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寄付Summary of 2020 Academic Year Internship Programs (Credit-Eligible Courses)
【１】Introduction
This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected and changed all aspects of society and life. We believe that gaining societal experience in the midst of such a changing environment will help students gain the skills needed to remain relevant in society, and while many universities had canceled their internship programs around April, our university decided to implement an online program. By consistently communicating and negotiating with companies amidst a situation that was changing daily, we were able to provide some in-person internship opportunities conducted in a safe environment with COVID-19 countermeasures. The new pandemic has brought great changes to society, but as a university, we are committed to continually providing educational opportunities for students.
【２】About the 2020 Academic Year Program
Approximately 100 students participated in this program. The preliminary study classes were conducted online, during which students did self-analysis and set personal goals. Then they researched their internship placement and the industry it was in by analyzing how the “people”, “products”, and “money” are interconnected. In the last section of the preliminary study classes, students were divided into two groups (20 students for the overseas course and 80 students for the domestic course), and they worked as a team to solve problems and make proposals relevant to their internship placement in preparation for the sessions with their companies.
【３】Sessions With Companies (Overseas・Domestic Courses)
After the students researched the industries and companies they were interested in, they had sessions with their internship companies where staff explained the company structure and business and then engaged in discussions with students. While in previous years students typically work with only one company, this year students took advantage of the online format to participate in sessions with multiple companies. This allowed students to gain insight from several perspectives and understand the industry as a whole while also experiencing each company’s culture, enabling them to gain firsthand information that would not be obtainable from the internet or books.
Depending on the program, some students took on the challenge of PBL (Problem Based Learning) where they tackled issues given by companies and presented their solutions. In the domestic course, some students were able to do in-person internships, particularly in the sports and accounting industries, where on the job experience is highly valued. The university worked with each company and organization to ensure that the internships were conducted while implementing sufficient COVID-19 countermeasures.
In the overseas course, the students overcame the time differences and had interactive sessions with companies where they took on the challenge of facilitating the sessions in English. In planning and preparing for the sessions, students had many preliminary meetings and rehearsals, and they took responsibility for leading productive and engaging sessions.
【４】Presentations
The student presentations were held in October. In their presentations, the students included an overview of the internship program, an introduction of the internship host, the contents of the internship, and reflections on the internship, all of which will impact the rest of their university life. The internship is only a starting point, and this connection between the students and their internship company will become the first step towards achieving their goals and dreams. We hope that the students will proactively take action based on what they have learned during the internship.
【５】Messages From Internship Students
[Overseas Course, Ishida Co., Ltd.]
I entered this university with an interest in the environment and plants, and a goal of improving my English. I was keenly aware of the indispensability of the food industry in the pandemic, and for my internship I wanted to work at a company related to the food or other similar industries. Ishida Co., Ltd. is engaged in the inspection, weighing, processing and packaging of food products, and supports a wide range of food industries from the primary industry of production to the tertiary industry of retail stores. In the online session with Ishida Co., Ltd., I facilitated the meeting, received a lecture about the company, ran a question and answer session with employees, and proposed a “mat-type scale” that I wished existed. In addition to researching companies, making presentations, and preparing for meetings, I also wanted to improve my English skills, so I actively participated in group work, mock interviews, and resume writing, which were all conducted in English in the overseas course. As a result, I was able to gain a clearer image of working as well as how I can further improve my English skills and develop more initiative. My goal in life is to contribute to the food industry in Japan, and I will use this experience as a stepping stone for continuing to gain knowledge and experience in the food industry.
(Faculty of Bioenvironmental Sciences, Department of Agriculture and Food Technology, 2nd year, Kyohei Tooi)
Message to fellow students
Internships are a great way to find out what you are missing and what is expected of you when working in society. The more active you are, the more things you will learn. If you are worried about your future or anxious about job hunting, I encourage you to participate in an internship program to learn about the realities of society and use it as a reference for your university life.
[Domestic Course, Muko City Hall]
My dream is to be a government employee. As a step toward job hunting, I wanted to learn more about the work of government employees, so I participated in this internship program. During the internship, I participated in an online session with the Muko City Office. In the question-and-answer session with the city hall staff, I was able to learn about their thoughts and feelings while working, as well as the changes in city hall operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the internship, I had a chance to talk with many people, including staff at the internship site, other participating students, and university staff, and I feel that I was able to improve my communication skills. From now on, I will work on becoming a government employee by studying every day. I want to live every day to the fullest, both studying and having fun, so that I will not have any regrets.
(Faculty of Humanities, Department of Japanese History and Cultural Studies, 3rd year, Shiori Ishikawa)
Message to fellow students
I think internships are an important guide for deciding your future. Unlike regular classes, the interesting part is in approaching society through teamwork between students. I think the most important thing in the four years of university life is to have the courage to take on challenges, so if you are interested, please take the chance and participate.
【６】Future Internships
This year's program adopted an online format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the future, we will continue to respond flexibly to society’s conditions, implementing the program in a way that maximizes the learning experience without being bound by other conventional models.
On the other hand, there is no substitute for firsthand experience with all your five senses. When the situation improves, we will work to expand our in-person programs with the cooperation of our partnering organizations for both overseas and domestic courses.
Our working styles will change drastically in the future, and today's students will become the generation native to this new work environment. We hope that the experiences they gain will help them develop the abilities needed to play an active role in society.
