Today we had three site visits. Our first stop was BSM training center, a seafaring training center. The training center was very cool and they clearly embraced the nautical theme in the architecture. We learned about the company’s various ship management courses for people coming from all backgrounds. The presenter had a lot of experience as an engineer on ships and was very engaging! We had the chance to go to the water and see their hands on training facilities, giving us a glimpse into what it would be like to attend the BSM training facility as a student! BSM as a company is vertically integrated and I enjoyed learning about how many different aspects fall under their umbrella.

Our second stop was Colombia Ship Management company. I enjoyed how much they discussed innovation and the ever changing industry of ship management. I liked their emphasis on balancing embracing change while ensuring they stay true to their mission and values. They showed us some tracking software which I was really excited to see because the employees had analytics backgrounds, which is my major!

Finally, we went to Medochemie—which we learned how to pronounce today! The staff were extremely welcoming and informative. We had a comprehensive presentation on the intense planning and operations that go into their supply chain management. After the presentation, we got to see their warehouse, which was extremely impressive. I thought it was interesting that it was a ‘clean’ environment and we had to wear coats and shoe coverings. The manager told us that they can easily dispatch over 500 pallets a day. Supply chain management is extremely important in the pharmaceutical industry, as there are strict expiration dates.

P.S. I tried McDonalds in Cyprus today! Although it is such an American cliche, it was fun to try their Cyprian menu! I got a chicken pita wrap which was surprisingly good. Overall I enjoyed every company we visited today and am excited to see more tomorrow!