The University of Missouri-Columbia is helping John Deere Dealership Management students jump right into their internships. A special three-year-old course called Dealership Management, taught by ag students, takes current students through John Deere terminology, systems, and computer software in parts, sales, and service, leading the way to successful internships and careers.
“What better way to learn it than from other students who have been through the class?” says Leon Schumacher, professor and program director. Currently, three students are teaching the course, which includes hands-on lab work at a local dealer and field trips to John Deere sites across the Midwest.
“I did my first internship before I took this class,” says Andrew Mann, a senior in ag systems management with an emphasis in Dealership Management. “And I hated the first two weeks I was there. I really felt over my head. I was learning a lot but I was way behind.”
The following spring, before his second summer internship, Mann took the Dealership Management course.
“I was so much better prepared the next time around,” Mann, from Shelbyville, MO, says. “I learned about the computer systems in class. The terminology made sense to me. I was able to hit the ground running, and it was a much better experience.”
Mann says he got to do more during his internship because of the class. “I got to help put on hay and combine clinics,” Mann says. “I also got to help install a GPS system. The Dealership Management course really made the difference between the two summers. I came in knowing what to expect.”
“Because we’ve worked in dealerships, we know what dealers expect from interns,” agrees Bradley Schad, a Versailles, MO, senior in ag systems management with an emphasis in Dealership Management. “The class is meant to be informative and hands-on. Our students learn in the classroom, and then they go apply it at a dealership during labs. Not only do they get real-world experience, but they have a chance to be up to date with the latest information coming into dealerships. That’s invaluable.”
“Dealers like this class. It helps them to have students come in for internships with real knowledge and real skills,” says Laura Beach, the third instructor and a senior ag education major from Cherry Box, Mo. “You don’t have to walk in knowing nothing. You know the basics. You’re ready to get started.”