Students Learn About Globalization at Port of L.A.

In teacher Teryn Bentley’s Principles of Business class, students are learning about globalization, international business, trade and economic development.

On Thursday, October 3, these students took a field trip to San Pedro as a real world case study of a small community at the forefront of globalization.

They embarked on guided boat tour of the working Port of Los Angeles, which accounts for 1 in 9 regional jobs and where 18% of all imported goods to the U.S. pass through each year, Bentley said.

“Watching the massive cargo ships unloading up close offers a whole new appreciation for advancements in containerization and mechanization, which has led to the areas sustained growth over the last 60 years,” she said.

After the tour, students ate at the World Famous San Pedro Fish Market to consider the perspective of small local businesses.

“We stuffed our bellies full of shrimp and learned about the challenges of operating a family-owned and operated restaurant for the last 80 years,” Bentley said.

Sitting in the shadows of the gantry cranes, students questioned whether the new waterfront development plan will revive the local tourism industry as the community has been promised.

“Most importantly, they saw firsthand how the small businesses of San Pedro are forever interconnected the Port of LA,” Bentley said.