Oklahoma Agricultural Cooperative Council Internship Program
The Oklahoma Agricultural Cooperative Council (OACC), local, and regional agriculture cooperatives are sponsoring a summer internship program. This is a good opportunity for students to learn how cooperatives serve clientele. Students eligible for this internship are sophomores, juniors and seniors enrolled in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. All students in the College of Agriculture Sciences and Natural Resources are eligible to apply.
The internship will be during the summer and consists of four components. The first component of the internship will be getting acquainted with the Oklahoma State Legislature through the OACC. The OACC is a trade organization that offers legislative representation, educational advancement, and service to local and regional cooperative in and out of the state of Oklahoma. Public Policy is important to the way agricultural cooperatives conduct business. This is a good opportunity for the intern to network with our state officials for a day.
The second component of the internship will be the opportunity to work at a local agriculture cooperative. Local cooperatives are the backbone of the cooperative system and this component allows the student to participate in daily business of an agriculture cooperative. The student is required to work the hours the local cooperative has designated. Compensation for the intern will be $10.00/HR plus any overtime accrued.
The third component of the internship will be for the student to get to network and understand how regional cooperatives help and the services they provide to their local members.
The forth component will be to develop a report and present it to the OACC Board Retreat. The intern will present an oral report on what they have learned about cooperatives, special project and assist the OACC with the organizing of the OACC CEO & Board retreat held in Osage Beach, MO at Tan-Tar-A Resorts on July 26-29, 2010. Transportation, lodging, and meals will be provided for the intern.
In order to be considered for the internship complete the following steps:
* Complete the attached application by March 5, 2010
* Prefer Relocation to the sight of the internship
* Present a formal oral report at the OACC CEO & Board Retreat in July
GENERAL DECSPRIPTION
The primary purpose of the OACC Cooperative Internship is to provide a student interested in the cooperative form of business and/or cooperative careers with some experience and knowledge on the management and operations of a local or regional cooperative. The student must be at least a sophomore, have at least one semester of classes remaining, and have a cumulative GPA of 2.5.
The intern is expected to participate in a variety of activities as specified by the OACC, local cooperative and regional cooperatives involved. The duties require involvement in management, member services and sales activities as well as physical activity. The intern must be able to work effectively with co-workers and to interact with customers and the general public. The student is responsible for his or her own housing.
As an OACC intern, you will be introduced to some aspects of agricultural cooperative operations. This will provide you with valuable information and experience. Completing a well-designed internship program adds to your value package as you explore career opportunities.
The internship program begins on May 17, 2010 – July 30, 2010. RJ Gray, Executive Director of the OACC, will serve as the industry contact and coordinator for your internship experience. The appropriate college the intern is in will designate the OSU intern instructor/coordinator.
INTERN PROJECTS
The intern is expected to complete a project related to the cooperative. The topic should be jointly selected by the cooperator and the intern. The project should focus on a specific management question, problem or issue facing the cooperative. The project report should be in the form of a meaningful and concise management report. The internship instructor will assist the student in developing a meaningful and attainable topic and will supervise the project. The cooperator should provide the intern with sufficient time during the scheduled work periods to gather essential information. The student is expected to prepare the report using primarily evening and weekend time. The university intern instructor will provide additional assistance upon request. The intern is expected to include his or her project in the presentation given at the CEO & Board Retreat.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
¨ Familiarize with operating a grain storage facility including receiving, grading, weighing, loading and unloading, cleaning, segregating and storing all types of grain.
¨ Familiarize with petroleum marketing, distribution and procurement activities.
¨ Insure that all operations at the cooperative are conducted in accordance with established company safety and environmental policies.
¨ Maintain accurate records in accordance with established company policy.
¨ Perform housekeeping and maintenance operations on all company facilities and equipment as directed.
¨ Familiarize with operating a fertilizer plant to include blending, loading, unloading, purchasing and applying products to customers’ fields to meet specific yield or production goals.
¨ Consult with and make agricultural-chemical recommendations to customers insuring that the right products are applied at the right rate on the right fields.
¨ Familiarize with operating a feed mill to include mixing, grinding, formulating, loading and delivering customer orders in a timely and accurate manner with minimum waste.
¨ Provide customer assistance, information and resolve customer complaints.
¨ Assist with inventories, end of month accounting and reports, administration of the credit policy and invoicing operations of the company.
¨ Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
Must be at least a cumulative GPA of 2.5. Must be at least a sophomore to apply for internship.
MATHEMATICAL SKILLS
Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio and percent. Ability to learn and use basic accounting principals.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand. The employee frequently is required to walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move more than 100 pounds
LICENSING REQUIREMENTS
Must have a valid driver’s license and driving record must meet insurance underwriting guidelines.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to fumes or airborne particles, toxic pesticides or caustic chemicals and outside weather conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts; high and/or precarious places; and grain dust. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.
NOTE: Specifically, this job entails working in and around a grain elevator and fertilizer and associated handling equipment; the climbing of ladders, and the loading and unloading of bulk and bagged materials. It includes functions associated with operation of a grain storage elevator, the milling and mixing of animal feeds and the operation of an agricultural chemical and fertilizer spreader equipment.
REASONING ABILITY
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form.
INTRODUCTION TO AG COOPERATIVES
Local Ag Cooperative are local owned and controlled. There are approximately sixty three cooperatives all over the state of Oklahoma. They are designed to help local producers store and market there grain as well as provide competitive rates on farm supplies.
Regional Cooperatives have two distinct structures: federated and centralized. Oklahoma primarily has a federated regional cooperative system which means it is owned by local cooperatives. They cover agronomy products, feed, grain, petroleum, and insurance throughout the state. They market and offer supplies and services to its members.
The OACC is a nonprofit trade organizations that offers legislative, educational, and member service programs to local and regional cooperative in and out of the state of Oklahoma. Historically, agriculture is the leading industry in the state of Oklahoma. The cooperative system allows local producers to fair market for supplies and the marketing of their produced goods.
Online Application Click Here