Student Spotlight: PDPS Junior Kate Hice Interns with Rose Acre Farms — Hyde County

NC State Prestage Department of Poultry Science (PDPS) Junior Kate Hice interned with Rose Acre Farms — Hyde County Egg Facility in Pantego, NC this summer.

Hice began working at the beginning of May and finished in late July.  She worked in all parts of the facility — egg processing, live production and the feedmill — and was responsible for writing the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

While Hice was interning, she wrote the majority of the SOPs for the processing plant and began working on the live production side.

She also worked in the feed mill in order to complete her feed mill minor.  “There I got to see the daily operations like unloading feed ingredients, learning the computer software for the running of the mill, loading the feed out to the trucks and the daily operations of the mill,” she said.

Hice said that she felt as though the internship genuinely showed her what the egg laying industry was really like. “I was at one of the largest complexes around.  It showed me the scale of which we are producing our food. They let me get a taste of each part of the process in which you get the egg to the carton. It really gave me a clear view of what the job entails and what I can do to learn and become a better part in the industry.”

“From late nights and major breakdowns to driving home and immediately getting in the shower to feel somewhat clean, I can genuinely say that I learned so much and I really enjoyed the time I got to spend with this internship,” Hice said.

In terms of responsibility, Hice said that she acquired many traits, whether that was meeting deadlines for the multiple projects she was working on at once or becoming more alert to her surroundings.  “I became more knowledgeable in the industry that I will have a career in,” she said.

“This internship impacted me on so many levels.  I now know for a fact that I want to be in this ever-changing and growing industry that I have such a passion for.  I also know that I want to be in management for one of the many companies one day,” Hice said.

Hice was able to work directly with managers and other employees during the internship.  She said that it helped her learn what it actually took to run the many operations.

“For this internship, I felt like I was part of the team. I didn’t feel like they were treating me any different than others. I was able to get involved in all of the works that were going on and I was able to work with others and help get end goals accomplished,” she said.

Hice was invited back to intern with Rose Acres Farms — Hyde County next summer.