Dobry Den and welcome! Overall, the University of Pittsburgh’s International Internship Program experience has been wonderful with a mixture of real-world logistics work experience and the immersion into the Czech and Central European culture. My role as a Logistic Service Coordinator at PSA BDP, an international and sustainable third-party logistics company, taught me a lot about the end-to-end process of logistics and gave me hands-on experience in a global company. Although in the moment it was difficult for me to see the overall impact of my daily activities – from each data entry point to each order adjustment and even the post-shipment analysis – now as I reflect it is truly amazing how comprehensive and impactful the whole logistics process can be.
Logistics are the thing that makes the world go ‘round – if you look at the food we eat, to the goods we have, and even to the building around us, the thing that ties everything together is logistics. During the logistics process, if a trucker’s truck broke down on the way to pick up the goods from the warehouse then this means that the goods were late to the shipping point. This results in the goods missing the vessel they were intended to ship on and impacting the family on the other side of the world because their toys didn’t come in time for Christmas Day. This is just one example to show how interconnected our world is and how the intricate and delicate logistics process allows for this web to continue to ebb and flow. It shows just how complex the world of logistics is as well as how each small adjustment can create a far-reaching butterfly and ripple effect.
Each day I became the point person for a Fortune 500 company, an overseer of the warehouse and hauler pre-carriage, the manager and tracker of the loading and shipping schedule of large vessels carrying hundreds of thousands of dollars of products, the export and import compliance expert for customs regulations, the customer service representative for the end consumer, a quick problem-solver when issues arose, a post-delivery data analyst to identify opportunities for improvement for future shipments, and much more. This far-reaching experience allowed me to continue to develop my analytical and problem-solving skills while simultaneously teaching me about the world of sustainable and eco-friendly logistics. These were crucial in ensuring the right product was delivered at the right time, with proper safety protocol, and improving overall customer satisfaction.
Throughout my 8-week internship, I handled over 500 orders reaching warehouses and ports on six continents, learned some conversational Czech, and took initiative to make the logistic service coordinator role easier for my team by automating certain data input processes in their internal system and Macros in Excel. This resulted in supporting the team by a projected 20% increase in efficiency and estimated additional revenue of $800,000. I will take the skills that I have honed in data analysis, project management, and cross-functional problem solving with me as I continue to forge my career path. Specifically, I am eager to apply these skills in a career field focused in international business, technological innovations, strategy and operations, and sustainability to ensure for a eco-friendly future.
I want to thank the EUSA Team for helping in the transition to the Czech Republic and the University of Pittsburgh College of Business Administration International Experiences Office for the partnership program. Thank you to the College of Business Administration, David C. Frederick Honors College, and University of Pittsburgh Nationality Rooms for the scholarship support which allowed me to participate in this once in a lifetime internship experience. A special thanks to the PSA BDP Team, specifically the HR Team and the DuPont Team, for their mentorship, support, and acceptance during my internship with them. Thank you to my supervisor, Dominika, for teaching me all about the end-to-end logistics process, educating me on Czech history and the language, and allowing me the space to grow and become more detail-orientated throughout the internship.
Lastly, the biggest thank you goes to my family for their endless support and love as I learn how to keep my feet on the ground and continue to reach for the stars. As I head back to Pittsburgh for my senior year and continue onto my post-graduate career, I plan to take this once in a lifetime experience and utilize it to continue learning about the world of sustainable logistics and broadening my horizons about the complex world we live in and various cultures that make it a true melting pot. I am confident that the knowledge and skills that I have gained will be invaluable as I pursue a future career in sustainable strategy and global consulting.
With Love, Čao.
Eliana Goodman