Cindy Martinez
On Monday, Sept. 23, the University of West Georgia (UWG) Marketing Club had the exclusive opportunity to visit the Coca-Cola Headquarters in Atlanta. 50 enthusiastic students embarked on this educational trip, organized by Marketing Club president, Reese Scott and chapter advisor, Kenneth Hilderhoff.
The visit to headquarters provided students with a behind the scenes look at one of the world’s most iconic brands. When the students arrived, they were welcomed by former UWG alumni that are now working for Coca-Cola, where they shared their personal success stories about climbing the corporate ladder. These stories showed students insights to their career paths and valuable advice for building and maintaining a successful career in the industry.
The students learned about the impact the Coca-Cola company has had around the world. For example the second most known word in the world is the word ‘Coca-Cola’ with the word ‘Okay’ being number one. This along with the fact that only three countries in the world do not have access to Coca-Cola products, those countries being North Korea, Cuba and Russia being a newly added country, showed the importance of the brand and how accessible and influential the company is on a global basis.
However, with influence comes challenges. One of the key issues Coca-Cola addressed is their commitment to sustainability, particularly in developing countries. They emphasized the critical importance of sustainability, using an example where Coca-Cola products are more accessible than clean drinking water in some regions. This is why Coca-Cola is dedicated to promoting sustainability “for a better shared future.”
Jakai Yancey, one of the student attendees, shared her thoughts on the experience.
“My experience at Coca-Cola was great. From the time I entered until the time I left, I was educated about what makes Coca-Cola such a well known company globally,” Yancey Continued. “The biggest takeaway I learned from this trip was that businesses aren’t just about numbers or trying to outdo the competitors, but it’s about the impact companies have on society.”
In addition to these valuable insights, the students were giving an educational lecture and a comprehensive tour of the Coca-Cola facility. They also gave students a detailed presentation over the internship program and the hiring process at the company.
The trip offered a first-hand look at what it takes to thrive at a global organization like Coca-Cola , with many students leaving inspired and more educated of the potential career opportunities.