Wholesale Yard Intern

To satisfy customers and meet their expectations by providing excellent customer service with the Midwest Ground covers Team. To meet company needs and achieve personal goals through working and being trained in the Sales and UPICK Yard, with possible time in inside sales, inventory, marketing, and production jobs. Excellent internal and external customer service is the most important part of this job.

The program will vary depending on both the interests and skills of the intern and the needs of the company. Generally, the intern will focus a majority of time in one or two departments with work opportunities in other departments later in the season and during the intern program.

Act as a Support to the Wholesale & UPICK Team

• Provide excellent customer service to all customers and develop customer relationships
• Assist with processing customer orders, loading vehicles, etc.
• Address any customer complaints tactfully and promptly; inform the supervisor
• Communicate any customer plant requests or compliments to the supervisor
• Understand, apply, and effectively communicate the company’s customer service policies
• Actively sell UPICK inventories - both MG & MT - and offer samples in accordance with company policy

Develop Basic Business Central, Moneris, & SharePoint Skills as They Apply to Sales

• Become proficient in order entry and the charge card system
• Understand how to read UPICK Inventory
• Process orders and collect payment in the UPICK Yard
• Assist with the opening and closing processes and follow all cash handling procedures

Assist in Maintaining Quality Plants by Applying Proper Cultural Care in the UPICK Yard

• Watering/irrigation
• Weeding and re-burlapping trees/shrubs
• Other basic horticultural practices
• Removing dead/declining plants and following loss procedures

Assist in Stocking the Wholesale & UPICK Yard

• Keep the UPICK Yard clean and organized
• Confirm counts on transfer orders
• Unload/label plants as they arrive on transfers; use the tree loader to unload B&B material
• Space pots to allow for plant growth, customer access, and an organized appearance
• Arrange CC carts so they are accessible and attractive
• Post/update signage as needed
• Ensure that cages/carts are removed from UPICK promptly
• Clean up trash, recycle containers, etc.
• Assist in the coordination and production of in-house events targeted at UPICK customers
• Assist in other departments with tasks as needed
• Assist order holding with loading wholesale customer vehicles

• Currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from, an Associate’s or Bachelor’s program in a related field of study
• Ability to work in various weather conditions
• Ability to lift 25 lbs
• Strong commitment to customer service and teamwork
• Excellent problem-solving skills with a positive, action-oriented attitude
• Strong organizational skills with attention to follow-up
• Strong written and verbal skills; some Spanish is desired

• Paid holidays

Proudly ranked as both a 2024 and 2025 Top Workplaces Winner in several categories, including Woman-Led companies and Cultural Excellence for Professional Development. Midwest Ground covers has been growing and propagating over 20 million of the finest wholesale plants in the Midwest. Although ground covers are our specialty, Midwest Ground covers’ plant offerings include evergreens and broadleaves, deciduous shrubs, perennials, ornamental grasses, vines, and native prairie, wetland, and woodland species.

We are leaders in the Green Industry and partner with landscape architects, landscape designers, and both green roof and plant professionals to create inspiring planting combination solutions. We are experts in plants for Midwestern durability and sustainability for over five decades.