Path of Progress Intern Feature: Ryan Rieta
How did your internship experience at Harbor prepare you for your professional career?
The internship experience helped me learn the importance of building an effective report that everyone can understand. I learned that it’s not about how much data you have, but rather it’s about how can you make the data accessible to everyone. Having numbers is a great tool to have but unless you are able to break it down for others to use then it will not be useful. In my current role I am always building and maintaining reports that are used across multiple departments. Each time I build a new report I always pull from my past experiences as an intern.
What was the most important thing you learned from your time interning?
The most valuable thing I learned was how each department fits within the operation. The internship program allowed me to meet with many people in different roles in the business. I spoke and learned from people in just about every department. Understanding how every department worked helped me see the entire picture of the operation.

What roles have you held at Harbor?
- Order Selector pick mods for two summers
- Operations Intern
- Quality Assurance Coordinator
- Quality Assurance and Safety Coordinator (Same position as above, but just added workplace safety to my role)
What is the most important piece of advice for having a successful career at Harbor?
The most important piece of advice that I can give someone would be to never be afraid of making a mistake. Harbor is a great working environment that will allow you to used missed opportunities as a chance to grow and learn in your career.