We had two site visits in the morning and afternoon, both equally interesting! First, we visited Coherent. This company is worldwide, specializing in optic materials and semiconductors. It was very intriguing talking to the lead engineer because he told us about how different countries specialize in different productions. In Vietnam, Coherent already has six or seven massive buildings and four more to come this fall. The new buildings, which were shown to us in a presentation, are state of the art factories that will help Coherent’s continuous success. Though a lot of the engineering side of the Coherent visit was somewhat complex, it was truly a pleasure to hear the site manager talk about how Coherent exists globally. There were conversations about how different industries cater to different countries, wether it is related to location, tax prices, or geopolitical status. In Vietnam specifically, Coherent has plans to expand from 1500 workers now to 5000 workers in 2028. This massive expansion, in part possible due to the new buildings, is a representation of the development in Vietnam. In all of our site visits so far, Vietnam has been labeled as the place for development. We are seeing major companies like Coherent shift a lot of energy, money, and attention to Vietnam. This boosts Vietnam’s economy and allows the Vietnamese to better their lives. Seeing this ongoing process is eye opening in the world of business.

After lunch, we ventured to Saigon Hi-tech Park. There were many buildings occupied by all different companies. First, we were given a presentation by higher ups in the park management. They told us about the park, but they also detailed future plans for digital development and green transformation. In a lot of the companies we have seen both these features hold high importance. I am determined to pay more attention to businesses in the Untied States to see if they also hold these ideas valuable. Then we went to the innovation hub where the innovation team thinks of and maximizes on new opportunities. It was impressive to see the range of capability that a hub like this had. There were innovative door handles and natural soaps and everything in between. Unfortunately we were there later in the day and did not see a lot of employees hard at work, but it was easy to visualize. Next, we went to the training center, where the park trains employees of businesses that come to them. They also do workshops with university centers to promote these ideas in the young minds of their citizens. I wonder if these ecosystems happen in the United States. My guess would be that they do, being that a lot of universities are partners with companies to collaborate on academic subjects. After being exposed to these two companies, I have a much better sense of the global or domestic world of business. It is easy to see the possibilities of a venture when you are on site. Today I was able to see an already globally established business operate and also a powerful domestic business operate. I am blessed to have these experiences and am excited to use what I have learned in the future!