As the current secretary of Waupun FFA in Wisconsin, Sam Horning has developed her leadership skills and expanded her agriculture industry knowledge for the past four years. When she decided to look for her first job, she knew that she wanted to be somewhere flexible and that shared her love of agriculture. She was also looking to do a placement supervised agricultural experience (SAE). One choice seemed to be the perfect fit to help her develop her skills – employment at her local Culver’s.
Real Experience and Employability Skills
Horning’s FFA chapter has worked closely with the Culver’s of Waupun for many years. She did her SAE with the restaurant because the Culver’s team shared her love for agriculture and FFA.
When reflecting on what she’s learned throughout her work-based SAE, Horning said that communication, leadership, being proactive and conflict management were top of the list. She has learned a lot about food safety and supply, helping expand her knowledge and skills in the food industry.
“Working at Culver’s has been a great experience,” Horning said. “I love my manager and the owner. They create a really fun atmosphere for everyone who works there.” She’s also a big fan of the menu — the Pretzel Haus Pub Burger (a limited-time burger) and the Brownie Batter Overload Flavor of the Day are her favorite menu items.
Through her eagerness to try new things and her ability to learn quickly, Horning has been a valued member of the team at her local Culver’s for the past three years. She’s also had the opportunity to take on various roles, including perfecting the art of making Fresh Frozen Custard and training others on the team.
“I started working in the kitchen more because I wanted to expand my knowledge and what I can do,” Horning said. “Once my manager knew this was something I was interested in, he immediately helped train me.”
Horning believes her experience at Culver’s has helped prepare her for her future and would recommend this placement SAE to other FFA members. She’s also started a trend with her chapter’s membership working at Culver’s — 10 of her fellow students also work at the restaurant.
“If you’re a hard worker and you’re kind to your team and customers, you’ll do well,” Horning said. “Ask to get trained and for opportunities to learn. Go for it!”
Preparing for Her Future Career
“I recommend that anyone who thinks they might want to work in the food industry work at a restaurant. You learn so much about food and how it gets to our tables,” Horning said. “Culver’s really does care about agriculture and helping young people grow. I also have a great manager who makes it easy to talk to about career training and gives me opportunities to grow.”
Horning plans to use her agricultural experience through FFA to pursue a career as a large animal vet. FFA and Culver’s have prepared her for this by teaching her more about food safety and supply. In her free time, Horning enjoys raising and showing chickens.
Culver’s and FFA
Culver’s recognizes the importance of agriculture and supports FFA through its Thank You Farmer’s Project. Since 2013, Culver’s has donated more than $3 million to agricultural education and supported many local FFA chapters in the country, including the Waupun FFA.
Interested in doing your placement SAE at Culver’s or looking for a flexible job to work with your class schedule? You can search for available opportunities on our careers page.
