Get to know Michael Duncan, digital technology manager for WinField United, a Land O'Lakes., Inc. company.

University

North Dakota State University

Major

Crop and Weed Science

When did you first hear about the role?

I heard about the WinField United Associate role through my internship with Land O’Lakes, where I was able to interact with current associates at that time. I also was able to learn more information from the college recruitment team at the NDSU career fair.

Do you remember your first day in your program? What was it like?

My first day of the program started at Land O’Lakes corporate headquarters with all of the other June associates. We had a chance to network with each other, as well as multiple people from higher management positions within the company. Throughout the day we were trained on how the company operates, the expectations of the associate program role, and key career advice to be successful in our new jobs.

Why did you choose to start your career at Land O’Lakes?

I chose to start my career at Land O’Lakes for a couple of reasons, the first being the people I had the opportunity to work with as an intern. Everyone I interacted with was so welcoming and invested in wanting to see me succeed, which was a culture I wanted to be a part of. The second reason is: I am a firm believer in the co-op system focused around supporting our member owners and their local communities. In order for our company to do well, our member owners have to be successful too, and that means Land O’Lakes bringing the best products and services to help them go to market.

What is your advice for current students as they start to narrow down career choices?

As you start to narrow down your career choices my biggest piece of advice would be to get out of your comfort zone and say yes to new roles outside of what you already know. The more you can experience prior to starting your career will mean greater learning opportunities that will benefit you in the long run. If you get comfortable with being uncomfortable you will grow so much more as an individual.