out of your comfort zone and experience what the agriculture industry has to offer."
The 2015 Ag Career Day will be held from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 20, in the Bryce Jordan Center on the University Park campus.