* Can you introduce yourself?

: Hello, my name is Sungbin Son, and I’m currently in my junior year in the Mechanical Engineering program. While I'm an engineering student, I'm particularly interested in various global programs. Since the fall semester of 2020, I have continuously participated in the International Student Club (ISC), except during military service. I have engaged in an internship and three on-campus global program work placements in the Office of International Affairs' International Relations Team. During 2023's winter vacation period, I joined an overseas internship program in Milan, Italy. I gained experience working at the Italian branches of Korean companies such as Samsung, LG, and Hyundai, as well as at Eataly, an Italian company. As of this year, I've been working as an undergraduate research student in SeoulTech’s Thermo-Fluid Application Engineering Laboratory. While global competencies are still a priority for me, I think being a research student gives me an important opportunity to develop my understanding of mechanical engineering.

* What got you interested in developing global competencies?

: I became interested in global programs after I joined the military in June 2021 as a KATUSA. While serving as a KATUSA, I was able to learn practical and office English, and I also got direct experience of American culture. This led me to participate in global programs so that I could develop my global competencies.

* Did you notice any differences between Italian and Korean working culture during your internship program?

: They were mostly cultural differences. Italy is more relaxed and has a better work-life balance than Korea. For example, Italy had two and a half hours of lunch break, so I felt the working environment was completely different even in the Korean companies. Also, the organizational structures were much simpler, consisting only of managers and team members. The hierarchy is completely different, with team members comfortably expressing strong views to their manager. This might be the influence of Italian culture, where people are honest about their feelings, but it made an impression on me because it was something I couldn't have ever imagined in Korea.

* What projects did you carry out during the internship program?

: The internship was one where you go from company to company, performing the given assignments and practicing interviews with their human resources teams. In the case of LG, interns were divided into three groups and had to present their ideas on internal and external measures for minorities. Later, they gave a presentation in front of the employees. The internal measures primarily focused on activating policies for women, socially disadvantaged groups, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ people. With the external measures, we worked on ways to promote and market these programs effectively.

* What would you recommend students do to develop global competencies?

: The first one is going on an exchange program, even if it's short-term. As I mentioned earlier, you can really see the different environments and the different opportunities that are out there. The second thing is to get into an undergraduate research student position as soon as possible because this can be the one thing that makes the difference between getting a job later on or becoming a graduate student. When you go into your junior year as an undergraduate research student, you're usually a lab assistant, and it can be overwhelming having to read papers and interpret numbers. Still, there's plenty of useful information that you can get within that community.

* Why do you think global competencies are important for engineering students?

: Of course, getting a stable job with a good company is important. However, employers are increasingly looking for staff with foreign language skills. I think that by developing global competencies, you’ll open up more opportunities for yourself.

Reporter, Jieun Park

pk325382@g.seoultech.ac.kr