It is hard to believe that my second summer internship at TICF is coming to an end. I believe I grew personally and professionally this summer. I am grateful that I was able to go into the office several times and team up with co-workers in person, unlike last summer.

The opportunity to immerse myself into the Toyota culture and its processes has been a great learning experience. For instance, last summer the intern team was assigned to research the relationship between dealers and TICF online to gain a better understanding of the company. However, this year, the team was able to learn more about the culture and Toyota processes in person.

This past week, we visited one of TICF’s local dealers and learned about how they implemented Toyota Lean Management into their warehouse practices. The visit to the warehouse presented us with the opportunity to apply the Japanese term genchi genbutsu (“go and see”) to our internship by experiencing Toyota Lean Management firsthand. From the moment I stepped foot inside the warehouse, I was amazed by the organization system implemented as a space-saving mechanism. I enjoyed being able to observe the processes in person and learn more about the partnership between TICF and its dealers.

Kristen, pictured above with other TICF Interns and Shoppa’s Material Handling Interns.

The in-person team-building events were another difference from last year’s internship. This past week, I attended the TICF team event held at Pinstack bowling. It was a great opportunity to connect with more people and experience the Toyota culture. I enjoyed hearing others share their passion for TICF.

The opportunity to observe Toyota Lean Management, have meetings in person, and the Pinstack event made me realize how grateful I am to intern with a company that truly values its people.