SC China helps develop the next generation of leaders for the future, by providing university students with an opportunity to interact with our employees. This encourages them to think about their future careers as well as the relationship between such careers and their studies at university.
Sumitomo Corporation China Group companies have been organizing internship-style events by inviting local university students to their offices. The employees of the companies serve as lecturers, and help participating students think about their future careers.
Since 2020, due to COVID-19, the companies offered realistic work experience at office sites to a small number of students in addition to holding the event online. But in 2023, we held events in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Tianjin, and Qingdao. The event was held jointly by the offices, and 90 students from 10 schools across China participated.
Fifty employees from all over China took part. The employees who played the role of lecturers devised lectures that would help students imagine what it would be like to go out into the workforce and work by making use of their own specialized fields. We prepared classes on the history of the development of Japanese integrated trading companies, Sumitomo Corporation's CSR activities, Sumitomo Corporation’s vision of human resources, and preparation to get a job. We helped the students understand the origins of general trading companies and the activities of global companies. We also held a speech contest for participating student representatives from the operating companies. The theme of the speech was career planning. The 24 students who participated presented their future career plans after analyzing their own personalities, specialized fields, and future job market needs, as well as stating areas for improvement and the direction of their efforts.
Lecture on the origins and corporate activities of Japanese integrated trading companies
Visit to an operating company
A student gives a speech at the speech contest
I learned that employment opportunities for Japanese language students are not limited to translation. This training activity expanded my view of the career options available. We also realized that a foreign language alone is not enough; we must combine other majors and skills with the Japanese skill we have acquired.
(Student from Shanghai International Studies University)
This was my first time giving a lecture at an internship program as a Japanese expatriate, and since the students were majoring in Japanese, they were very interested in and listened intently to the differences in culture, climate, customs, and lifestyle between Japan and China. The way they participated attentively was impressive. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, it has been impossible to travel overseas for the past few years, but the hurdles to travel have gradually been lowered and travel between China and Japan has become easier, so we encouraged all the students to come and visit Japan. I would like them to absorb the different culture personally.
Self-introduction of work and hobbies
March 2024
