For the third year we were honoured to host a group of university students on their summer internship. But this is no ordinary group of undergraduates. These young aspiring business stars of the future travel to us from Japan’s Chuo University.
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From left: Yumina Kondo, Mitsuru Osumi, Takada Sensei, Haruka Yamazaki, Yuki Sonokawa[/caption]
Takada Sensei (Visiting Lecturer of Chuo University & CEO of Playful Inc) explains the need for the Chuo University interns overseas experience.
With the rise of globalisation, Japan has struggled to acquire the competitiveness needed to be a world key player. This applies not only to corporate institutions but also to universities. Most universities have long provided students with English language tuition but it became clear that this wasn’t delivering great results. Learning English was not enough.
As a result, the government launched the GGJ Project (Go Global Japan) in 2014. It aims to:- Develop Chuo University as a global university with a competitive edge.
- Develop student’s talent to enable them to succeed in a global marketplace.
The Chuo University Internship Programme
As a GGJ Project university, Chuo University offers 3 international internship programmes, in the US, the UK & in the Philippines. In the UK, students are hosted by Holst and spend two weeks within the business during their summer holiday. Before they reached the UK, the students attended weekly lectures covering English language tuition and business skills in readiness for their international experience. They also attended workshops in Six Thinking Hats®, Lateral Thinking, logical thinking, presentation skills, meeting facilitation and accounting. [caption id="attachment_8294" align="alignleft" width="500"]
From left: Yumina Kondo & Bernice MacAndrew[/caption]
The interns’ final day with Holst is always special. This is their opportunity to present to the team their “fresh ideas for Holst”. It’s always fascinating to hear what these potential leaders and pioneers think and there is always action for us to take.
Takada Sensei is clear about what the internship experience means for their personal and professional development.
They leave Holst with an understanding of the reality of business in a global setting. They observe a well-established and committed team in daily action. And above all, they gain confidence in their own future based on real experience.
Holst really is the best organisation for a student internship. The Holst team is kind, the internship curriculum thoroughly covers all aspects of the business, and students form long lasting relationships with the team.
The internship experience is a great advantage for the students. Their attitudes and mindsets change dramatically when they return to Chuo. Past students have gone on to secure roles in leading organisations after graduation. I believe their internships at Holst have played a large part in their success.
The Chuo University interns
Mitsuru Osumi: I’m really honoured to do the internship at this company. This was one of the most meaningful and unforgettable experience ever in my life! My feeling became much stronger to work in the UK in the future!
Yumina Kondo: I had a wonderful time within two weeks! I had no experience of studying abroad, and I felt nervous at first. However, people in the group talked to us kindly, and I could learn about the business, English culture and so many other important things! I’m grateful to everyone giving me such an experience.
Yuki Sonokawa: The internship gave me new insight and motivation for job hunting. The guys at Holst were so kind and taught me a lot of things. So much was new and different from my country.
Haruka Yamazaki: I learned so many things at Holst. It was actually my very first time as an intern. Everything I learned there was so very meaningful and I have had the best experience ever in my life. I am really thankful to people at Holst for giving me such a great opportunity. I will make the best use of what I’ve learned.
Find out more about the Chuo University interns at Meet The Team.
This isn’t a one way experience. While the internship is designed to benefit the Chuo University interns, everyone at Holst learns something new from our visitors. And … they always bring us sweets!
These didn’t last very long ….
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