With my Plus3 Korea trip officially concluded, I took some time to reflect on this experience. This trip allowed me to grow professionally, immerse myself in a completely different culture, and build connections that I hope will last beyond my college years. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and try new things. As someone who tends to stay within familiar boundaries, traveling to Korea gave me the perfect reason to push beyond those boundaries. Exploring new places and tasting unfamiliar foods were experiences I will always remember. Professionally, the trip was just as rewarding. Visiting various companies gave me insight into the innovative smart systems that are being developed and how businesses operate on a global scale. Each visit provided valuable lessons and broadened my understanding of international business practices. The entire trip left a lasting impact, and I am thankful for the memories, growth, and perspective it provided.

Next, I want to talk about the activities we experienced on this trip. In total we had 7 company visits and 13 cultural visits. I found both the company and cultural visits equally interesting. My favorite company visit was TK Elevators. During that visit, we were shown how they create elevators and then were taken to the elevator testing tower for testing each of the elevators. They also explained to us what a double elevator is. It is 2 elevators in the same elevator shaft which improves efficiency with both moving at once. I thought about this smart system a lot because of how much programming must go into a double elevator so that it works as smoothly as it does. My favorite cultural visit was a hike up Mount Bukhansan. This activity was optional, but I was glad I went on it. We went with 2 former Pitt students that are now in the military and stationed in Korea. It was a great experience getting to have conversations with this former Pitt students as I was on the hike. The hike was my favorite cultural visit because of the sense of accomplishment we got making it to the top of the mountain. In total we climbed about 2500 ft to the top and could see all of Seoul below.

This trip helped me to gain insight into different professional development topics. The first professional development topic is ethical issues I observed while I was in Korea. One issue I observed was the use of automation by many of the companies we visited. Some specific examples of automation were Fredit Co. using machines to produce their yogurt drinks, Hyundai using robotics to build their cars, and Seoul Waterwork HQ using water purification devices. The use of automation allowed these companies to produce their products at a much higher rate and cheaper cost than what would probably be possible with humans. This automation is taking away jobs from humans and instead giving the work to machines. This lessens the jobs in the economy and can increase unemployment. This is why I see this as an ethical issue because it benefits the company by making it more efficient but hurts workers seeking employment. I remember on the tour at Fredit Co. that our guide told us that this factory was the company’s biggest factory and it only employed a little over 100 people. This made me think about the automation that Fredit Co. was using. I was shocked at all the automation throughout the factory and that such a large factory only employed a small number of workers. This ethical issue made me think if the increased efficiency through automation is worth the jobs that are lost. Another ethical issue I observed was the plastic containers. Fredit Co. serves its yogurt drinks. Because there are so many of these plastic containers created every day it is expected that there will be a rise in pollution. Ethically I wonder if it is right for Fredit Co. to keep producing yogurt in a plastic container or if they should consider switching to reusable containers.

The next professional development topic that this trip gave me insight into is educational breadth. Going on this trip gave me knowledge about Koreas culture, history, and even language. Before we left for Korea we were assigned to research and present Korean culture and history along with learning some language, but it was nothing compared to when we got to Korea. Going to different cultural visits allowed me to see the culture firsthand. Specifically going to the Gyeongbokgung Palace and watching the changing of the guard is something that was stuck with me. Also going to visit different temples around Seoul showed me the culture in Korea. During the entire trip I tried using some of the basic Korean words that were taught to me beforehand. I even picked up some new words that other kids on the trip had learned from locals. At these cultural visits is also where I was able to learn about the history of Korea. We had a guide for the cultural visits that would explain the history and significance of where we were. Our guide emphasized how hardworking Korean people are. She told us how Korea was one of poorest countries over half a century ago and through hard work people were able to transform their country into advanced technology and wealth.

Another professional development topic that this trip gave me a new insight into Lifelong Learning and Continuing Education. Education extends well beyond the traditional classroom. During my trip I realized that it is important that I continue to learn after college. With the technology I saw in Korea I learned that it will only continue to develop and I must be adaptable and be ready to learn and understand it. One company that showed me this was Seoul Waterworks. Seoul Waterworks needs to constantly be ready to learn to improve the efficiency and quality of water they are producing. Another example is Hyundai when producing new cars, it needs to be ready to learn and incorporate new technology like AI. By learning about this new technology, they can implement into their cars and continue to appeal to their customers.

Another professional development topic that this trip gave me insight into is the Social Environment of Professional Life. When going on company visits, I made sure to carefully watch how the employees interacted with each other. I was curious because in a few years I hope to be working a full-time job. At Hyundai I noticed that it seemed like each of the employees had their own task on the assembly line. When constructing the cars the employees on the assembly line would oversee certain parts that they would have to attach to the car. This showed me the workers need to be independent at times but not always. Later down the assembly line I saw workers working together to attach bigger parts to the car. This mix of independence and teamwork showed what could be expected of me after I graduate college. At TK Elevators I also noticed teamwork among the employees. When walking around the facility I saw employees working together to put together an elevator. They also had a game room that we were able to go to before our tour started. This seemed like a place where employees could go to relax on a break and have fun. Both companies showed me that teamwork is important among employees but there is also time when you need to work independently.

The final professional development topic that this trip gave me insight into is Functioning on Multi-Disciplinary Teams. Before our Plus3 trip kicked off we were placed into groups of 6. These groups of 6 were made up of 3 business students and 3 engineering students. The main purpose of these groups was to create a new smart system that we believe could be useful for Korea and then deliver it to the other groups. Because the group was spilt between 3 business and 3 engineers, I had to get used to working with engineering students since I am majoring in Finance and Business Analytics. When we met up as a group, we divided up the work based on our strengths. This worked well because since most of us have different majors we also have different strengths. I also noticed multi-disciplinary teams on company visits. TK Elevators provided us with statistics of how they were doing compared to other companies as well as their production. The work the engineers did to create the Elevators is also another part of the multi-disciplinary team for TK Elevators.

I am truly grateful for the opportunity to go on this trip. It has provided me with unforgettable experiences and meaningful connections that I hope to maintain moving forward. This journey not only introduced me to incredible people but also broadened my understanding of how business operates on a global scale. It has deepened my appreciation for different cultures and inspired me to continue exploring international perspectives as I grow both personally and professionally.