Celebrating National Intern Day at Harmony!

National Intern Day – July 25, 2019

National Intern Day is the last Thursday in July.  Created by WayUp in 2017, National Intern Day is a “holiday dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the future leaders of the world: Interns!”

Harmony Enterprises recognizes the talent and potential that interns possess, as well as the mutual positive benefit created during the internship experience.  With internships, students learn and develop skills needed to be successful in their future careers, while companies gain quality short-term employees and exposure to a broader employee pool.

Harmony has once again participated in the internship program with two area students this summer.  They are Maegan Kiehne, a recent Fillmore Central High School graduate, and Kurtis Hershberger, a junior at University of Minnesota Duluth.

We sat down with both interns this past week to celebrate National Intern Day and learn more about how their internship experience is helping them grow.

Celebrating Our Summer Interns!

Kurtis Hershberger is working as a summer intern in the Sales and Marketing department at Harmony Enterprises.  He is a junior at the University of Minnesota, Duluth.  His major area of study is Chemistry and his areas of interest include research and development.  Through his internship, Kurtis wanted to hone his skills with how to work with others in an office setting, how to prioritize tasks, and how to prepare for meetings and business strategies.  His responsibilities have included working with online bids, assisting the sales team with customer follow up, website and literature design, as well as finding local resources for customers to assist them in their recycling efforts.

We asked Kurtis what he most likes about working at Harmony Enterprises.  He said, “The people that work here. They are extremely helpful with any questions you have, have a great work drive, and every day you can hear laughing throughout the office.”  Kurtis touched on one of the most important aspects of our business, the people and the positive relationships formed internally, with our vendors, with our customers, and with our community.

Our other intern is Maegan Kiehne.  Maegan will be a freshman at Luther College in Decorah, IA this fall.  She has been working closely with both our Customer Service and Accounting Departments.  Her major area of study will be in the science field.  With her work in customer service and accounting, Maegan has learned to communicate with customers and has gained an understanding of how all aspects of an accounting department effect a company.  She has also gained an appreciation for what it is like to work as a team member in an ISO certified manufacturer.  When asked what she likes most about working at Harmony Enterprises, Maegan said, “The atmosphere is very friendly and people are willing to help you if you need it.”  This speaks to our Core Purpose of Career, Community, and Culture, as well as our fifth Core Value of Enhancing Our Shared Experience.  We believe is our responsibility to do what we can to help those around us and challenge each other to be better.  In the case of the interns, Harmony strives to provide them with quality employment opportunities and mentorship that will leave a lasting positive impact on their personal development and career growth.  Maegan’s internship opportunity is made possible through a partnership with the Harmony Area Community Foundation.

An Intern Success Story – Coming Full Circle

Last year, Harmony Enterprises hired Sara Schultz, a then senior at Minnesota State University, Mankato, completing her B.S. degree in Business Management and Educational Methods, as an intern in our customer service department from May to August.

When a position of Accounts Receivable Specialist opened up earlier this year, things came full circle when Sara applied for the job.  Harmony immediately recognized Sara’s high level of talent, intellect, drive, and alignment with our core values and were thrilled when she accepted the position!

Sara looks back on her internship experience as a catalyst for her current career.

“Being an intern last summer familiarized me with the different systems/software’s used and is extremely beneficial to me in my current position. I interned in the customer service department last summer and that truly gave me an understanding and an appreciation for what they do for Harmony Enterprises. I am so grateful to have had the experience that I did last summer. Although I enjoyed my time in the customer service department, accounting is more up my alley and I am so happy to be a part of the accounting team at Harmony Enterprises!”

When we asked Sara what she likes most about working at Harmony, she said, “The people who work here! During my internship last summer I got to know a lot of the staff at Harmony Enterprises & that was one of the key things that brought me back. The people who I get to work with truly make coming to work every day an enjoyable experience.”

Harmony Enterprises manufactures balers and compactors,  for satisfied customers all over the world.  As part of our Core Focus of Career, Community, and Culture, we promote the internship experience and the value it provides both students and our company.  If you would like to learn more about internships at Harmony, are interested in our 2nd shift employment opportunities, or have questions about our products and services, please Contact Us or call us at 507-886-6666 today!