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July 25, 2025 13 mins

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Internships are more than just short-term work experiences—they’re the first step in building a future-ready workforce.

In this episode of the Whole Grain Podcast, host Jim Lenz and Betsy Polis, Sr. Director of Projects and Events, introduces GEAPS' NextGen Path—a free, flexible internship companion program designed to enrich intern experiences at grain facilities and supplier companies.

Learn how this plug-and-play toolkit helps interns build industry knowledge, gain confidence, and connect to long-term careers—all while saving time for busy supervisors. Plus, hear how to take your program further with GEAPS’ discounted, interactive course: Introduction to Grain Operations.

Whether you host interns today or plan to in the future, this episode is packed with tools to support your onboarding, training, and talent pipeline.

🔑 Key Topics Covered:

  • What is the NextGen Path Intern Program?
  • The 4 core components: onboarding, terminology, videos, and career podcasts
  • Why it works for busy companies and supervisors
  • Add-on: The $75 “Introduction to Grain Operations” course
  • Who benefits from the program (interns, students, high school students, new hires, and non-ops staff)
  • How to register and customize the experience

📌 Critical Links:

▶️ Register for NextGen Path:
https://www.geaps.com/training-education/nextgen-path/

📘 Learn about “Introduction to Grain Operations” Course:
https://www.geaps.com/training-education/courses/introduction-to-grain-operations/

🎓 GEAPS Student Membership Benefits:
https://www.geaps.com/membership/student-membership/

🎧 Browse More Whole Grain Podcast Episodes:
https://www.geaps.com/wholegrain

💬 Reflection Questions for Your Team:

  1. How are we currently onboarding and educating our interns about the grain industry?
  2. Which NextGen Path components would benefit our program the most?
  3. Could tools like the glossary or video library help our full-time team as well?
  4. How can we help interns envision a future in this industry?

📣 Share the Episode:

Know someone who runs an intern program? Forward this episode to a colleague, HR manager, or education director—and help us grow the next generation of grain professionals.

Grain Elevator and Processing Society champions, connects and serves the global grain industry and its members. Be sure to visit GEAPS’ website to learn how you can grow your network, support your personal professional development, and advance your career. Thank you for listening to another episode of GEAPS’ Whole Grain podcast.

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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jim Lenz (00:04):
You already invest in your interns, so why not give
that the tools to stay and growin the green industry?
In today's episode, we'll showyou how GEAPS NextGenPath
seamlessly plugs into yourinternship program at no cost
and delivers long-term value forboth your interns and your team
.
Let's get started.
Hello and welcome to the show.

(00:29):
Welcome to the Whole GrainPodcast.
The Whole Grain Show bringsgrain professional listeners
together from 91 countries fromaround the world.
I'm so happy you're joining usfor today's show.
My name is Jim Lenz, your host,producer and editor of the show
and the director of globaleducation and training at Jeeps,
where the mission of the grainelevator and processing society
is to champion, connect andserve the global grain industry

(00:51):
and our members At GEAPS.
We work to be the globalcommunity and thought leader for
the grain industry, which feedsand fuels the world.
This is a show where we bringyou fresh ideas, smart
perspectives andforward-thinking leaders from
across the grain handling andprocessing industry.
In this episode, we're divinginto a unique resource that
helps companies like yours buildstronger, more successful

(01:12):
internship programs.
It's called the NextGen PathIntern Program.
Now, this isn't a standaloneinternship program.
It's a companion, a flexibletoolkit that integrates into any
internship structure andenhances the experience with
structure, learning and realcareer connection.
Let's break it down, all right.

(01:40):
I'm thrilled to say I'm notalone today.
I'm joined by my colleague andour guest for this episode,
betsy Polis, GEAPS' SeniorDirector of Projects and Events.
Betsy brings amazing energy andheart to her work and she
played a key role in developingand launching NextGenPath.
Betsy, welcome to the WholeGrain Podcast.

Betsy Polis (01:57):
Thanks so much, Jim .
I'm really excited to be hereand even more excited to talk
about NextGenPath.

Jim Lenz (02:03):
Well, I know this program has been a labor of love
, so let's start with the basics.
What is NextGenPath?
Tell our listeners.
And why did GEAPS create it?

Betsy Polis (02:12):
Great question.
Nextgenpath is a free, flexibleprogram designed to support
companies that host interns.
We know many facilities bringin interns each year, whether
they're college students,technical learners or people
trying out the industry for thefirst time.
But not every company has timeto build a structured intern
experience, so we createdNextGenPath to make that part

(02:35):
easier.
It's a plug and play toolkitwith simple practical resources,
an onboarding checklist, awelcome to the industry course,
industry terms, educationalvideos and even podcast episodes
like this one.

Jim Lenz (02:50):
So what kind of companies is NextGenPath really
designed for?

Betsy Polis (02:54):
Honestly, any company in the grain handling
and processing space that workswith interns can benefit,
whether you're a large grainoperation, a local cooperative
or even a single locationfacility.
It's built to be customizable.
So, whether you've hostedinterns for years or are just
trying it out for the first time, nextgenpath can elevate your

(03:15):
program with very little lift.

Jim Lenz (03:25):
Membership is growing.
We have new exciting memberbenefits, free member benefits.
You know what A lot of ourlisteners may not know that
interns can receive acomplimentary membership, a free
membership.
Can you tell us a little bitmore about GEAPS student
memberships?

Betsy Polis (03:36):
Absolutely.
One of the great things aboutGEAPS is that we offer
complimentary memberships forfull-time students and interns
who are currently enrolled in anaccredited academic program.
So a Jeeps student membershipreally opens the door to a ton
of valuable opportunities.
We have, you know, free accessto our conferences, like our

(03:57):
annual GEAPS exchange, freeonline intro course, discounted
on-demand training, localchapter connections,
scholarships and more, and whenstudents graduate they can
transition into their first yearof professional membership for
free as well.

Jim Lenz (04:13):
Now, that's fantastic.
So interns can easily sign upfor cheap student membership,
which gives them access to theNextGenPath program.
Let's walk through those corecomponents.
What's inside the toolkit?

Betsy Polis (04:27):
Sure, there are five main parts.
One, an onboarding checklistthat helps facilities quickly
welcome their interns andprovide a strong first
impression.
Two, the Welcome to the GreenIndustry course.
This is a self-paced onlinecourse that's designed to give
new learners an orientation tothe field.
Three, a terminology referenceguide we call it the Jeep's

(04:50):
Glossary which explains commonterms, processes and equipment
in the green industry.
Four, a curated video library.
This includes a wide array ofrecorded sessions and training
content, very curated to interns, to the younger generation, and
, of course, the whole greenpodcast episodes that are there

(05:11):
to help interns exploredifferent career paths and they
can hear directly fromprofessionals in the field.

Jim Lenz (05:17):
I mean that's fantastic.
So a lot of people may not know, for example, that Curated
Video Library.
We have over 200 differentvideos available that are
searchable by topic and keyword.
Of course we've got the WholeGrain Podcast episodes, the new
Welcome to the Grain Industrycourse.
It's a great primer, it's aone-hour course for those who
are newer to the industry, andso we've got some good structure

(05:39):
and order.
But I would imagine Betsycompanies saying well, that
sounds great, but how much timedoes this take?
What's a time commitment for acompany or supervisor?

Betsy Polis (05:51):
Oh yeah, that's a great question.
The program was built with busyfacilities in mind.
It was also designed to be acompanion program to already
existing internship programs.
Everything is designed to beflexible.
You can use as much or aslittle as you want and you can
decide when and how to use thematerials.
So supervisors can simplyreview the checklist with their

(06:12):
intern and let them completeitems on their own.
It's very self-guided.
We've even included a trackingsheet to make it easier when
you're overseeing more than oneintern.

Jim Lenz (06:24):
So why is this program important right now, Betsy?

Betsy Polis (06:28):
The grain industry is facing a real challenge.
Our workforce is aging and alot of institutional knowledge
is walking out the door.
At the same time, there's agrowing need to attract, train
and retain new talent.
But not every company has thetime or tools to build an
onboarding experience fromscratch.
That's where NextGenPath reallyhelps.

(06:48):
It fills in the gaps, givesinterns a strong foundation and
helps companies introduce theindustry in a way that's
welcoming, informative andprofessional.
It's not just about this summer.
It's about building our talentpipeline for the future.

Jim Lenz (07:04):
That's right Building for the future.
So what if a company hasalready started their internship
program?
Can they still join NextGenPathmidway through the summer?

Betsy Polis (07:14):
Absolutely.
You can jump in at any point.
Even if your interns are a fewweeks in or you've already
onboarded them, there's still alot of value in the glossary,
the videos and the learningmodules.
We've seen companies use itmid-season as a supplement or
even offer it as a wrap-upexperience that helps interns
reflect on what they've learned.

Jim Lenz (07:35):
That's fantastic.
Thanks for communicating thatto our listeners out there.
You mentioned earlier that theprogram was originally designed
for interns, but can otherlearners, other grain
professionals use it too?

Betsy Polis (07:47):
Yes, and this is something we're really excited
about.
The resources in NextGenPathcan easily be used to onboard
new full-time employees,seasonal staff or even students
exploring the industry throughschool-based programs.
We've even heard from companieswho use these videos and
glossary with their existingteam as part of a weekly safety

(08:08):
or learning meeting.

Jim Lenz (08:10):
Now we know that high schoolers often are part of the
workforce in green facilities,even including vendors and
suppliers, and they may beseasonal workers, perhaps it may
be there much of the year,maybe they're just working, you
know, during the summer harvestseason and whatnot, but they
play a key role and many peoplego directly into the workforce

(08:31):
from high school.
So my question, betsy, is isthis program suitable for high
schoolers?

Betsy Polis (08:38):
Yes, that's a really good question.
So, while the program wasinitially designed with college
interns in mind, we've seenstrong interest from companies
engaging with high schoolstudents, whether you're, you
know, a youth apprentice doing acareer exploration program or
it's a summer job placement.
This content is really beginnerfriendly, visual and it's easy

(09:01):
to follow, and it's a great wayto introduce young people to the
grain industry and forcompanies, it's a powerful tool
to start building that futuretalent early especially as we
look to addressing the workforceshortages and create more
visibility for careers inagriculture.

Jim Lenz (09:18):
All right, there you have it.
Listeners.
Yes, high school students, thiscan be a good fit, so consider
that.

Betsy Polis (09:24):
It's a great tool for foundational training at all
levels.

Jim Lenz (09:28):
So there's great opportunities for flexibility to
work within an internshipprogram.
You've demonstrated that.
What happens when an internfinishes a program?
Is there a way to recognizetheir effort?

Betsy Polis (09:41):
Yes, at the end of the program, interns complete a
checklist that tracks theirprogress through the various
components.
Once they've finished, they cansubmit it to their supervisor
and we encourage thosesupervisors to send it to GEAPS
Every intern, those supervisorsto send it to GEAPS.
Every intern who completes theprogram gets a certificate of
completion.
It's a small but powerful wayto recognize their work and it

(10:03):
gives them something tangible touse on their resume or LinkedIn
profile.
It shows they've gone above andbeyond a typical internship
experience.

Jim Lenz (10:11):
I know one of the things people ask is how do we
take this further?
And that's where our optionaladd-on comes in the Introduction
to Grain Operations course.
Let's tell listeners more aboutthat.

Betsy Polis (10:24):
Absolutely.
GEAPS offers a self-pacedonline course called
Introduction to Grain Operations.
Normally it's $495, but throughNextGenPath, companies can
offer it to their interns forjust $75.
It covers safety operations,grain quality equipment and more
, and it's perfect for internsor anyone who wants that strong

(10:48):
foundational understanding ofthe industry.

Jim Lenz (10:51):
So it's an online and on-demand course that takes
approximately six hours tocomplete.
It offers good breadth andscope.
Whenever they take a pause inthe course, they can continue
where they left off, so that's agreat opportunity for people to
take their learning further.
It really levels up thelearning right, Betsy.

Betsy Polis (11:09):
Yeah, it does, and it gives interns the confidence
to ask smarter questions, engagein deeper conversations and
even consider staying in theindustry long term.

Jim Lenz (11:21):
Which is exactly the goal helping interns become
future green professionals.
So how can someone get startedwith NextGenPath?

Betsy Polis (11:30):
It's easy Just visit geaps dot com slash next
gen, that's G-E-A-P-S dot com,slash N-E-X-T-G-E-N and register
your facility.
The toolkit is free andinstantly available, and if you
want to add that online coursethat we just talked about for

(11:50):
one or more interns, we can helpyou get that set up too.

Jim Lenz (11:55):
So, Betsy, before we wrap up, what's your hope for
this program?

Betsy Polis (11:58):
My hope is that it gives companies the tools they
need to offer meaningfulexperiences to interns and maybe
even discover their nextfull-time hire.
This industry is full ofincredible opportunities, and
NextGenPath helps open that doorjust a little wider.

Jim Lenz (12:14):
All right.
Thank you, Betsy, for joiningus here in the Whole Grain
Podcast.
Our listeners of the show nowhave access to a great resource
to help grow the industry.
Thank you, Betsy, for all yourwork you've done on NextGenPath
and bringing it to life.
We're looking forward to havingyou again in another future
episode.

Betsy Polis (12:31):
Definitely Happy to be here.

Jim Lenz (12:33):
Thank you for joining us on this special episode of
the whole grain podcast.
Internships are more than atemporary work experience.
Thank you for joining us inthis episode of the whole grain
podcast.
Internships are more than atemporary work experience.
They're a first impression, achance to inspire and an
opportunity to build your futureworkforce With NextGenPath.

(12:56):
GEAPS gives you the tools to dojust that Without extra costs
or complexity.
It's an easy win for yourinterns, for your team and for
the future of the grain industry.
Learn more and register todayat www.
geaps.
com.
Until next time, I'm Jim Lenz,director of Global Education

(13:19):
and Training at GEAPS.
Stay safe, stay curious andlet's keep growing together with
GEAPS.
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