A Summer Internship Opens Doors Abroad for Industrial Distribution Student Layne Hudson

At the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Industrial Distribution professors are preparing their students to impact the world. While training students for future careers in technical sales and leadership positions, Dr. Ben Brachle, Alejandro Cahis, and Mitch Peters also make sure to develop relationships with professionals in industrial manufacturing and wholesale distribution industries. These connections make it possible for students to take advantage of internship programs that will benefit them in their future careers.

For ID student Layne Hudson, thanks to her academic training coupled with the connections offered to her through UNK, this summer promises to open up a whole new world as she travels abroad for a summer internship opportunity with North American Plastics. She’s not only excited to travel, but she’s ready to see the worldwide impact of Industrial Distribution.

Hudson, a senior transfer student who will graduate next May, began preparing for this opportunity when she first stepped onto campus. While still taking introductory classes, she was able to prepare for her future thanks to Brenda Jochum, associate director at the College of Business and Technology Career Center. Learning about soft skills  “such as how to give a firm handshake and introduce yourself” helped her to see herself as a future professional. Jochum helps students with their resumes too. Hudson shared how learning this information early in her college career prepared her for opportunities such as her upcoming summer internship. In addition to learning how to write a resume and present herself to future employers, she has had networking opportunities thanks to Jochum and the staff of the CBT Career Center.

As “the first person in ID to go international,” Hudson is aware of how important her internship is for her professionally. When she was approached by a recruiter an ID Career Fair, she knew she would “absolutely love” the opportunity to work abroad in her chosen career. After she trains briefly in Dallas, Texas, Hudson will spend six weeks in the Netherlands while also taking a few trips to the company’s London offices. When she returns to UNK, she will travel once again to present what she learned through her internship “to both executive boards in Dallas.”

Not only does Hudson have field experience thanks to her job at Fastenal in Kearney, she also has honed her leadership skills by being part of the Industrial Distribution Organization’s Leadership Team. The IDO, which is one of the largest student organizations on campus, gives students like Hudson the opportunity to take what they’re learning in class into the real world. 

Hudson credits her experiences as part of the Industrial Distribution Organization for how she’s prepared for this incredible international opportunity. She understands what she has learned in her classes has also been pivotal for her transition from student to professional. She states that “all of (her) professors have been amazing.” As a student who is double majoring in ID and psychology, she recognizes that psychology gives her a unique understanding of the “people aspect” of her future career in Industrial Distribution.

While abroad, working with North American Plastics, her “main focus will be sales and sustainability.” She plans to bring what she learns back to UNK as she finishes her college classes. Upon graduation from UNK, she plans to stick with sales at first but would love to “eventually be in management.” She shares how she wants to mentor as a way of giving back all that has been given to her.  

Hudson describes herself as “a small-town girl” who has “done a lot of leadership.” Not only is she excited about this summer internship opportunity, but she knows she’s prepared thanks to the ID program at UNK. Her faculty advisor, Alejandro Cahis, has encouraged her to expand her knowledge through travel. Her experiences in Dr. Ben Brachle’s ID classes, thanks to his experiential style of teaching, have helped her put her knowledge into practice in a way not found in textbooks. Her times spent on trips with Mitch Peters, who is also one of her instructors as well as the faculty advisor to the Industrial Distribution Organization, have shown her the numerous opportunities available to her in the future. 

Hudson is grateful for the relationships she has been able to cultivate as an ID student at UNK. Working with her professors and fellow students, being given opportunities to connect with future employers, and putting what she’s learned into practice have prepared her to do more than fly across an ocean to another country. Layne Hudson is ready for more than a job; she’s ready to do what UNK Lopers do best as she makes an impact on the international world of Industrial Distribution.