bailie h. | Kansas
Bailie works at a cooperative in Kansas and shares what her experience working on the IT team at the co-op is like.
WHAT DO YOU DO AS IT SUPPORT?
I direct and coordinate a team of technical support specialists and helpdesk technicians. It is my job to prioritize and manage escalation on all IT related service requests, as well as ensure we stay within the designated Service level agreements. In addition, it is my responsibility to install, configure, and maintain server infrastructure and software. Lastly, it is part of my role to provide vision and develop strategies to further the success of all companies we service.
Describe what your day looks like:
I laugh at this question a bit as there is no normalcy in the field I work in. Technology, specifically technology in the agricultural space, is changing every day and changing rapidly at that. Each day brings new challenges and concerns, but we continue to work through them in stride. To give some insight to what I do daily, I could be directing my team as we work through storm related outages, working to improve our security posture, or assisting with planning future initiatives for our partners.
FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT WORKING IN AG.
Supporting a positive co-op experience by ensuring systems are running at optimal performance is truly what my team and I are responsible for. We are able to do this in many ways and not always from just behind a desk. Often, you can find us installing cameras for co-op facilities, climbing elevators to replace wireless backbone equipment, replacing computer equipment that provides the technology for fuel pumps, or installing grain automation equipment. By completing this work for the cooperative, we are truly providing these services for our owners which are the local producers that we see every day.
ADVICE TO SOMEONE LOOKING INTO THIS CAREER.
Always be flexible and willing to attack any challenge that comes your way. The information services field can be stressful so find a great group to work with, as I have, to make the hard days’ worth it. I chose this career because I love to learn. The IT industry is ever evolving, and to be a part of bringing the Agricultural space up to current IT practices and standards, is an incredible thing to be a part of. In addition, this job allows me to stay close to my family while also allowing my little girl to grow up near our family farm.
Take a look at actual job openings at one of the largest agricultural cooperatives in the Midwest, Central Valley Ag, to see if there are any jobs that interest you.