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University of Nebraska-Lincoln feedyard management internship interest survey
Surveys have been administered each fall semester for the past four years (2011-2014) to undergraduate students enrolled in Feedyard Management class at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. Survey participation is voluntary as well as anonymous. Number of survey participants has varied across years and was: 22 in 2011, 17 in 2012, 22 in 2013, and 43 in 2014. The survey consists of 25 multiple choice and short answer questions with a purpose of determining student perception of a career in the field of feedyard management and to gauge the success of recruitment efforts on participation in the feedyard management internship. The internship is a 6 month program where participants spend 6 weeks in the classroom and then 4 ½ months in a Nebraska feedyard following their undergraduate degree. Survey participants make post-graduation plans at various times in their undergraduate career. Twenty-seven percent of participants made plans prior to entering college, 28% as freshmen or sophomores, 25% as juniors, and 20% as senior (P = 0.99) despite enrollment in feedyard management class. It was observed that 42% of participants consider a career in feedyard management, whereas 25% have no desire, and 32% are undecided (P = 0.98). Interestingly, participants underestimate the salary of Nebraska feedyard managers. Across years, 44% (P = 0.97) perceived that feedyard managers were making $40-50,000/ year, whereas the actual average compensation for feedyard managers is closer to $70,000/year. Internship interest as a result of recruitment efforts resulted in a numerical increase in desired participation from 10% to 26% though this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.85) across years. Those who planned on participating in the internship perceive that that the internship would benefit them in various ways: gaining feedyard industry experience (41%), providing a segway to a career in feedyard management (18%), providing experience needed to work in an allied industry (35%) and 6% stated that the internship will prepare them for graduate school (P = 0.96). All results were analyzed across years using the chi square t-test function of Microsoft Excel. Using the compilation of survey data, recruiting efforts are being targeted at reaching undergraduates early in their collegiate career to allow adequate planning for participation upon graduation. Information provided to students will accurately depict the current field of feedyard management as a career as the need for feedyard managers is prevalent in Nebraska.
Keywords: feedyard management, survey, undergraduate students