Hi, I’m Kelsey, JSSI’s Marketing intern, reporting on the amazing experience we had on the warehouse trip this year! From June 22–26, all 13 JSSI Chicago interns packed up and made the trip down to Erlanger, Kentucky to spend a week at the Parts & Engines Warehouse. We had no idea what to expect walking in on day one, but the warehouse team made sure we hit the ground running. After a week full of learning, laughing, and hands-on work, we left Erlanger with a deeper understanding of the people and processes that drive JSSI forward.
Kyle Vernon, an intern within the Parts & Engines department, expresses the value this trip had on his overall internship experience. He shares, “This trip showed me that our operations are a lot more complex than I imagined. Seeing all of our inventory in person really made me grasp the scope of what we are doing. It helped me connect the work I do at the Chicago office with the impact it has in the warehouse, making the work I do that much more meaningful. Truly an eye-opening experience that future JSSI interns should have!”
We split into small teams and took on actual projects: warehouse layout design, overflow supply organization, logbook scanning, photographing parts, and streamlining the supply reordering process. All of which we were able to learn about operations while making a meaningful contribution to warehouse processes. It’s one thing to hear about operations from a Chicago office, but it’s another to actually be immersed in it.
Kenni Sovey, an intern within the Parts & Engines department, was excited to see how her team’s project, creating a streamlined supply reordering process, made an impact on warehouse operations. The warehouse team plans to build on it and implement it in the future! She shares, “I’m grateful to have the opportunity to make a lasting impact on the warehouse, and it is so cool to see it start right away! I’m glad that my team and I were able to help the warehouse increase their efficiency and streamline a process across many teams. I hope that this tool evolves and can help them for years to come!”
The most unexpected highlight? We got to make wall art out of scrap parts for the warehouse's office remodel. It was a genuinely fun way to wrap up the week and leave something behind. We didn't expect to leave our mark quite so literally!
Meeting the warehouse crew was the best part of the trip. They walked us through everything, answered every question we threw at them, and made the work enjoyable. It's hard to fully understand what goes into running a warehouse until you're standing in one, and having people who are willing to show you the ropes makes all the difference.
Antonio Hattaway, an intern within the Client Services department, shares how the warehouse team made this trip all that much better: "The team at the warehouse took several opportunities such as our first night and the Reds game to socialize and help us feel more comfortable being in such a new environment. It really made it special and let us get used to the people around us even though we only had one week."
Dane Coy, Senior Warehouse and Quality Manager at JSSI, played a big role in making this trip possible. When reflecting on the success of this trip, he shares, "This year's group of interns did a great job jumping right into projects across the warehouse. They brought a fresh perspective to some of our processes, and some of their ideas and thoughts will be put into action. It's a great reminder of why we do this every year, and I'm looking forward to seeing where these interns end up down the road."
Outside of the warehouse, we had some time to explore the Cincinnati/Kentucky area. Graeter's Ice Cream was a unanimous hit, and we went to a Cincinnati Reds game with the Parts & Engines team. The game was a great opportunity to get to know everyone while cheering for the Reds!
As for me, I'm so grateful for the opportunity we had to go on this trip. It deepened my appreciation of what goes on behind the scenes in JSSI processes, while proving that the welcoming culture in the Chicago office doesn't stop there - it carries throughout all of JSSI's functions. I left feeling inspired and excited to continue learning about the industry from every angle.
Michael Herman, an intern within the Operations Support department, speaks for all of us when he says, "Thank you Parts & Engines team for giving us the opportunity to go learn and see the warehouse!"
