Cadence Premier Logistics
The transport industry always fascinates me when driving on an interstate––I am often awestruck by the size of the trucks and the sheer number of them. Alongside them, they dwarf my small BMW coupe. They’re bigger than European trucks back home. They just keep on coming, hundreds and hundreds of them, often bunched together like convoys. Even at one in the morning, the interstate is a two-way river. Where are they all heading? It speaks of immense and highly coordinated production by a multitude of specialized industries fueled by insatiable demand. “Consumer society” takes on fresh meaning, and to think that only a fraction of the world’s population lives here in the USA. Following my fascination, in June 2018, I embarked on an internship experience in the field unfamiliar to me to challenge myself and grow as an individual.
It was surprising to find out, when looking for an internship, that my language skills were highly relevant to
the transport industry, and for the Cadence Premier Logistics in particular. The company needs people with Russian, Ukrainian, German, and Lithuanian language proficiency due to the number of drivers and staff that are of European origin. Although, the internship was unpaid, the company provided housing, transportation, and lunch for the duration of the program. Over the course of my time at Cadence, I gained a priceless firsthand experience of the structure of the company, including the day-to-day workings, and the industry. One of the most memorable events was the Canadian delegation visit to develop a partnership with Canadian customers. That is when I realized that today, international connections are forged across different industries and companies, and in places where one would not expect to find.
After several months, I was put in charge of the project that about the effects of U.S.- China tariffs on the transportation industry. I learned how efficient, developed, and interconnected transportation networks of the U.S. are, which allows me to see the divergent trajectory of infrastructure and logistics industry in places like Ukraine. Being part of the executive staff, I have had an opportunity to cooperate with, work, and lead a diverse team in a professional and multicultural environment acquiring leadership skills for an international career. The document we produced is set for company and customer use thus I cannot legally share it on my website. In short, the tariffs may cause a potential slowdown in the amount of loads being transported across the nation in the future, in spite of an economic growth recently. Finally, the last seven month have been the most enlightening, not only I dived into unknown waters but I gained a valuable experience that serves as a foundation for my future career in management consulting or international business or finance.