2011 Ag Career Guide

Monday, October 17, 2011 | Iowa State Daily | AG CAREER | 1B

AgDay Career

Tuesday, October 18, 2011 Lied Recreation Athletic Center

9 am- 3 pm

Organizations Attending

A&M Green Power, Accelerated Genetics, Adayana, Adecco, Aerotek, Ag Leader Technology, Ag Partners, LLC, Ag Processing Inc a Cooperative (AGP), AgCareers.com, AGCO, AgReliant Genetics, AgriGold, AgriSource, Inc., AgStar Financial Services, AgVenture, Inc., Alltech, ALMACO, AMVC LLC, Andersons Inc., The, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Bader Rutter & Associates, Bailey Nurseries Inc., BankIowa, Bartlett and Company, BASF Corporation, Bayer CropScience, Becker Underwood, Beef Products, Inc., Brenneman Pork Inc., Bunge North America, Cargill, Inc., Cedar River Poultry LLC, CGB Enterprises, Inc., Christensen Farms, CHS Inc., CNH America, LLC, Coalition to Support Iowa's Farmers, ConAgra Foods, Crop Pro-Tech Inc., Crop Production Services, Daybreak Foods, Inc., De Lage Landen, DeBruce Companies, Dow AgroSciences LLC, Drake University Law School, Easton Agri-Consulting, Inc., Ed Miniat, Inc., Elanco Animal Health, Farm Credit Services of America, Farmers Coop Society, Farmers Cooperative Company, Farmers Elevator Coop, Farmland Foods, Flint Hills Resources, Frontier Natural Products Co-op, Gavilon, Genex Cooperative, Inc., Gold'n Plump Poultry, Grain Processing Corporation, Great Western Bank, GreenValley Ag & Turf, GROWMARK, Inc., Harrisvaccines, Inc., Hartung Brothers, Hawkeye Sow Centers, Heartland Co-op, Helena Chemical Company, Hertz Farm Management, Hormel Foods Corp., Hy-Capacity, Inc., Innovative Ag Services, INTL FC Stone, Iowa Agricultural Development Authority, Iowa Army National Guard, Iowa Corn Growers Association / Iowa Corn Promotion Board, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Select Farms, ISU Ag and Biosystems Engineering, ISU Ag Study Abroad, ISU Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative, ISU College of Veterinary Medicine, JBS, JBS Five Rivers Cattle Feeding LLC, Jennie-O Turkey Store, John Deere, John Deere Dealers, Johnsonville Sausage, LLC, JR Distributing, Inc., Junge Control, Inc., Kemin Industries, Inc., Key Cooperative, Kinze Manufacturing Inc., Kuhn North America, Inc., Lab Support, Land O'Lakes Business Development Services, Land O'Lakes Inc., Lansing Trade Group, Latham Hi-Tech Seeds, Louis Dreyfus Commodities, M2P2, MaxYield Cooperative, Mid Kansas Cooperative Association, Midwest Groundcovers, Midwest Poultry Consortium, Monsanto, Morgan&Myers, Murphy-Brown, LLC, National Pork Producers Council, Nationwide Insurance, New Cooperative, Inc., New Fashion Pork, Newly Weds Foods, Novartis Animal Health, Novus International, Nutra-Flo, NUTRIQUEST, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, Osborn & Barr, OSI Group, Peace Corps, Peoples Company, PIC, Pinnacle, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Pipestone System, PMI Iowa, Prairie Brand Seed, Precision Laboratories, Inc., Premier Crop Systems, LLC, Premium Standard Farms, Professional Swine Management, Progressive Swine Technologies, Purdue University, Rabo AgriFinance, Rain and Hail L.L.C., RCIS, Reicks View Farms, Remington Seeds LLC, Richard Armstrong Consulting, River Valley Cooperative, Riverview, LLP, Schillinger Genetics, Servi-Tech Inc., South Dakota Wheat Growers, Summit Farms, Swine Graphics Enterprises, L.P., Syngenta, Telvent DTN, The Maschhoffs, The Scoular Company, Titan Machinery, Titan Pro SCI, Trans Ova Genetics, TriOak Foods, Tucker Consulting, Tyson Foods, Inc., U.S. Department of State, United Bank of Iowa, United Suppliers, Inc., USDA-AMS Poultry Market News, USDA-Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA-Farm Service Agency, USDA-Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Valero Energy Corporation, Wakefield Pork, Inc., Walt Disney World Co., Water Street Solutions, WeatherBill, West Central Cooperative, Wyffels Hybrids, Ziegler Caterpillar, Zinpro Corp.

For the latest list check: www.career.ag.iastate.edu/career-day

2B | AG CAREER | Monday, October 17, 2011 | Iowa State Daily

Agricultural engineering

Grad secures job with internship experience

By Joy.Wessels @iowastatedaily.com There are many things students can do to improve their resumes and find experience that will help them land their dream jobs. For engineering students, this is not any different.

James Bosserd graduated from Iowa State in 2007 with a master’s degree in agricultural engineering.

Bosserd was able to secure a full-time job at John Deere in Waterloo, Iowa, the summer following the spring ISU career fair.

“As an instrumentation engineer, I work on tractors and testing their parts to make sure they work,” Bosserd said.

Bosserd applied and interviewed at three different places before deciding on John Deere. His decision came primarily from getting to know Deere’s main recruiter through the John Deere project he did for his master’s degree.

“After getting to know the recruiter, I contacted him during the fall semester,” Bosserd said. “In the spring, I followed up at the career fair and was able to land the job.”

Beyond networking with future employers, Bosserd did a few other things while in college to help boost his resume.

For instance, while completing his undergrad at Michigan State University, Bosserd worked during the summers before his junior and senior year at Boese Engineering, a company that produces agricultural equipment.

While completing his master’s, Bosserd worked as a graduate assistant and was paid to work on projects for companies like John Deere.

“Through graduate assistant projects and internships, I had talking points to discuss with employers,” Bosserd said. “It really helps if you can convey what you’ve learned through your experiences and how you can apply it to the job you’re looking for.”

Photo courtesy of James Bosserd James Bosserd, who currently works at John Deere as an instrumentation engineer, graduated from Iowa State in 2007. He said that it helps if students convey what they learn through their experiences to future employers.

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Monday, October 17, 2011 | Iowa State Daily | AG CAREER | 3B

Zoology

Alumna works with animals at Blank Park Zoo 2005 graduate uses degree to find employment in Des Moines

By Jenna.Miller @iowastatedaily.com Many children and adults love going to the zoo to watch and play with the animals. For Valene Hautekeete, that is her career.

Hautekeete graduated from Iowa State in December 2005 with a degree in zoology and a minor in animal science.

“I grew up on a dairy farm, and I really enjoyed it,” Hautekeete said. “But I wanted to get out in the world a little bit more.”

Hautekeete started at Iowa State as a pre-vet student, but then changed to zoology as she learned more about the different fields.

“I feel I received a great education that set me up for whatever career I ended up with,” Hautekeete said.

Hautekeete said the education she received at Iowa State contributed to finding a job she enjoys. She said she also searched job postings and worked through a lab temp agency.

“During Thanksgiving break, I did interviews,” she said. Through those job interviews is how Hautekeete got her first job at a small business called Healthy Coats, a horse supplement company, as an administrative assistant. She started working during her final semester, and worked there for about three months until the company moved.

Hautekeete said she then applied for a job at Blank Park Zoo. She accepted the job immediately, and began working there in April 2006.

During school, Hautekeete interned at the Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo, and the summer prior to graduating she interned at the Blank Park Zoo. “Throughout that fall, whenever I had time I would volunteer [at Blank Park Zoo],” Hautekeete said. “So I always had a toe in the door there.”

At Blank Park Zoo, Hautekeete is taking care of Japanese macaques and lemurs. She said she checks up on their diets, trains them and handles their daily care.

She also helps with big cats and African animals once a week or sometimes every other weeks.

“We recently went through a reorganization. The entire staff had to learn to care for new animals and work with new co-workers,” she said.

Hautekeete said learning to work with other animals was one of the most difficult things she had to do while working at the zoo.

“I love working with the macaques,” she said.

Luckily for Hautekeete, in 2009, the zoo brought in three young male macaques from Canada to start a new breeding program. One of them is named Kitsy.

Hautekeete herself trains Kitsy.

“It’s like working with a 5-year-old,” Hautekeete said.

“Sure, they’ll play, but only if you have a good treat or if they’re in the mood to play.”

Hautekeete has some advice for all ISU students.

“Find internships and volunteer opportunities in areas that interest you,” she said. “Getting experience and making contacts is key.”

Photo courtesy of Valene Hautekeete Valene Hautekeete, 2005 ISU graduate, now works at Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines. She said she especially enjoys working with macaques.

She explained that the zoo brought three young male macaques from Canada to start a new breeding program in 2009.

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4B | AG CAREER | Monday, October 17, 2011 | Iowa State Daily

Animal ecology

Alumna ‘wears many hats’ working at state park

By Katherine.Klingseis @iowastatedaily.com Laura Kohn graduated from Iowa State five years ago, but she has already become the only interpreter and outdoor learning center coordinator in North Dakota who also serves as an assistant manager at a state park.

Kohn, a 2006 ISU graduate in zoology and animal ecology, currently works at North Dakota’s Cross Ranch State Park. At the state park, Kohn serves as both the interpreter and outdoor learning center coordinator and the assistant manager. “I wear many hats,� she said.

As an interpreter and learning center coordinator, Kohn offers hands-on activities for school groups and other groups that venture to Cross Ranch State Park, she said. She explained that she also is in charge of teaching other interpreters. “I’m in charge of statewide interpretation.

There are only two more people in North Dakota who have the same job as I do,� Kohn said. “We train seasonal interpreters. We give them resources to do environmental education.�

In addition to serving as an interpreter and learning center coordinator, Kohn is also the assistant manager at Cross Ranch State Park.

As the assistant manager, Kohn is in charge of checking campers in, changing reservations and various other tasks, she said. “I do a lot of supervising,� Kohn said. “I also run park if the manager is absent.�

Kohn said she became interested in working with animals because she grew up on a dairy farm. She explained she was especially interested in watching a veterinarian treat farm animals. “I was always curious when the vet would come over. I became interested in how animals function since I got to watch all of that,� Kohn said. “I was interested in learning about anatomy and physiology. I wanted to be able to study animals and learn about how they function.�

Kohn said her interests led her to choose zoology for a major. She said she decided to attend Iowa State because it was one of the few nearby colleges she found that offered zoology as a major.

While in college, Kohn became interested in animal ecology, she said. “I wanted to learn about where they lived — that interrelationship between how they function and where they live,� Kohn said.

Kohn explained that when she was younger she was somewhat interested in becoming a vet. However, Kohn became more interested in wildlife rehabilitation. “I didn’t necessarily want to be a vet. I wanted that knowledge, but I wanted to be outdoors,� she said. “I wanted to move into the wildlife aspect of it.�

Kohn learned about wildlife rehabilitation

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after volunteering at the Wildlife Care Clinic, she said.

She explained that she found an internship while in college at HawkWatch International in Salt Lake City, Utah.

After interning at HawkWatch International, Kohn then began working at Cross Ranch State Park to do conservation programs, she said. She eventually went back to working for HawkWatch International before accepting her current position. “Taken a long curvy road to get to what I’m doing,� she said.

In the future, Kohn said she plans to return to Iowa and work in a similar position as she currently holds. She said there is not enough interest and support for science education in North Dakota. “[My job] is hard to do because there’s no interest up here,� Kohn said. “It’s not advantageous for me to stay here.�

Kohn said interest in Iowa varies from county to county and she hopes to find a job in a county that supports science and wildlife.

For current ISU students, Kohn recommends taking as many opportunities as you can get. She also said that students should evaluate their career aspirations and be flexible with where their careers will take them. “Figure out what you want to do or what you think you want to do,� Kohn said. “Then be willing to go wherever.�

Photo courtesy of Laura Kohn Laura Kohn, 2006 ISU graduate, works as an interpreter and outdoor learning coordinator at North Dakota’s Cross Ranch State Park. She also works as the park’s assistant manager.

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Monday, October 17, 2011 | Iowa State Daily | AG CAREER | 5B

Job search

ISU graduate student stresses importance of internships

By Katherine.Klingseis @iowastatedaily.com ISU alumnus Steven Bly attributes his career success to his internship experience, and he recommends current students pursue internships.

“If you don’t have internship experience, it’s really difficult for employers to gauge your ability,” Bly said. “Having an internship is almost a must.”

Bly, who graduated from Iowa State in 2008, is originally from Garrison, S.D. He said that growing up on a farm led him to pursue agricultural engineering.

“Agricultural engineering seemed like the best way to really blend farming and science,” Bly said.

Before attending Iowa State, Bly earned his bachelor’s degree from South Dakota State.

He said he decided to attend graduate school because he wanted to gain experience in research.

“I just wanted to expand my career opportunities,” he said. “I wanted to get a master’s degree to give myself some background experience in research and broaden my research experience.”

Bly said he chose to attend Iowa State because he was interested in cellulosic ethanol.

“Cellulosic ethanol allows us to give up our dependency on foreign fuel,” Bly said. “It opens up our potential to more ethanol per acre of agricultural land.”

While at Iowa State, Bly studied abroad in Talus, France, with six other ISU students.

“That was an excellent, excellent experi-

If you don’t have internship experience, it’s really difficult for employers to gauge your ability. Having an internship is almost a must.” ence,” he said.

Bly also had three internships while in college, he said. One of these internships was at POET, a biofuel company that specializes in bioethanol. He said he was the data system engineering intern.

“I worked with data and information from all the ethanol plants all summer, and used those to gauge plant performance and provide feedback,” Bly said.

After interning at POET, he continued to keep an eye on the company’s website for any job openings, he said.

After graduating, Bly secured a job at POET as a process developer engineer.

Bly said he was just promoted about a month ago to plant process engineer.

“I’m responsible for the daily operations of ethanol plant and safety,” Bly said. “I’m responsible for troubleshooting and solving all technical issues with the plant.”

In the future, Bly hopes to develop his management skills.

“My main goal is to gain experience and knowledge of the general operations of an ethanol plant,” he said. “I think it will prepare me for different management opportunities.”

Graphic: Katherine Klingseis/Iowa State Daily According to the Office of Institutional Research, 98.5 percent of 2008-09 bachelor’s degree recipients in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences are employed or pursuing further education.

Photo courtesy of Steven Bly Steven Bly graduated from Iowa State in 2008 with a master’s degree in agricultural business. He now works as a plant process engineer at POET, a biofuel company that specializes in bioethanol.

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6B | AG CAREER | Monday, October 17, 2011 | Iowa State Daily