Why I chose Industrial Distribution

When I was a senior in high school deciding what to major in at a university like Texas A&M, I knew one thing for certain — I loved science and wanted to continue to explore and experiment. While scrolling online through engineering majors that were offered at Texas A&M, I stumbled upon industrial distribution, read the description and instantly felt like I found my home. Industrial distribution was the bridge between my two interests, engineering and business, and would provide me with a foundation to succeed in my future, whether that involved becoming a sales manager or a supply chain manager.

Being able to understand the industry I want to be a part of after graduation has been the key to my success these past four years.

What I’ve Experienced and Learned

As a senior in industrial distribution, I’ve learned a lot about understanding the industry. I’ve learned about the value of networking and, most importantly, I’ve learned a lot about myself. Being able to understand the industry I want to be a part of after graduation has been the key to my success these past four years. Understanding has led to me becoming incredibly passionate about supply chain management, quality and communication. I’ve learned networking is the true foundation for growing as an individual in my career. By joining the Professional Association for Industrial Distribution (PAID), I’ve been able to attend career fairs and meet business professionals, have one-on-ones with people whose careers I admire, and form connections via platforms like LinkedIn. Learning about myself is something else I’ve experienced, such as what type of selling approach I tend to excel with or even what parts of the supply chain I have an interest in.

What’s Next?

My time at Texas A&M as an industrial distribution student has well equipped me for what I would like to do in the future. This semester, I participated in an externship with Baker Hughes, one of the world’s leading energy technology companies. The summer following my junior year, I interned with IBM, a technology corporation that produces and sells computer hardware, software and makes amazing strides in research. With these opportunities, I’ve been able to grow and sharpen my skill set to eventually work on mastering the art of sales early in my career and excel exponentially from there. I’m excited to continue to use what I’ve learned at Texas A&M and to build on that knowledge for years to come.