“Schwan’s Interns You Need to Know” is a new series of stories featuring some of the interns who help make Schwan’s Company and its subsidiaries a great place to work.
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| Michael Fredrickson was an intern at our facility in Florence, Kentucky this past summer. |
Fredrickson gains valuable work experience before graduation
Sept. 20, 2018 — Looking to gain manufacturing experience before entering the workforce, Michael Fredrickson joined our team in Florence, Kentucky, as an associate production supervisor intern this past summer.“When searching for internships, I was looking for an experience that would give me a large amount of diversity in learning within the manufacturing industry,” Michael said. “Schwan’s stuck out to me as a company that continually pushes their employees to improve themselves inside and outside the workplace.”
Michael, a senior from Iowa State University, was one of several students who joined our internship program, this past summer. His primary role was working on waste reduction as well as examining and improving material movements.
Michael recently took some time to discuss his internship experience with us. Here’s what he had to say:
Q: Tell us something about you that most people would not know.
A: I enjoy traveling around the United States and one day hope to visit all of the state capitols.
Q: What is your favorite Schwan’s product and why?
A: My favorite is the Schwan’s® Sea Salt Caramel Cashew Ice Cream from Schwan’s Home Service. It has the perfect balance of sweet and salty. It is a great summer treat.
Q: What did you learn this summer at Schwan’s?
A: I learned about various tools to help production become more effective and reduce waste with tools such as DMS boards and center lining.
Q: What are your thoughts on Schwan’s culture?
A: Schwan’s has a culture that is constantly encouraging employees to be the best they can be and should not be idle with where they are at. I feel like this is a great culture for employees at all professional levels.
Q: What’s your greatest take away from you internship at Schwan’s?
A: Some issues cannot be prepared for. The best way to handle these issues you come across is to try and negate the effects on the production line or your team.
Q: What would you tell a friend considering an internship at Schwan’s?
A: Be prepared to take a lot of notes as you will be learning a great deal in a short period of time.
Q: How do you think your internship will impact your future career?
A: I feel this internship gave me a great experience in a large-scale production environment, where I learned many tools and how to identify potential issues that may arise. I also gained skills in choice making and in a work environment regulated by the FDA and USDA.
Q: What do you hope to do after you graduate?
A: I hope to get a career in a manufacturing facility working on continuous improvement or working with safety.
