Bassett Mechanical’s Internships Launch Young Professionals into Successful Career Paths
KAUKAUNA, Wis. — Bassett Mechanical continues to offer internship opportunities in various aspects of our business. These opportunities are a chance for young people to explore different avenues they might be interested in, get exposure to a variety of roles and departments, and get the hands-on training that facilitates personal and professional growth.
Today, we’d like you to meet Emily, our IT intern. Emily has been with Bassett Mechanical for 7 months. She started as an IT summer intern and was offered the opportunity to extend the internship during the school year while she continues to pursue her education with an associate’s degree in Computer Support. At the time she started, Emily had already achieved her technical Help Desk degree and then began pursuing Computer Support, which would focus on replacing hardware as well as software. “I started off doing software development and web design,” said Emily, “but I realized I’d rather help people”.
Like many spritely young people beginning their careers, Emily was full of ambition, but wasn’t sure which direction to go. Originally, focusing on her love of “helping others” led her to pursue a career in physical therapy. But soon she realized that although she loved helping people, she wasn’t as keen on her classes in the physical sciences and Emily decided she needed to venture down a new path. “Ever since elementary and middle school I have been working on computers. I became the computer go-to for our family. My mom is the one who suggested I look into IT support, since most of the problems I help are either hers or my grandmas,” Emily laughs. “My mom knows me the best and knows how much I enjoy helping others, so she was really supportive of a switch to IT”.
While Emily was looking for an opportunity to expand her IT career, she was looking for more than just a “job”. “My mom has been with the same company for 36 years. Her dedication to that company really drives me to find a company that I can dedicate myself to and come in and do my best to support people with their IT needs” says Emily. “[Bassett] has shown me how a company is supposed to treat their employees…like family. The energy is very positive, and for a company to be successful you have to have that kind of environment. I wake up every morning excited to work. I feel like now I know what to expect from a company that I want to work for.” Emily explains that she loves working with the people at Bassett, especially the IT team. “Our IT team is really close” explains Emily. “It’s hard to be down when you are around them. My first couple days I had no idea what I was doing, but they were so positive and willing to help me out. It’s amazing that they are all willing to take time to help me learn”. Emily goes on to say “This isn’t just a ‘job’ for me. I’m dedicated and I want to try harder because Bassett does so much to support me.”
Though she has been here only a short 7 months, Emily has been a great asset to the IT team. Taking over projects both big and small, she has taken over computer upgrades, cell phone and software upgrades, equipment documentation and recycling processes, generating a phone accessories Kanban system, and of course help desk support, which is Emily’s favorite. “We are glad to have Emily here,” says Barb Bassing, IT Manager. “Emily has helped immensely with walk-ins needing assistance, support for our foremen in the field, and providing back-up assistance when other team members are unavailable.”
The IT department sees internships as a great opportunity for young people interested in beginning a career. “We like to give students the opportunity to come into the business environment and learn more” says Bassing. Since Bassett Mechanical does not have a conventional “call center” type help desk, the IT team goes directly to the user one-on-one to assist them with their technical needs. These technical skills are learned on the job, but this is also a great opportunity to build on other professional skills such as organization, empathy, patience, commitment to learning, and active listening. “I’m a visual learner,” says Emily, “so being able to learn on-the-job helps me to really apply the things I’m learning in my classes. I feel like I’m ahead of the curve because of all the things I learn here every day.”
This IT internship has been a great stepping stone for Emily and has helped her set her sights high. “Having a great manager has helped me to learn how to be a female professional in IT. She has shown me what you can accomplish in this career. She makes me think I might want to be an IT manager someday” Emily states. Emily may want to further her education past her associate’s degree someday but for now Emily is excited to be part of the Bassett Mechanical IT team, and Bassett Mechanical is glad to offer this opportunity to launch Emily into a promising future career.