Cooperative Education is helping Amanda, a Lakeland sophomore, put together a clear career path and acquire the skills she will need to succeed.

She recently completed her role at Acuity in Sheboygan, Wis., which allowed her to learn more about the culture of the popular, growing employer. In fact, this business administration and marketing major’s goal is to land a full-time job in branding or communications at Acuity.

This placement allowed her to sample a variety of roles, including billing, insurance policy assembly, personal lines processing, claims indexing and assisting in the mailroom and on the switchboard.

She came away with confidence in her skills and a great appreciation for the soft skills that employers strongly value. “Attitude is everything,” Amanda said. “Teamwork is key. Communication is essential. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or admit mistakes. I learned a lot from this experience.”

When Lakeland introduced the nation’s first food safety and quality bachelor’s degree program, it provided Ryan with the career path he was looking for.

Hoey recently completed a Cooperative Education experience at Pine River Pre-Pack in Newton, Wis., and the food safety and quality major now has a binder full of experience to show prospective employers – literally. Among the tasks he accomplished was writing work instructions, giving him experience in technical writing, a career path he’s considering.

Ryan worked as a food safety and quality leader at the maker of award-winning cheese spreads and confections, which allowed him to pick orders for shipment, conduct workplace analysis and environmental monitoring.

He also learned a lot of insight on the supply chain of a food manufacturer, knowledge of good manufacturing processes and the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) management system. He plans to work toward HACCP certification and certification by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA).

This spring, Ryan will be working in a part-time position in supply quality at Sargento, further expanding his skill set and networking base.

In addition to working his Co-Op job, he has enjoyed being very active at Lakeland. He’s a member of the University Band, marching band, drumline, Lakeland Theater, and he serves as a Campus Admissions Ambassador and is a member of the Zeta Chi fraternity.

Sophomore, Sterling, plans for a career in law enforcement. His recent Cooperative Education job at Fox Hills Resort in Mishicot, Wis., challenged him with some real-world situations to help him prepare.

Sterling, a criminal justice major, worked a night security position which let him encounter everything from a guest locked in their bathroom to a possible condo break-in, which required him to investigate the room and interview witnesses.

He spent most of his time in the hotel area, but also served the resort’s condos, bar/restaurant, convention center and golf course as needed. He learned a variety of skills including note taking and writing reports, problem solving, time management and working autonomously.

This spring, he is living at home, which will further allow him to maximize scheduling to get the most out of his Co-Op job at Fox Hills.

As part of this experience, he was also introduced to the Mishicot Public Safety Cadets program, a pre-academic opportunity that he plans to continue.

Sarah had already logged some great experience at Erin Hills Golf Course before transferring to Lakeland. LU’s Cooperative Education program helped her take her role to a new level.

The senior hospitality management major served as assistant food and beverage manager during her Co-Op experience.

Sarah supervised morning operations at the outdoor venues and filled in serving roles as needed at the venue’s five food/beverage locations. Focuses for her work included being personable and professional, teamwork and communication, all skills that are critical for her career path.

She also learned to be prepared for the unexpected, be willing to step up and perform any task and, as a supervisor, to understand the relationships needed between staff and managers.

As for a specific career path, Sarah is exploring both a corporate setting and county club setting as an event planning and coordinator. “I got a taste of that over the summer and really liked it,” she said.

Next up she will be working at The Blind Horse in a food/beverage role to continue building her skill set.

Lao entered his Cooperative Education job with Lakeland’s IT Department with limited relevant skills, but wrapped up his experience with a wealth of knowledge.

The sophomore who is double majoring in computer science and math was part of the IT student staff and tasked with a variety of roles, including responding to calls to the IT help desk, troubleshooting computer issues and learning more about Lakeland’s network.

Along with the hands-on knowledge, Lao improved his soft skills. He said being willing to learn, communicating well and being self-motivated were all key to a solid experience.

Lao also had an opportunity to connect with Lakeland graduate Devin Equitz, an IT support specialist at Viking Masek Global Packaging Technologies, to learn more about his career path and gain some sound advice.