The following guest post was written by Levi, about his internship experience with us this summer.
I found the Yellowstone Landscape Internship program over a year ago during a class presentation at Sandhills Community College where I am a Landscape Gardening student. I knew from the first time I spoke with Lisa, the Intern Coordinator and Jackie, the Raleigh Branch Manager, that this was the place for me to take my prior experience and challenge myself on a higher level. To experience things I’ve never done! This summer, with the Raleigh Branch, has opened an avenue for me to grow and expand my future within the green industry.
When the time came for my internship journey to begin, I was both excited and nervous. I was ready to jump in and work hard to gain everyone’s respect. I did not want to fail even though I know it cannot be avoided in work and life. Throughout these past weeks, I have connected with individuals who have guided me through the adjustment of working for a large commercial landscape company and understanding how it is operated. My Mentor, Dave, has shown me how an Account Manager keeps up with scheduling crews, and making sure all employees time is accounted for accurately as well as clients’ needs met. Agustin, the Landscape Superintendent, has taught me how to record time sheets properly while on a crew, so that the time spent on a job site is properly documented and recorded in Aspire. Julio, the Enhancement Foreman, has taught me the meaning of “attention to detail”. The smallest things matter the most when it comes to making a property look beautiful.
Yellowstone Landscape has met all my expectations. I have been introduced to a family that cares about their employees, their safety, and the future success of the company. Everyone I have encountered has encouraged me whether in the office or out in the field. They have shown me the endless possibilities within the industry, and I could not have asked for a better internship to launch my future career!